Picked this up for $1 at a used bookstore because the cover art is beautiful. Weirdest book I've read in my life thus far. I still don't understand what happened. ( )

**i received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to those that made it happen!**

i don't often read stories like this, so i wasn't sure what to expect. For me, this novel is a reaffirmation that you can't rely on reviews to determine what you will or will not like. In spite of the many negative reviews, i enjoyed this one quite a bit. It walked the line between fantasy and reality and effaced the line between the two in the minds of Robbie and Fristeen. Shapero has a refreshing way of molding a story from the minds of children. ( )

This book is a long way from my usual fayre being more fairy-tale than a real story, the story line is a bit thin to put it mildly, but that said I found it rather pleasurable escapism just like that for the two children.

The story for what it is is about two 6 year-old children escaping the crumbling relationships of their parents into their imaginations and the wild Alaskan landscape around their homes. At times you can see the author's musical background in his descriptions which are almost lyrical but at times this did seem a little overdone and almost felt contrived. Some of the sexual references I certainly felt were overdone,considering it is supposed to be from the viewpoint of such young children.

I felt that the ending when it came was a little rushed and felt a little confused as to how Grace and Robbie's Dad happened to be at the cabin together to rescue them and did the cabin burn down or not. I mean were they really having an affair? But that said I loved the open ended nature of the ending, the idea that there is a place somewhere where we can all escape the pressures of everyday life even for a short time is to a certain extent up-lifting and is surely why we all read anyway. My one real gripe is that I would have preferred the two kids to be older, as some of the imagery and language just did not feel right for two such innocents.

This was one of the better self-published books I have read. Would I read another Rich Shapero book? I probably would not go out and buy one but if one were to cross my path then maybe ( )