Based on the cover blurb, I wasn't clear whether the audience for this book was children or adults, but decided to give it a go. I'm so glad I did, because I loved it and gulped it down over a couple of days. It's a book that is about childhood, but not necessarily for children.

It's an interesting premise - what if imaginary friends are actually real, here to help kids deal with whatever's going on in their lives? And what if they only stay alive for as long as their human child believes in them or needs them? This was an interesting enough concept to keep me reading, and then the story really takes off a little way in and it becomes unputdownable!

The relationship between Budo (the IF), and his child, Max, is just lovely. And the descriptions of other IFs that Budo meets during his adventures were wonderful. The idea is that they look and act according to the imagination, or the limits to imagination, of the children who create them. Max is a clever little boy, so Budo is almost human, lacking only a few human characteristics. This isn't always the case, so we meet IFs who are just a hair ribbon with eyes, or two dimensional paper cut outs. And the human characters are great too - well rounded and interesting.

In summary, read this book! Seeing the world through the unique eyes of Budo - not quite a real boy - was fascinating. If you are an adult and are wondering if it's for you, hang on to your own imagination and give it a go. For the youngies, there are a few plot turns that might be a bit distressing, but no more than, say, Harry Potter or the Rings trilogy. And I think children from 10 up would love it. Max and Budo and all the other imaginaries will stay with you for a long time.