Earlier this week I finished up The Tooth Fairy, my first book as part of the RIP Challenge. I’ve read a couple of Joyce’s other books (namely Dark Sister and The Limits of Enchantment) and really enjoyed them. I’ve had Tooth Fairy sitting on my bookshelf for ages, and just never got around to reading it. I figured the challenge was a perfect opportunity to remedy that.

The story takes place in a provincial English town, circa late 1960s and focuses on three young boys, Sam, Clive and Terry, and their journey from childhood to young men. One night, Sam places a tooth under his pillow and wakes up to find the tooth fairy in his room. But this is no tinkerbell, bippity-boppity-boo type fairy. Instead, Sam sees a troll-like creature, reeking of earthy odors. The tooth fairy is menacing, malicious and quite scary. As Sam grows up, the fairy continues to visit him, changing its form and influencing events and people in Sam’s life. Their relationship is at the heart of the novel, complemented by Sam’s personal development, all wrapped in a tense, sometimes terrifying, package.

This is part coming-of-age story, part fantasy, part horror novel, and a great tale. My only complaint is with the ending, which is a bit too pat for my liking. Still, he’s an author I heartily recommend and this book is no exception.

I’ve decided to replace one of my challenge book selections with The Thirteenth Tale, since I got an ARC copy through BookCrossing, but I’ve decided to save it until last, since I don’t want to end up in the same situation that Heather did after reading it. So next up is Sleep, Pale Sister – another book I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time.