M is for Magic – Neil Gaiman

Read for the Dream King Reading Challenge.

This is a book of short stories that the author notes in the introduction were collected because they would appeal to young people. Only two are previously uncollected, so you’re not going to find much new here, though it’s a nice jaunt back down memory lane. If you haven’t read any of Gaiman’s work, this book would serve as a great, quick introduction.

My two favorites are “October in the Chair’ and “Sunbird”, both of which previously appeared in Fragile Things. Both have a lovely, creepy atmosphere I enjoyed. “Chivalry” was a great Arthurian based story set in the modern day. And “How to Talk to Girls at Parties” was an interesting slice of science fiction among the fantasy stories.

I wish I’d had Gaiman’s young adult books available when I was still properly in the demographic for them. I know I would have enjoyed them then, and would probably have been able to look back on them as some of the seminal books of my teenage years. Instead, I’ll just consider any young adult that comes across them today to be lucky to be reading his work when they’re still young.