One drawback to having these notes (as is the drawback to having ANY Cliffs Notes) is the temptation to substitute the notes for the actual novel. While this substitution may work for other novels, it isn't a good idea to think it unnecessary to read the book just because you've read the notes. I tried that, and it didn't work. Besides, the Cliffs Notes are just about as long as the actual book, so you might as well read the real thing.

The bottom line is that these notes are a good investment if you want to gain a good understand of the novel, and insight into what your English teacher might think is important. I recommend these notes.