It appears our literary principles are at odds: I enjoy such a feeling of urgency, as it helps move the plot along and makes for a good read. The fact that you felt such an urgency at all is testimony to the fact that you had begun to identify with the main character.

I’m not sure what you mean by differentiating the two primary characters. Perhaps you reached a different interpretation, but it seemed to me that the two main characters were in reality identical to each other, though unaware of each other at the same time. A neat paradox!