Lou

I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan, but this one just didn't do it for me. Maybe because I just can't get into classic fantasy. The main character was fairly two-dimensional and unlikable, with hardly any redeeming qualities, the female characters were treated so badly and were so flat and stereotypical, and the plot just wasn't that interesting. I also found the setting pretty weird and wasn't really able to buy into it. This isn't a critique of Neil Gaiman generally, since I absolutely adore some of his other works, but this one wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this one. I was looking to read a book set somewhere I know basically nothing about, and this was a great pick for that. It was really beautifully written and all the characters were funny and instantly likeable. While it dragged a little in the first half, the second half hit me like a ton of bricks. I was not expecting to feel so sad for these characters. I agree with the others that the ending was a little unrealistic, but it's not like it ruins the book. I've suspended my disbelief for greater things.

It's like the city of ember except that the sequels are actually good. Read it.

I'm not usually into dystopian books, but I couldn't put this book down! That being said, the rest of the series really isn't as good so I would just read this one and save your time.

I read this series as a kid and absolutely devoured it. I couldn't believe it wasn't more popular! Definitely too old for it now, but perfect for younger readers.