I talk about this book in my June reading wrap-up video.

This was incredibly up my ally as it combines fairytale retellings, a coming of age story and an incredibly strong narrative voice. I was so enamored with what is ultimately a dark and sad story. I considered giving it five stars, but I also have to admit to myself that the pacing was a bit inconsistent and at times the storytelling felt a little too on the nose.

That aside, this is certainly amongst my favorite reads of the first half of this year. The last book I read was Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane, so perhaps my heart is all tender to stories about growing up. In this book, like in Gaiman's, it's such a heartbreaking process as trouble and heartbreak and sadness seeps into the world of the little boy main characters.

I loved David. I don't think we get too much of an idea of his character which means it's hard to attach to him very personally, but I loved his role within this story. My heart went out to him from the beginning as he recently lost his mother and struggled to reconcile his new life with his old. He was brave and wonderful as he traveled around the fairytale land. I never faulted him for any of his actions or thoughts because they all seemed relateable and real.

And that ending man. As true to life as it is to love and lose and have happiness and sadness, it still kicked me in the gut. Real life is sad. I'm impressed, though, that Connolly doesn't shy away from that truth. I'm incredibly happy that I picked this up.