As a contemporary fairy tale, "Arcadia" is beautifully written, imaginative, and thought-provoking. I enjoyed the character of Bit, who is portrayed as an idealistic old soul, and I appreciated his efforts to find comfort and peace in a tragic world that is deeply flawed and at times heartbreaking. Although there were parts of this slow-paced novel that seemed over-ambitious and perhaps somewhat contrived, it is a lovely book overall and I would definitely recommend it.