ISBN-13: 9780061186424
Grade: C
Neil Gaiman and I have an up and down relationship. M is for Magic is on the down side. I'm sure my disappointment with this book is because Coraline and The Graveyard Book were fantastic and I had ridiculously high standards. 5 of the 11 stories were good...10 stories and one poem that is.
'The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds' is a fantastically dark look at classic nursery rhyme characters Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horner and Cock Robin. Dark as only Gaiman could do.
'Don't Ask Jack' is a little story about a jack in the box and the kids who play with him. This story gave me nightmares of demented jack in the boxes coming to life and screwing with me.
'October in the Chair' is of particular creativity. At first glance at the title I was hoping for an electric chair, but settled for a story about the different calandar months sitting around a campfire telling stories.
'The Price' is my favorite story from the book. It's about a stray black cat that adopts a family and will do anything to protect them from a force of pure evil. Maybe it's because I love cats so much or maybe it's because this was a sweet little story.
'The Witch's Headstone' is chapter 4 of The Graveyard Book. I knew that there was a short story that inspired TGB I just didn't know it was going to be word for word. Oh well, still one of my favorite parts of TGB.
The rest of the stories and poem I hardly remember. Some were so bad I skimmed most of the story. Gaiman fanatics will probably tell me I'm nuts for not loving this book. Others will say that it just wasn't one of Gaiman's best efforts. These are stories dark, twisted and touching that only Gaiman could come up with. Do I regret reading it...no. Is is one to add to the permanent library...no. It would have been a D- if anyone besides Gaiman wrote it.
It's ok, I still ♥ Neil Gaiman and have another one of his books checked out.
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