The third graphic novel in the Fables series, this book is a bit more fragmented that the other graphic novels. With the characters introduced and the world set up the writer can now cut through some of that and tell complete stories in one or two issues. This is both good and bad. Far more ground is covered in this book than n the previous Fable books but none of them have quite the level of detail.
This book starts with a story that is almost a fable on its own. Set during the civil war Jack, of beanstalk fame, has managed to cheat the devil at a game of cards and stolen his magic bag after deserting the confederacy. He comes across a sick southern lady who is expecting to die, but Jack uses the magical bag to capture death. The payment for this is that the woman sleeps with him. They soon discover though that nothing can die. Jack knows he must let the grim reaper go, but the reaper isn't angry as he has been given the first day off in centuries and gives the woman another year to live. This storybook fable ends with the woman stealing the bag from Jack and running off with another man.
This sets the tone for "Storybook Love" which focuses on the romances in Fables. From Prince Charming a serial monogamist who has married and divorced Snow White, Briar Rose and Cinderella as well as leaving behind a string of other women, and the budding romance between Bigby Wolf and Snow White who are forced to survive together as Goldilocks hunts them with a sniper rifle and Bigby Wolf explains how he is able to blow down houses.
The art is one of the great things about this book. Though it looks realistic it keeps much of the storybook feel through the pages and there is almost always something to see in the background as you pick up on the many fairytale creatures that appear throughout its pages.
One of the new additions were the Lilliputians. They are used as spies early in the book as they ride around Fable town on their mice and at the end Bigby explains how they came to be in Fable town and how trying to steal magical seeds has become a rite of passage for their young men.
Although this story is not as consistent as the previous books and the art even changed at the end this is still an excellent and fun story that should be enjoyable to anyone, just be aware that this is a story for adults not children so don't be too surprised by curses, violence, drugs and more.