This is hands down my favorite book of the year, and one I won't forget. I'd rate it 10 stars if I could. I read so many books that it's a rare book that really moves me but this one did. Partly it is because I too was a child who loved fairy tales, and he captures all of the elements about them that I loved. The artwork is so beautiful. And the way he segues from the fairy tales into real life and back is so seamless. So many elements of his story resonate with me--reading it was a cathartic and healing experience. He reminded me of the hidden, spiritual, mythic elements of life. The way that each person's life is a hero's journey, fraught with danger and how all of us can sometimes get lost in our life, lose parts of our soul along the way. But it also holds out the hope of happy endings. This book transported me and changed me in the way that all of the best books do, reminding me of why I love reading so much.