I think this is one of those books you either love or hate. 
 I personally didn't enjoy reading this book. I found it slow, convoluted, and underwhelming. I understood the symbolism, I appreciated Gaiman's research, and if it had been written with a little more ~flair~ it might have made it to my Favorites list. 
 I love Gaiman's writing, his settings, and his ideas. But I don't like how he executes them, and how an author executes his ideas is entirely subjective and a matter of personal preference. I kind of wish I had given up on this early on when I wanted to, but the hype was too great to ignore. 
 Maybe I'll try reading another one of his books in the future, but it'll be hard to forget this disaster and keep an open mind. I make no promises.