"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." 
 This was dark and witty and theatrical and Gothic and utterly utterly adorable. It was sometimes hard to remember that this was aimed at a younger audience as the beauty of the writing and the dark turns of the plot completely enveloped me. This is my first Neil Gaiman but I know it won't be the last! Instant fan!