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2.08k reviews for:
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Catherynne M. Valente
4.06 AVERAGE
2.08k reviews for:
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Catherynne M. Valente
4.06 AVERAGE
I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would, which was a little disappointing. The protagonist is a girl named September who climbs out of her window and is whisked off to Fairyland. She meets many unusual beings and beasts, and befriends a cross between a dragon and a library, affectionately referred to as a Waverary. The story was kind of slow, but it was generally enjoyable. I think children will really enjoy it.
Reminiscent of Oz. Very whimsical story of young girl transported to Fairyland by the Green Wind.
I picked this book up after hearing a friend casually reference how much she was enjoying it. I’m a fan of whimsical fantasy writing, so I very much liked Valente’s prose and the imaginative world. If you’re more into fully fleshed-out fantasy, this book won’t be for you - it’s more up the alley of things like The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland.
Things I Liked
1. Whimsy: Valente’s prose is extremely playful, reminding me of Lewis Carroll and some of Neil Gaiman’s works. This whimsy carried over into the imaginative world of the novel, which involved a wyvern whose father was a library, a jacket that has a will of its own, herds of bicycles migrating like deer or buffalo, and the like. You have to let go of a lot of reality-based expectations when reading this book, but that’s what made it more delightful for me to read.
2. Illustrations: Each chapter contains an illustration by Ana Juan, and I found them to be particularly enjoyable for their playfulness. They very much have the look of fairy tale illustration - it’s hard to describe, so check out this link.
3. Marquess’ Tale: The Marquess is the main antagonist of this book, and her backstory was actually quite moving and sad.
4. Small Details: There were some details in this book that I very much found attention-grabbing. Things like September’s mother’s sword (not being a sword at all), Mallow’s sword (also not an actual sword), the girl that blinks in and out of view towards the end of the book. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that these moments made me excited to read more.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: There was some minor pacing problems towards the middle of the book, but honestly, I enjoyed the prose so much that I didn’t care as much as others might.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in whimsical fantasy, fairy tales, female protagonists, children protagonists, and the hero’s journey.
Things I Liked
1. Whimsy: Valente’s prose is extremely playful, reminding me of Lewis Carroll and some of Neil Gaiman’s works. This whimsy carried over into the imaginative world of the novel, which involved a wyvern whose father was a library, a jacket that has a will of its own, herds of bicycles migrating like deer or buffalo, and the like. You have to let go of a lot of reality-based expectations when reading this book, but that’s what made it more delightful for me to read.
2. Illustrations: Each chapter contains an illustration by Ana Juan, and I found them to be particularly enjoyable for their playfulness. They very much have the look of fairy tale illustration - it’s hard to describe, so check out this link.
3. Marquess’ Tale: The Marquess is the main antagonist of this book, and her backstory was actually quite moving and sad.
4. Small Details: There were some details in this book that I very much found attention-grabbing. Things like September’s mother’s sword (not being a sword at all), Mallow’s sword (also not an actual sword), the girl that blinks in and out of view towards the end of the book. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that these moments made me excited to read more.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: There was some minor pacing problems towards the middle of the book, but honestly, I enjoyed the prose so much that I didn’t care as much as others might.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in whimsical fantasy, fairy tales, female protagonists, children protagonists, and the hero’s journey.
Aw, this book.
I was confused when I initially read the reviews. Reviewers found the book utterly charming, but also not totally compelling. I get it now, and I agree. The author captured the essence of fairytale writing, which is crazy charming. Something about the sentence structure, word choice, and narration reads like, as other reviewers said, the fairy tales of my youth.
And yet, I found the writing far more compelling than the characters and the plot. I just wasn't worried about what would happen next in the quest, to our characters. The only thing that kept me turning pages was wanting more lyrical and meaningful imagery, like September meeting her death and singing it to sleep. Beautiful! But was I emotionally invested beyond finding it lovely? No.
So, ultimately, 3 stars-- 5 for writing, 1 for content, meet in the middle at a 3 overall.
I was confused when I initially read the reviews. Reviewers found the book utterly charming, but also not totally compelling. I get it now, and I agree. The author captured the essence of fairytale writing, which is crazy charming. Something about the sentence structure, word choice, and narration reads like, as other reviewers said, the fairy tales of my youth.
And yet, I found the writing far more compelling than the characters and the plot. I just wasn't worried about what would happen next in the quest, to our characters. The only thing that kept me turning pages was wanting more lyrical and meaningful imagery, like September meeting her death and singing it to sleep. Beautiful! But was I emotionally invested beyond finding it lovely? No.
So, ultimately, 3 stars-- 5 for writing, 1 for content, meet in the middle at a 3 overall.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To read this book is to be warmly wrapped in a blanket spun of language woven by your slightly mad aunt whom had traveled to the four corners of the world but returned home to tuck you in and watch over you for the week in which your parents are away on their second honeymoon. It is to be slightly frightened and deeply loved, separated from your family while knowing they will always return. It is to hear words that one is not quite ready to hear that impart a wisdom you suspect you have always known.
It is to smile, and to cry.
And reading it aloud to your daughter, who like so many of this age has learned the old stories only but hearing stories stitched from their parts with threads of irony, is to access something old and primal and true.
I suggest you start, first for yourself and next for her.
It is to smile, and to cry.
And reading it aloud to your daughter, who like so many of this age has learned the old stories only but hearing stories stitched from their parts with threads of irony, is to access something old and primal and true.
I suggest you start, first for yourself and next for her.
A fairy tale for grown-ups. Beautiful language. She writes by lovingly polishing each word until the images are perfectly clear and lyrically described. At times I didn't enjoy the story but kept reading for the language alone. But then the story grabbed me again. Reminded me of _Wizard of Oz_. Kept tightly to its own internal mythology.
Read this book. I have spent a great deal of time reading it, not because it is dense, but I wanted to savor each page and each chapter. While I read a good deal of children's and YA fiction, not since reading the first Harry Potter many moons ago (1995!) have I wanted to not only get the next book but to re-read the adventure. Each chapter stands alone as a part of a larger journey and adventure, making it a good book to read aloud to little people or to put down and savor. September is a brilliant protagonist, and the world that Valente creates is both lovely and sinister in a way that only children's books can. The illustrations are fantastic as well as the characters September befriends and battles...especially the 100-year old furniture (you'll see!) I laughed out loud at so many points and found myself going back to re-read parts over and over. One of the best books I've read in this genre in a long time, and I hope she continues it into a series.
Wonderful fantasy with strong female protagonist, subtly subversive and full of surprises.