“The Book of Love” is the first novel by noted author Kelly Link. She is best known for her excellent short stories, and for being the recipient of the 2018 MacArthur “Genius” Grant. Her work is often classified as “slipstream” or magical realism. Her first novel is no exception, and what a novel it is! In paper format it is 640 pages! She even jokes about its length in the afterward. So what is this story about? It is set in a small seaside town, and focuses on three teenaged characters: Laura, Daniel and Mo. A year ago, these three died; now they find themselves brought back to life by who they knew as their high school music teacher, Mr. Anabin. He tells them that for two of them to remain alive, they must learn magic, and do so without instruction. As the book goes along, they do just that. The narrative begins to unfold the backstory of how all this happens, and what happened before. It seems fairytale like, or mythic in its own way. But it is also completely grounded in our modern world, and features karaoke, hookup apps, jacuzzis, and a coffee shop. This is fantasy, mystery, drama, and a touch of horror all combined into a modern story. There are many well developed supporting characters, some of whom are not what they seem. It’s a gripping narrative, and kept my attention throughout. It’s certainly different, and a refreshing sort of fantasy. We would expect no less of Kelly Link, and it will be interesting to see if she now writes another novel, or returns to the shorter works she is rightly known for. Either way, the reader will be the beneficiary of her labors.