Reviews - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

2.08k reviews for:

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

A wonderfully written, fantastical story of a girl and her adventures discovering Fairyland. I loved the characters, especially Ell and Gleam. The writing was unique and interesting. And while it's certainly a young adult book, it doesn't feel too simple or childish. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy fantasy and adventure tales.

crowinator's review against another edition

5.0

I am not sure how to rate this one, but my heart wants to give it five stars, so I will. This will not be a book for everyone -- a lot of it depends on being able to find delight in the idiosyncratic narrative (which is very keen on wordplay and intricate, layered sentences) even when it grows a bit tiresome -- but it really grew on me by the early-middle of the book. The omniscient narrator tells the story directly to you, the reader, and has such an intimate, confidential tone that eventually, you feel like reading the story is like sharing secrets with someone in the dark. There are so many beautiful, wise moments, and so many weird, inventive settings and characters, and such meaningful themes that I stopped feeling like the writing was too-intentionally-winky-winky, and it ended up fitting perfectly with this one-of-a-kind story, which calls to mind a million well-known stories (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Little Prince, and Labyrinth [yes, I know that's a movie], all come to mind) but never becomes derivative or loses out to them. If I can get it together, I'll write a longer review, but for now, just know that this book is a special experience to read because it is so very different and emotionally resonant.

sarabearian's review against another edition

Meet September, a girl from Omaha, who wears black Mary Janes and never had an adventure in her life. One day she is swept away by the Green Wind to Fairyland and discovers it is in great peril. The Marquess has bound every flying creature's wings with chains and oppresses Fairyland with rules and taxes. With her friends Ell and Saturday, September journeys far into the depths of Fairyland to recover the relic the Marquess seeks. If you love Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz, you will love this whimsical story told with beautiful writing and a great deal of wit. –Tiffany J.-