Fan Girl Head Explosion

So, Reader, I just want you to know that this afternoon I ventured out into the sun to pick up my copy of Catherynne Valente's somewhat annoying to type but beautifully titled children's novel The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making--that's a link to the lovely Vermont Book Shop where I purchased my copy.

(Me, clutching my copy. You shan't have it!)

And you guys, it is straight up awesome.

I think I've mentioned this before, but I am a binge reader and like to devour novels in one sitting when possible. And with this book I'm already like, "Whoa whoa whoa, I need to slow this down and make it last."

In fact, I am even already thinking about REREADING it. I do not reread. I reread passages, special scenes, particularly amazing sentences. I don't often reread books. But this one I might.

I know you are thinking, "Okay, Jennifer. But you are a total Cat Valente Fan Girl. How do we know you're not biased?"

And I get that. Except that I'm harder on the authors I love most. I still think that without Terry Pratchett (a la Good Omens), Neil Gaiman has trouble with his conclusions (short stories excluded, of course). And in previous works, I've sometimes thought that C to the V's sentences and images and metaphors tended to take precedence over plot. See? I can be critical (any family members reading this are like, "Yeah. No shit." Sorry, Family Members!).

But this book. Is. Amazing. It's already a classic--one of those books that younger readers will love but adults will cherish. There are so many amazing quotable passages that I've given up keeping track. We shall see if this awesome rainbow of magical storytelling will deposit me to a pot of gold at the end. WE SHALL SEE ABOUT THAT. The bar has been raised, that's for sure.

But for now, it's rocking my world.