Before I begin, I must explain that although this book deserves every one of its five stars, it is not a book for everyone. This fantastical ode to storytelling blurs the lines of myth and reality, often leaving the reader lost or without explanation. Or even worse– without the satisfaction of expected closure. Storytelling is diverse, each culture having its own set of rules for what constitutes a tale and what the morals must be, so thus these “faults” feel less so. I think of the movie Pan’s Labyrinth, and how the viewer never gets a clear answer on if the magical world is real or not. The point is not to investigate every last frame trying to find the answer, but rather that it is Schrödinger’s cat in nature, with both possibilities true and untrue at once. In the same way, this book lets you experience a story within a story with a… you get the point, while also seeing the characters’ perspectives of suddenly being part of that. I admit, some of the symbolism in the book is repetitive at times, but again, so are many fairy tales and literature alike. We treasure rather than complain about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s excessive use of colour. Good literature can take many forms. On that note, yes, the writing is very abstract. I enjoy my full sentences as much as the next person, but it was rather invigorating to just take in the imagery and mood once I let my expectations go.