This is an absolutely lovely book that caught me by surprise. It's very Ghibli-esque in its story, and for the most part I enjoyed the gentle, meandering way in which it was told. The lore and relationships between humans and the fantastical beasts they care for was well done and complex - I constantly found myself wanting to know more. I did have a few issues with the story structure and pacing, but it certainly wasn't deal breaking.