Really this is a 3 1/2 star review but as the book is about the importance of stories I have rounded up to four.

The ending is poignant and the beginning enthralling (though borrowing heavily from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe). The story misses out on something though, somewhere in the middle of the narrative. The central narrative walks down the well-trodden paths of a typical fantasy quest adventure. It follows a basic storyline of a 12-year-old in danger as he seeks the King and book of lost things. Even the Central character admits this is the plot line straight from the Wizard of Oz. Maybe that the point though, as the book is about the importance of the stories we tell? The fairy tales’ characters are unique to Connolly though. They are twisted, dark and nightmarish. I am particularly found of the retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.

The book is written for adults and I would advise giving it to older children who are not subject to nightmares. Also there are mild sexual references in the book. It’s probably not as bad as the Original Grimms’ Fairy-tales., which I did read without repercussion when I was about 11/12.

This addition has over a 150 pages of additional material. The actual novel is only 340 odd pages. I didn’t realise this until I was nearly finished and was wondering why the story seemed to be coming to end 200 pages from the end of the book. The additional material is good, just a little confusing when you don’t realise there is so much of it.