This book was mildly disappointing. But I'm glad I read it. I share the apparently common opinion that this is one of the few examples of stories that got better in the movie adaptation.
The characters are difficult to connect to (might be a skill issue from my side). The sidecharacters are likable. Tristan and the Star on the other hand? They go from vaguely annoying to partially likeable. But we never get to know them!
Maybe the problem is that I can't relate to problems of a Victorian boy who's in love...
I really like the way Gaiman describes the Faerie, but it does get drawn-out at times. I also both love and hate how well everything is explained plot-wise. Sure, everything fits together perfectly, but the way it's explained gets a bit on the nose.