Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by doogsley
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
5.0
✦ 5 stars ✦
my favorite book.
i've read the girl who circumnavigated fairyland nearly every september since discovering it during a reading spurt in college. maybe irrelevant, but i stumbled upon this novel when feeling utterly drained, torpid, and uninspired by life. college was hard, friends were hard, love was hard - but reading was so simple, and carefree, and mundane. i was a burnt out and apathetic english major, no longer attending class, searching for anything that glimmered. and i already played majora's mask six (6) times.
the storytelling scoops you up as early as page one, and you are swiftly carried into the world of fairyland; a magical island inhabited by witches with large hats, shapeshifting jackals, soap golems, a wyvern who is also a library, djinnis, humans who are half-fish, fish who are half-human, fairies (of course), and a very mean, no-good marquess. the story follows september - a curious and admirable 12-year old who may be a spiritual bellringer to sweet alice liddell of wonderland - through her incredibly enchanting adventure through the extraordinary and mischievous fairyland.
the writing is just superb. there's just enough whimsy to not drown in it, completely immersive and palatable. valente's words taste like dark chocolate coffee with a healthy dash of sweet creme - heady, smoky, dulcet, slightly bubbly, SO rich. like all stories with fae, there are macabre moments of heartache and grimace, of politics and ethos, and our author does an amazing job at processing these earthly weights in a fantasy world. it's all simple enough for young september to comprehend, while still delicately delivering a deep and complicated world for readers of all ages. but, most of all, this book does a delicious job at conjuring up page-long descriptions of autumnal feasts, bubble bath healing potions, and knitted streets of textile and yarn. SWOON. i am spirited away by this writing.
it's SO easy to pick up, SO easy to recommend, especially to cat lovers and those with lively imaginations. sometimes it feels like the book itself is of fae blood - even when i think i've excavated all scholastic goodness from the pages, i always capture a new slice of literary bijou to keep in my pocket of lovely, beautiful words. fairyland wafts through the pages like apple pie through a window; tantalizing, comforting, decadent.
i will be going through valente's bibliography throughout the year. at the time of writing this review, i've only read up to book two of five(ish) of fairyland. i'm excited to inhale more lyrical goodness!
to all readers who dream of a life bigger than washing teacups: join us in the twee, lurid, and whimsical fairyland :-3
my favorite book.
i've read the girl who circumnavigated fairyland nearly every september since discovering it during a reading spurt in college. maybe irrelevant, but i stumbled upon this novel when feeling utterly drained, torpid, and uninspired by life. college was hard, friends were hard, love was hard - but reading was so simple, and carefree, and mundane. i was a burnt out and apathetic english major, no longer attending class, searching for anything that glimmered. and i already played majora's mask six (6) times.
the storytelling scoops you up as early as page one, and you are swiftly carried into the world of fairyland; a magical island inhabited by witches with large hats, shapeshifting jackals, soap golems, a wyvern who is also a library, djinnis, humans who are half-fish, fish who are half-human, fairies (of course), and a very mean, no-good marquess. the story follows september - a curious and admirable 12-year old who may be a spiritual bellringer to sweet alice liddell of wonderland - through her incredibly enchanting adventure through the extraordinary and mischievous fairyland.
the writing is just superb. there's just enough whimsy to not drown in it, completely immersive and palatable. valente's words taste like dark chocolate coffee with a healthy dash of sweet creme - heady, smoky, dulcet, slightly bubbly, SO rich. like all stories with fae, there are macabre moments of heartache and grimace, of politics and ethos, and our author does an amazing job at processing these earthly weights in a fantasy world. it's all simple enough for young september to comprehend, while still delicately delivering a deep and complicated world for readers of all ages. but, most of all, this book does a delicious job at conjuring up page-long descriptions of autumnal feasts, bubble bath healing potions, and knitted streets of textile and yarn. SWOON. i am spirited away by this writing.
it's SO easy to pick up, SO easy to recommend, especially to cat lovers and those with lively imaginations. sometimes it feels like the book itself is of fae blood - even when i think i've excavated all scholastic goodness from the pages, i always capture a new slice of literary bijou to keep in my pocket of lovely, beautiful words. fairyland wafts through the pages like apple pie through a window; tantalizing, comforting, decadent.
i will be going through valente's bibliography throughout the year. at the time of writing this review, i've only read up to book two of five(ish) of fairyland. i'm excited to inhale more lyrical goodness!
to all readers who dream of a life bigger than washing teacups: join us in the twee, lurid, and whimsical fairyland :-3