Put simply, I loved this.

I went into it expecting a love letter to classic literature, and while there is an aspect of that - as well as an exploration of literary analysis and differing interpretation - this book is so much more than that. The heart of the story and the central theme is family; the relationship between two brothers who care deeply for each other but also have complicated emotions and history. 

From the start I was intrigued by the premise and story, but as the complex relationship became clearer I became more and more emotionally invested (there were tears). I love that the book is written from the point of view of the 'normal' sibling, the one who has spent his entire life watching his genius brother do impossible things. 

As with every book I've read with fictional characters coming to life, the focus is primarily on out of copyright characters, particularly Dickensian. I can't pretend any interest in Charles Dickens' works, but that never harmed my enjoyment or understanding. (I do wish that authors would apply this trope to some different classic works though, I feel like I've seen books like Great Expectations and The Secret Garden crop up quite a bit). 

This isn't the type of fantasy I read very often, but I appreciated every moment of it. Very highly recommended.