Winter's Tale

Mythic fiction. Magical realism. Historical fantasy. Winter's Tale is an odd book that defies genre classification.

The book tells the story of Peter Lake, a mythic hero archetype, who lives in a fictionalized version of turn-of-the-century New York City. As an infant, he is set afloat in a miniature ship by his parents and rescued by a clan of marsh dwellers. As a teenager, he becomes a member of a gang of thieves whom he ultimately betrays. Peter falls in love with a mystical girl, has a bizarre vision about death, travels to the future, and gains supernatural powers.

This book is crazy. Crazy and beautiful and spellbinding. It's hugely imaginative, gorgeously written, and weirdly wonderful. Also, the romance is swoon worthy. Seriously.