This collection of tales reminds me of a painting I have hanging up on my wall. I fell in love with the story that it told - its colors and whimsy, but I bought it because of the story that told it, when I read what inspired the painter to paint it. And that's what's quite unique about this collection; Gaiman doesn't just share a collection of various tales but he shares their history alongside them. What inspired them. Who inspired them. He unlocks the mystery behind them and lets the reader in a bit further. 
 Because it's an anthology it's obvious that not every story is likely to be adored as equally. I'm a sucker for the dark, mysterious, and twisted tales. Which is why I rather enjoyed: A Lunar Labyrinth, The Thing About Cassandra, and Click-Clack the Rattlebag. Neil Gaiman is a hit or miss author for me. Sometimes I feel like I'm right in his mind, understanding where he's going and others I'm in a distant place unsure of what I'm missing or what to make of it. And so some stories were flat for me, but they could be the very ones others enjoy most, just as those I enjoyed may be the reverse for fellow readers. That's the beauty of anthologies, a bit of something for everyone. But also why it makes it difficult to rate because those that I loved I really loved and those that I didn't I really didn't, leaving me wondering whether to give it 3 or 4 stars. But what are stars really - not always the easiest way of reflecting how you felt about something. 
 [3.5/5.0]