4 stars
A lovely illustrated edition of Neil Gaiman’s poem, “Instructions”. First published in A Wolf at the Door: And Other Retold Fairy Tales, “Instructions” provides the reader with tips, tricks, and reminders pulled straight from fairy tales, myths, and other stories.
The illustrated edition adds even deeper meaning to the poem, incorporating further references into the artwork. It’s fun going through and trying to spot the various details and connect them to a story. There are pumpkin carriages, a lone shoe, three pigs picnicking, a crowned frog, black birds emerging from a pie. Some references are obvious, others are more hidden or obscure.
I really enjoyed the artwork. There is so much detail packed into each page. Each one tells its own story alongside the lines of Gaiman’s poem. They perfectly capture the magic and wonder of fairy tales along with the more frightening aspects.
A lovely read with plenty of lessons the think about. The illustrations are pure magic.