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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've read this book before and I read it these last couple of days mainly to recover from the Nevernight Chronicles and for the nostalgia. I still think this is a wonderful children's/young people's book, I love the story and the slight craziness about it, I'm certain Valente gained some of her inspirations from Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, which is another favourite of mine.
All I can say is if you are not a fan of random and mad characters and storylines this may not be for you but as an easy read, I'd recommend it to any fantasy readers who enjoy books aimed at younger readers.
All I can say is if you are not a fan of random and mad characters and storylines this may not be for you but as an easy read, I'd recommend it to any fantasy readers who enjoy books aimed at younger readers.
Whimsical fairy tale with such delightfully complex phrases I had to read it on the page rather than listen to the audiobook. This is the second book by this author I’ve enjoyed and I’m looking forward to more. And to reading this to my kids when they’re older.
I heard this book on audiotape. I loved it so much I listened to it twice. This book is about a young girl named September who gets taken by the Green Wind and the Leopard of Little Breezes and whisked off to Fairyland. I love how the author titled the chapters also!! Chapter name: In which (and what happens), but not enough to actually give anything away. I totally recommend listening to the audiobook as read by the author. It is amazing! This is such a great story of adventure, magic, and growing up. Along the way there are witches, wyveraries, golems, Death, and Pandemonium. The writing was lyrical and whimsical, and reminds you of childhood, without being childish.
Fave Quotes:
“She sounds like someone who spends a lot of time in libraries, which are the best sorts of people.”
“It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.”
“Stories have a way of changing faces. They are unruly things, undisciplined, given to delinquency and the throwing of erasers. This is why we must close them up into thick, solid books, so they cannot get out and cause trouble.”
“When one is traveling, everything looks brighter and lovelier. That does not mean it IS brighter and lovelier; it just means that sweet, kindly home suffers in comparison to tarted-up foreign places with all their jewels on.”
“Readers will always insist on adventures, and though you can have grief without adventures, you cannot have adventures without grief.”
“Even if you’ve taken off every stitch of clothing, you still have your secrets, your history, your true name. It’s hard to be really naked. You have to work hard at it. Just getting into a bath isn’t being naked, not really. It’s just showing skin.”
“We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on maps are silly.”
“That’s what happens to friends, eventually. They leave you. It’s practically what they’re for.”
"it's the wonders I'm after, even if I have to bleed for them.”
“Well, very splendid and very frightening. But splendid things are often frightening. Sometimes, it's the fright that makes them splendid at all.”
"You are young and far from your Death, September, so I seem as anything would seem if you saw it from a long way off-very small, very harmless. But I am always closer than I appear. As you grow, I shall grow with you, until at the end, I shall loom huge and dark over your bed, and you will shut your eyes so as not to see me.”
“I wish you the best that can be hoped for, and no worse than can be expected.”
“If one did not have at least a little luck, one would never survive childhood. But luck can be spent, like money; and lost, like a memory; and wasted, like a life.”
“Temperament, you'll find, is highly dependent on time of day, weather, frequency of naps, and whether one has had enough to eat.”
Fave Quotes:
“She sounds like someone who spends a lot of time in libraries, which are the best sorts of people.”
“It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.”
“Stories have a way of changing faces. They are unruly things, undisciplined, given to delinquency and the throwing of erasers. This is why we must close them up into thick, solid books, so they cannot get out and cause trouble.”
“When one is traveling, everything looks brighter and lovelier. That does not mean it IS brighter and lovelier; it just means that sweet, kindly home suffers in comparison to tarted-up foreign places with all their jewels on.”
“Readers will always insist on adventures, and though you can have grief without adventures, you cannot have adventures without grief.”
“Even if you’ve taken off every stitch of clothing, you still have your secrets, your history, your true name. It’s hard to be really naked. You have to work hard at it. Just getting into a bath isn’t being naked, not really. It’s just showing skin.”
“We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on maps are silly.”
“That’s what happens to friends, eventually. They leave you. It’s practically what they’re for.”
"it's the wonders I'm after, even if I have to bleed for them.”
“Well, very splendid and very frightening. But splendid things are often frightening. Sometimes, it's the fright that makes them splendid at all.”
"You are young and far from your Death, September, so I seem as anything would seem if you saw it from a long way off-very small, very harmless. But I am always closer than I appear. As you grow, I shall grow with you, until at the end, I shall loom huge and dark over your bed, and you will shut your eyes so as not to see me.”
“I wish you the best that can be hoped for, and no worse than can be expected.”
“If one did not have at least a little luck, one would never survive childhood. But luck can be spent, like money; and lost, like a memory; and wasted, like a life.”
“Temperament, you'll find, is highly dependent on time of day, weather, frequency of naps, and whether one has had enough to eat.”
Angela Valente reminds me of Neil Gaiman and I think that is the single best literary compliment I could give anybody ever.
September was a little girl from Omaha who was whisked off to Fairyland by The Green Wind, riding upon his companion, The Leopard of Gentle Breezes. Once there, she meets A-through-L, a Wyvern who calls himself a Wyverary, and later she frees a Marid called Saturday.
This is labeled a children's book, but it could also be enjoyed by adults. There are a few dark aspects to it, but, if you want a lighter read, this is it.
This is labeled a children's book, but it could also be enjoyed by adults. There are a few dark aspects to it, but, if you want a lighter read, this is it.
This book leaves me full of wonder, and my mind sparkling with beautiful images. What a perfect read to welcome my dear autumn in !
The writing is exceptional, it spoke to me on a deep level, as someone who loves images and all things beautiful and aesthetic, and who is able to conjure up a clear vision of what I am reading in my mind, it was enchanting.
This is everything I love in stories.
The writing is exceptional, it spoke to me on a deep level, as someone who loves images and all things beautiful and aesthetic, and who is able to conjure up a clear vision of what I am reading in my mind, it was enchanting.
This is everything I love in stories.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
5 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this to anyone that loves beautiful writing and epic Fairytales.
The girl who circumnavigated fairyland in a ship of her own making (yeah say that 3 times fast) is an incredible tale. A fairy tale at its best with amazing narration and blow your mind descriptions/ imagery.
This book is only 327 pages but it feels like so much more its filled with amazing creatures, worlds made of cloth and swords made of wrenches, friendship, lost hearts, people named nor and not, Saturday and goodbye, this story is just beautiful
My favourite part of the this book is the narration, the narrator is funny, kind and so just great, here here just listen:
“It is true that novelists are shameless and obey no decent law, and they are not to be trusted on any account, but some Mysteries even they must honour.”
Feel free to check out my full review on my blog :)
The girl who circumnavigated fairyland in a ship of her own making (yeah say that 3 times fast) is an incredible tale. A fairy tale at its best with amazing narration and blow your mind descriptions/ imagery.
This book is only 327 pages but it feels like so much more its filled with amazing creatures, worlds made of cloth and swords made of wrenches, friendship, lost hearts, people named nor and not, Saturday and goodbye, this story is just beautiful
My favourite part of the this book is the narration, the narrator is funny, kind and so just great, here here just listen:
“It is true that novelists are shameless and obey no decent law, and they are not to be trusted on any account, but some Mysteries even they must honour.”
Feel free to check out my full review on my blog :)
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated