I don't want to spoil anything for those who have not read (or who are not caught up), but I did want to share a few final thoughts.
As a general recap, the story is narrated by the dog Snuff, a companion to Jack who is a player in a Game that is not fully explained until late in the game. Other players of this Game also have animal companions, and most of what we see is Snuff trading information with the other animal companions. Through this, great friendships are formed. During the month of October, the players all go about collecting ingredients and preparing for Halloween night, when the Game begins.
Humor is also a big part of the book, from shape-shifting Things trying to woo Snuff by turning in to different dogs, to a disguise rendered so well that all characters are clueless to the true identity, aside from Snuff.
The characters of the book are some you may recognize from other spooky tales - some more overtly than others. The Great Detective, the Count, and the Good Doctor are a few that everyone is sure to recognize. It is an intriguing dynamic to see these classic characters interact.
Perhaps even before next October, I would like to reread this book. There are so many little things mentioned throughout that don't make sense until you find out what is really going on, which isn't until the last week. I'd really like to start from the beginning now knowing what's going on!
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book the first time through. There's great friendships, lots of mystery, and most of all anticipation - as the whole book leads up to the final day and everything until then is just preparation.
