What "Happily Ever After" Really Means

Children know that they're constantly fed lies. The Book of Lost Things imagines the logical conclusion of such deceptions.

During the London bombings of World War II, a child is transported to a land ruled by the fears and desires of neglected children. His worst suspicions are confirmed.

After befriending the seven dwarfs, David, the protagonist, learns that Goldilocks met a brutal end after incurring the wrath of the three bears.

...what about 'happily ever after'? asked David, a little uncertainly. "What does that mean?" "Eaten quickly," said Brother Number One.

Author John Connolly is a successful crime fiction writer and his loss-of-innocence allegory is often gruesome. And although David doesn't exactly live happily ever after, the book concludes with a glimmer of hope.

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Everyone seems to be eager to toss out ideas for improving Kansas City. All I want to see is a competitive UMKC men's basketball team.