This book is definitely different than the others in the series, but in a good way. Honestly, it made for a nice change — the previous books were magical but there was a sameness about them; this installment shared some themes and Laws but played by different rules. As always, there are heartwarming and heartbreaking moments aplenty, and hilarity and whimsy to spare.

Hawthorne/Thomas is just as lovable a protagonist as September; Tamburlaine, Blunderbuss, and Scratch equally stalwart Questing companions as A-Through-L and Saturday. (I also loved the theme of Four rather than Three: fitting for a fourth installment in a series, of course, but also an interesting idea in and of itself!) There’s still so much of Fairyland we have yet to explore, and I’m delighted that Catherynne M. Valente has found such a lovely way to keep the narrative fresh.