I thought it was too much information crammed into the show - it MAY have been better as a two-part show, but I'm not sure.  I had trouble keeping track of some of the earlier characters and I wasn't always sure of how people were related (even though they were all cousins apparently).  I never read the book nor seen/heard any other adaptations, so my reference point was limited as well.  It may not have helped that I was a little distracted while listening to it.