Very unusual, very very nice. It's hard to describe, so here are some features: it's funny, warm, interesting, absorbing, and extremely well written. This is a story about a man and a horse and people and New York City. It's almost fantasy, but there's no wizards or elves or such - just NYC and snow and dazzling language. It's light without being superficial, meaningful without being heavy, fantastic without being silly or syrupy. Destined to be a classic.

Helprin manages to pour out all sorts of comedic comments on the random sillinesses of people and life, intertwined with a good yarn.