The first thing I noticed about this story was the writing style. There is a very natural feeling behind each thought, almost like we're peering into Zachary's life as a reporter gives us exclusive access to how his story unfolds. And Zachary is normal, almost painfully so, or at least in the beginning. Zachary could be any of us from how plain he is, from how he reads. But then the ~ fantasy ~ kicks in and no one could ever replace him as the protagonist. Oh and I must mention the subplot romance! It was good and warm and hard work, and I really enjoyed it! 

I'm not a huge fan of how the different parts intercepted, purely based on my own interests while reading, but listening to the different voice actors in the audiobook did bring these clues to life. The many storylines weaving in and out of each other were mystical at best and confusing at worst, as I had to actively listen to keep up with the jumble of plots. 

Overall, this was a fantastic fairytale with enough mystery and adventure to keep me satisfied and more emotions than I knew how to handle.