Seeing how old your post is, I am not sure if this is still an issue. More than likely you have made up your mind.
But my wife has owned the Flex for a year now and still loves it. It is by FAR the most comfortable large screen device I have ever handled. The curve makes it easy to grip.
She uses hers more than her laptop. One of her favorite activities is reading, and all the unread tradition books she has bought sit unused by the bed. She uses the Amazon Kindle app on her Flex and reads everything on it. She loves it. She has zero complaints. So, I can say for your pruposes yes the Flex is near perfect. The price is still a little high for that old of a device due to the materials, but it is much cheaper than at launch. If you are still tempted, jump on in.