This book is as wondrous and charming as any Miyazaki story. It reads like a dark fairy tale. My main complaint is something I suspect is a translation issue. The omniscient narrator is a bit too present for my liking. Many events are narrated that would have been more effectively told through illustrations. So many moments could have been shown rather than told. Still, the art is quite beautiful and the story is extremely moving. It feels like a dark fairytale.

Hayao Miyazaki is always so wonderful in his beautiful art and storytelling, He is a huge part of many of of lives and childhoods, and I will be looking forward to purchasing this for myself. I’ll also be recommending it for my library. His work is truly breathtaking.