One of the most common complaints I hear leveled against modern Stephen King novels is that they're a bit too long and indulgent, dwelling on seemingly impertinent details in ways that tend to detract from the overall reading experience. There's certainly some of that in "Fairy Tale," with its at times meandering and repetitious prose but in the context of the work as a whole, I didn't find those instances particularly plentiful or egregious. Yes, the book is long, probably at least a bit longer than it needed to be to make its points and tell its story, but for me at least, it was a very satisfying and immersive read. Were there some things I would have liked better if they'd been done differently? Absolutely. That said, there's a lot of greatness in the story that shines through in spite of any such quibbles. I've read a lot of Stephen King books and stories, and this one would easily make the top third of my list if I were to order them. Is it perfect? No, but few things are.

If you're a fan of King's more epic tales such as "The Stand," or the volumes from the "Dark Tower" series, you'll almost certainly enjoy "Fairy Tale" and I'd even go so far as to say it would make a solid "My First Stephen King Book" for those just beginning to explore speculative fiction, or his many other works. Seasoned readers of both will likely spot a few cracks and chinks in its armor, but that's just fine. It's still a great effort in my opinion.