Very fun! Read in one sitting, which I haven’t done in a while. I knew I was in for a treat from the very first sentence:
“In the history of the world there have been lots of onces and lots of times, and every time has had a once upon it.”
Had some fun allusions to The Odyssey (a long journey home, characters named Lotus and Siren, a bed with a corner post carved out of a tree), as well as both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (getting lost in a cave without light, a raft, and hidden treasure).
Quotes:
“But one thing I do know is that our bellies aren't big enough for revenge. It turns sour and eats you up. We'll get out, but we'll get out for the sun, the moon, and mothers, not for small-souled enemies.”
“Tom, unaware that he had even slept, opened his eyes on darkness, but it was darkness with a story.”
“His skin crawled in the warm breeze and sent up goose bumps to celebrate. Every breath, every smell, and the laughter of faraway insects, every bit of the world's dance greeted him at once, and the noise overwhelmed him. From the rippling green and the lazy willows beneath them to the blue kingdom and its cloud herds above, all the world rose up, stood on its head, and crushed his soul with joy.”