This book was beautifully written, with just vivid, unique images, that I enjoyed it very much. However, it was also very strange and hard for my kids to get into because of it. It was sort of a cross between the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. I really appreciated the writing, but found it moved slower than other books, and it took more concentration to really understand what was happening in the story. That's not a bad thing, just something to consider. But I really did love it in many ways.