Comment 935 on “Instructions”

1. Jon(athan) Nakapalau says:

   at 5:23 AM

   Gaiman and Vesswhat needs to be said

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2. Aldrin says:

   at 5:23 AM

   Reading Instructions is akin to being in a hypnotic state Its first couple of pages suggest that you Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before Say please before you open the latch Go through The preceding pithy commands instigate the hypnogenesis they are the first of many that make up the short poem that flows through this new picture book, the latest collaboration between Coraline author Neil Gaiman and The Book of Ballads and Sagas illustrator Charles Vess.In Instructions, Gaiman [...]

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3. Kathryn says:

   at 5:23 AM

   Oh, dear Perhaps I just wasn t in the right mood for this particular journey today as I don t seem to have loved this as much as most other reviewers I really did appreciate many aspects of it, and some of the instructions are just wonderful I especially liked the return part of the journey, with all the trust but some felt a bit awkward or unexplained, especially in the context of the greater journey, and I guess I just wanted a bit overall The narrative is not really enough of a cohesive stor [...]

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4. Ricardo says:

   at 5:23 AM

   5 5Un maravilloso cuento sobre c mo adentrarte en las historias y salir con vida Ilustraciones hermosas y una narraci n po tica Incre ble.Rese a eternamenteentiniebla

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5. Lisa Vegan says:

   at 5:23 AM

   This might be my favorite Gaiman book, so far I always want to love his work than I do I don t know that I adored this, but I really appreciate it The story is a set of simple instructions, about one per page, about how to live life, and it s amusing because it uses how to survive a trip through fairy tales as its examples Most of the time I was thinking How clever although at times I noticed myself arguing with the philosophy presented, but I appreciated what was being attempted and I was rela [...]

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6. Elidanora says:

   at 5:23 AM

   Esperaba algo mas parecido a Fortunately, The Milk, c mico y tierno, se quedo en tierno Igual soy incondicional de Gaiman y trato de leer todo, los dibujos son muy lindos y coloridos.Leyendo otras rese as debo confesar que seguro de ni a no le los mismos cuentos que Gaiman y los anglosajones y tal vez por eso no capt el mensaje.

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7. Quirkyreader says:

   at 5:23 AM

   This is Neil s Guide To Life And it was illustrated by one of my favourite artists, Charles Vess.

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8. Ernesto Alvarado says:

   at 5:23 AM

   Great illustrations Great book for young readers.

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9. Odile says:

   at 5:23 AM

   One of the things that makes Neil Gaiman a relatively unique and popular writer is his subtle incorporation of mythological and fairy tale motifs in his fiction One of my favourite stories in this respect is Instructions, a piece that appeared before in short story collections like M Is for Magic and Fragile Things It s great news then, that this little tale has now been published separately with wonderful illustrations by Charles Vess, who s worked with Gaiman before on works like Stardust and [...]

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10. Jan Rice says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Just got this and read it for the first time in 10 minutes I wanted it for the fairy tale pictures and the how to prose poem Many of the prior reviews say that it s about what to do if one happens to find oneself in a fairy tale, but for me it s just about what to do, period Incorporates bits and pieces you will recognize from various traditions and tales, some general and some idiosyncratic the latter hinting this could be do it yourself advice as well as received wisdom.It was a birthday gift [...]

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11. Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ Rabid Reads says:

    at 5:23 AM

    2 7 18 ON SALE for 2.68 amzn 2nMZWqjReviewed by Rabid ReadsI have a confession to make I don t have much use for Neil Gaiman as far as full length novels go I KNOW dons sackcloth mortifies flesh I gave him a than fair shot, but Neverwhere and The Graveyard Book both bored me to tears, I didn t make it than a few chapters into American Gods, and Stardust has the dubious honor of being the only movie that was actually better than the book BUT.Give him a talented illustrator and tell him to writ [...]

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12. Lauringui says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Me cruc con esta maravilla en el medio de otros libros, mientras hac a tiempo, en una librer a.No pude contenerme y me lo le completo Las ilustraciones c lidas, las palabras justas y la poes a lo envuelven todo.

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13. babyhippoface says:

    at 5:23 AM

    I m still trying to figure this one out.I get that it s Gaiman s answer to Dr Seuss s Oh The Places You ll Go I get that it s saying, The lessons we learn from fairy tales can help us throughout life I get that it s full of allusions to fairy tales all through it But what I m not getting is ALL of the allusions Example I get the reference to two sisters, one that speaks diamonds and one that speaks toads and frogs I know that story But why does Gaiman tell our hero not to trust the youngest of t [...]

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14. Diane says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Beautifully written poem It s an interesting construct, a series of commands and recommendations, which tell the story of a Journey, the point of which we never do discover It s open ended, which is great for the imagination and there s a lot going on in the illustrations which are vibrant and beautiful.

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15. Theresa says:

    at 5:23 AM

    A picture book kinda for adults, though I would give it to school age kids who love fairy tales myths or are rather serious children Love all the fairy tale, folk tale, mythology allusions Not a fan of the illustrations too drab Though I liked that the illustration of princesses featured one p rincess oc.

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16. Kirsty Cabot says:

    at 5:23 AM

    More wonderful weirdness from Gaiman This time a pleasant and light kind of weirdness, opposed to dark and unpleasant weirdness Great illustrations, and just beautifully odd I really enjoyed it.A great, very short read.

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17. Bernard Schaffer says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Exquisite and perfect Gaiman is at the top of his game and Charles Vess s artwork is so good I want him to come over my house and paint fairies and sprites all over my walls Those two are a winning combination that never fails.

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18. Anastasia says:

    at 5:23 AM

    So heartwarming and sweet Loved this short story.

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19. Anne says:

    at 5:23 AM

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture book Could be for young and old because you will take from the words and gorgeous illustrations that which has meaning for you.

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20. Ana Rînceanu says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Perfect for bedtime

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21. Claudia Piña says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Me gusta la gentileza que se transmite en la historia, donde un viaje no solo es aventura sino tambi n ayudar, conocer y aprender El t o Charles no necesita que alabe sus ilustraciones, as que solo basta decir que las ilustraciones son de l.

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22. Joshua says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Read this book Pay close attention to what you see and feel Heed the instructions carefully Don t read it alone When you re done be proud You ll understand later.

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23. Cheryl says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Though I do enjoy Vess s artwork, I think I like this poem better un illustrated, using my own imagination and knowledge of a range of fairy tales their tropes, to make the pictures for it in my own mind But getting this poem out to readers is key, so I m glad this book is making it widely available And I m very glad it s not a big expensive picture book, but a smaller, affordable and accessible format.

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24. Tressa says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Neil Gaiman s adult fiction is a little too whimsical for my taste, but since I expect a picture book to contain its fair share of whimsy, his newest juvenile fiction gets a thumbs up from me.Instructions Everything You ll Need To Know on Your Journey is about a bipedal cat who must follow a set of instructions if he is to exit back through the wooden gate where his journey began.Beyond the wall, the garden looks tranquil at first glance Cinderella s pumpkin carriage is parked behind some trees [...]

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25. Jay Sensi says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Neil Gaiman manages to evoke many emotions in this whimsical tale The book is about a personified cat that must follow a set of instructions if he is to exit back through the wooden gate where his journey began Through the tale he comes across some fairy tale features well known to the readers Cinderella s pumpkin carriage is parked behind some trees The Three Little Pigs are having a picnic The Frog Prince rests on the lawn Gaiman provides a sense of equilibrium with the features of familiarity [...]

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26. Karissa says:

    at 5:23 AM

    I love Neil Gaiman s stories, poems, graphic novel, and books So realize that I am giving you this review with a somewhat biased viewpoint Instructions is a poem that I first read in Gaiman s collection of children s stories M is for Magic I loved the poem, which is an somewhat eccentric list of instructions about how to survive a fairy taled on a deeper level how to live you life in general.This is a great book for young children, older children, adults and all ages in between My three year old [...]

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27. Bookwatcher says:

    at 5:23 AM

    One word to describe this book Marvelous After I decided to buy all GaimanVess partnership.Instructiondidn t disappointed me It s really a magic story with unforgettable illustrations.I read it to my 5 years old nephew and he love it and ask me to tell it again and again and again and again and one time 5 stars FYI, I strongly advice the audio book too it s free, Neil Gaiman himself put it on Youtube it s his voice This one Instructions

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28. Wyatt Packard says:

    at 5:23 AM

    Instructions is one of my favorite Neil Gaiman poems and is something that is as wonderful from a reader s perspective as it is from a writer s or those that are interested in archetypes Instructions tells of the journey Not a specific one, but one that in it s deepest sense is in fact instructions As I was reading I found myself thinking of many of the adventure fantasy novels and myths I have read and Instructions is that journey The one you find every hero going on, and every character facing [...]

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29. Megan says:

    at 5:23 AM

    First off, to satisfy the tickle you will inevitably have to have this book read to you and to keep me from having to huff paint and do it myself , watch Neil Gaiman read the entirety of Instructions aloud here.I am lucky to have read so many wonderful children s books these past couple of days Maurice Sendak and Neil Gaiman make for some excellent childhood reading even if you aren t a kid This particular book is a dreamy instruction guide for anybody embarking on their own fairy tale It was a [...]

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30. Sissy Lu Book Savvy Reviews says:

    at 5:23 AM

    I m a rabid fan of Neil Gaiman, I ll admit it I m not author blind though, there have been some titles that I haven t been so keen on picking up and I m slowly making my way toward it This little short is not one of those, it s adorable, short, cute, insightful and inspiring.While I listened to this one, which was only a few minutes long, I closed my eyes and pictured exactly what he was speaking of, felt exactly what he spoke of like I had been on the short journey That s what I love about Gaim [...]

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