Vivian Doster

I’ve never read a book that satisfies me quite as much as this one, and I doubt I ever will again. If you asked me before I read this what my favorite book was, I would’ve said that it was too hard to choose. Now I don’t need to hesitate because it is without doubt this book. There is no part of this story which is disappointing. Some of the other books written into it ( Sweet Sorrows, Fortunes and Fables, ext) are more interesting than others. You will have your favorite. At times you will enjoy the side story more than the actual plot. For first time readers I recommend reading it over a long space of time. It is one of those books that you can only see the point of if you spend just as much time thinking about it and guessing what will happen next as you do reading it. This book not feeling magical is something I’ve seen complained about in some of the comments. Keep in mind that this book is not a replacement for The Night Circus being over. Do not read this book just to fix the book hangover you have from just finishing the Night Circus. This is a completely different book. And I didn’t feel like it was really magical. instead it made me feel as if the partial magic in it could really be out their hiding. It made me want to go looking for it. I felt like I missed my door that fate had given me, and that was the only reason I was standing in Zarchary’s place. The fact that it felt real was what drew me in. The second time I read this book I did so in under 24 hours. This was an entirely different experience. It felt like getting together with a childhood friend, but they’ve changed and you can’t quite put your finger on how. Every time you read this book you value something different about it. There are few books I’ve felt this strongly about. These books would be The Starless Sea, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Toothfairy, Grace Year, and The Giver.