It has a few good points, better drawing, Object Styles and double clicking to mask images, but 'faster to use'?
I really can't see how you could say that, as so many things are removed or take multiple manual steps to get at.
Even down to one of the things that made Pages '09 so quick to assemble work, being able to drag in images into columns and have them resize automatically is gone.
I use a lot of software and can't say I have trouble with change, in fact quite enjoy it, but Pages 5 has been gutted and speeding down the freeway is not going to happen if you have to first get the car off the blocks, only to find the wheels are now square and the steering wheel is in the boot.
Peter