Monarch of the Glen is a quick to read, quirky novella, told in Neil Gaiman’s classic style. the copy I read was also illustrated by Daniel Egneus with interesting line drawings, which added an extra dimension of interest to the story.

The story is written in first person narrative from the point of view of Shadow and is set in the Scottish highland, an area close to my own heart. It incorporates several mythical characters in a modern setting here with little effort. The story is told in piece meal fashion with seemingly random and unconnected events that all tie up in the end. Readers familiar with American Gods will recognise the main characters.

I loved the way this story doesn’t give you all the pieces or spoon-feed the plot. There is always something to guess at.

I think this book would appeal to fans of fantasy with gritty edges, that need to be thought about and savoured.

4 out of 5 beans

If you’d like to know more about Neil’s work visit his website