Neil Gaiman continues to amaze me with his stories. Overall, I very much enjoyed this collection of "fragile things." I particularly enjoyed "A Study in Emerald," "October in the Chair" (notwithstanding my birthmonth), "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless," "Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox" (reminded me in a way of Stephen King's "All That You Love Will Be Carried Away"), "Sunbird" and "The Monarch of the Glen" (a sequel to [b:American Gods|4407|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1258417001s/4407.jpg|1970226]).

I would've rated it a five based on those stories alone, but there were a few other stories that didn't quite work for me. "The Problem of Susan" is, well, problematic, not in the idea (which I think is a worthy one) but the execution. There was an awkwardness to the grit of "Keepsakes and Treasures." Some of the poems, like "The Day the Saucers Came," seemed a bit throwaway.

But overall, a good collection. Anyone who already enjoys Gaiman should find a lot in this book to sustain their opinion. And those who aren't that familiar with his work will probably find a few pleasant nuggets as well.