Scavenging Book Stores and Libraries
Currently I'm a librarian and before that I was an archaeologist, a journalist, and definitely a bit of a world traveler. I tend to mostly read science fiction and fantasy, though I do love a good mystery and I'm a bit of a book dabbler overall. I've been doing Goodreads for awhile, but a friend thought I might enjoy this as well. Let's see, yeah?
In the Land of Never Better
Far, Far Away is both a lovely modern fairy tale – full of tidbits from old Grimm tales – and a book full of impending doom. The whimsy and sweetness skips along mostly unaware of the heavy dread hovering over it – it’s something we get to know about, as the reader, because the narrator drops hints in the very opening paragraphs.
I was afraid that this story would end terribly tragically. (a lot of my recent reading has gone that way) I’m not saying if the story does end on tragedy, but I will say that this turned out to be the kind of story where sad things happening won’t spoil the enjoyment. McNeal blends it all so wonderfully. And, of course, the fact that one of the main characters of the novel is the ghost of Jacob Grimm is great plus for the story!
I think one of the most fascinating things about the book is how much it examines the power of stories in our lives. What sorts of things can become true just because we believe them? Or maybe they’re always true and we just have to remind ourselves of them… Or if they aren’t, perhaps they still pull us together and tie us together in interesting and wonderful ways.
At any rate, it’s a lovely story and it’s too bad that I waited so long to read it! I borrowed this from the library, but I think this will be a book that I buy for my collection once I’m properly settled down again someplace.
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