Fortunately, The Milk... - Neil Gaiman

Illustrated by Chris Riddell

Pages: 160

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: 17^th September 2013

Edition: e-proof, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: Among many others: Stardust, American Gods, Neverwhere, Sandman, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

You know what it’s like when mum leaves on a business trip and Dad’s in charge. She leaves a really, really long list of what he’s got to do. And the most important thing is DON’T FORGET TO GET THE MILK. Unfortunately, Dad forgets. So the next morning, before breakfast, he has to go to the corner shop, and this is the story of why it takes him a very, very long time to get back.

Featuring: Professor Steg (a time-travelling dinosaur), some green globby things, the Queen of the Pirates, the famed jewel that is the Eye of Splod, some wumpires, and a perfectly normal but very important carton of milk.

Fortunately, The Milk... is only the second of Neil Gaiman’s novels I’ve read and I’m still not entirely sure why there’s so much fuss. I’m sorry; I realise that’s practically blasphemous.

Though I didn’t blow me away, I did thoroughly enjoy Fortunately, The Milk... I thought that Chris Riddell’s illustrations were brilliant and they really brought the story to life. The fact that the dad telling his story is the spit of Neil Gaiman gave me a good chuckle and I thought Professor Steg was adorable. Well, as adorable as a stegosaurus can be.

Neil Gaiman writes at a break-neck speed and it was a rollercoaster of fun and mad-cap adventure. I didn’t expect time-travel as well as prophecies and pirates, but it was all there! I can imagine Fortunately, The Milk... leaving kids enraptured at bedtime, unable to sleep for trying to figure out if dad was lying or not and just what it would be like to fly in a hot air balloon with a stegosaurus.

This is a very short read, perfect for before bed and for those a little older who want a taste of madness.

For my 2013 British Books Challenge

Thanks to Bloomsbury/NetGalley for the review copy.

Sophie