I am a FOOL for not listening to my many friends who insisted I read this one immediately. I bought it years ago, and only got around to it now. Is is beautiful, funny, dark, smart, clever, creepy, and I want to hug the author for creating it. I bought the trilogy in hardcover as a gift to my kids for when they are old enough to read it (there is some language and sexual/crude jokes in it typical of a teenaged boy). Incredible book.