Instructions

5 Responses to “Instructions”

1. K. Eckert says:

   June 7, 2010 at 11:50 pm

   I like Neil Gaiman’s tales, poems, graphic novel, and books. So realize that I am giving you this review with a to some extent biased viewpoint. Instructions is a poem that I first read in Gaiman’s collection of children’s tales “M Is for Magic.” I loved the poem, which is an to some extent eccentric list of instructions about how to survive a fairy tale…and on a deeper level how to live you life in all-purpose.

   This is a fantastic book for young children, older children, adults and all ages in between. My three year ancient finds the book fascinating, as do I. Some people might find the to some extent crazy random and odd instructions in this book a bit odd. Mostly though this poem is to some extent mysterious, fun, gives incite into fairy tales, and is a wonderful imaginative adventure.

   Charles Vess’s illustrations add a ton to this book. They are gorgeous and mysterious and absolutely perfect for this poem. You can hear Gaiman read the whole book and see all of Vess’s wonderful illustrations at: [...]

   So before buying check out the above link to see if this book is for you.

   I personally thought this was a wonderful book. It is a fantastic children’s book the provokes imagination and introduces both poetry and fairy tales. It is a fantastic adult book in that it sends a message about how to live your life. Adults will admit references to many well loved fairy tales. I absolutely loved this book. I will keep in in my library for ever.
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
2. V says:

   June 8, 2010 at 12:20 am

   You read the poem lacking distress until you get near the end and you find there is a line, and pictures, an letters that do not match the rest of the book. You lose the grip on the address.
   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
3. Anthony R. Cardno says:

   June 8, 2010 at 1:39 am

   Instructions is one of my favorite Neil Gaiman poems. As I commented when I listened to Gaiman’s Fragile Things fleeting tale collection on cd last year, the poem is one of his pieces that I will actively dig out and reread occasionally. In the poem, the narrator instructs the reader on how to survive a fairy tale.

   In this hardcover children’s book edition, the poem is expanded upon by the fantastic artwork of Charles Vess. Vess may not be as frequent a Gaiman collaborator as Dave McKean is, but to my personal taste he’s the more enjoyable of the two (your mileage may vary). Don’t get me incorrect, I like the work of Dave McKean (and Michael Zulli, and P. Craig Russell). I just like Vess’ work a small bit more.

   For Instructions, Vess posits the main character not as a predictable human blundering through a fairy tale, but as a humanoid sort of canine / feline mix. There are pages in which the character looks decidedly canine, and others in which the face is feline to a fault … and I establish that very intriguing. In Gaiman’s Blueberry Girl, Vess had the girl who is the theme of the poem change race and age every few pages; here, he finds a way to embody different aspects of the character lacking a drastic change in appearance. It works a more devious magic on the reader, I reflect, as well as focusing less attention on the gender of the character being instructed.

   A wonderful poem, perfectly illustrated. “Everthing you’ll need to know on your journey,” the take in copy says. Not just on a journey through a fairy tale, but on a journey through life.
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
4. Don Snyder says:

   June 8, 2010 at 3:11 am

   What a fantastic book. I’m really impressed with it. Though proposed as a children’s book, it sparked my own sense of adventure. I bought it as a gift for a friend with a new baby, but I’ll have to buy them another copy — I’m keeping this one for myself!
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
5. Chelsea Porter says:

   June 8, 2010 at 4:30 am

   Instructions is a lovely book. It’s reasonably a bit smaller — not in terms of page count, but physically — than I expected, but it’s plenty large enough to showcase the art. It’s illustrated by the same man who did Blueberry Girl, but I’m not sure I would have guessed that if I didn’t already know it… the style in this one is reasonably different, in my opinion. It’s generally not as whimsical as Blueberry Girl, although it’s still on fairy tale themes. Come to reflect of it, though, that’s right of Neil Gaiman’s text in each, as well, so I guess it’s appropriate. I read it to my 5-year-ancient daughter, and she seemed to delight in it. I tried to specifically slow down in my reading, and used a lot of Gaiman’s intonations (from the youtube video I watched), just like with Blueberry Girl. I reflect the themes in this one are still a bit over her head, but she’ll grow into it.

   I reflect this is truly a special book for kids, but probably even more so for adults. Here’s hoping it becomes a graduation classic, a la “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5