An excellent, clever, literary novel about modern fairy tales and fatherhood.

This novel is a masterclass in using fairy tale themes, and explains to me why so many gritty re-imaginings of fairy tales feel so hollow. This book actually has something to say other than 'remember that shit you liked when you were a kid? We're reheating it because you're an ADULT now!'

It's so clever. That's the thing I can't get over. The way it writes magic, the way it comments on modernity, the way it ties history to the present, is so clever and masterful. This book is the work of a truly excellent author, to the point where its flourishes and victories look effortless.