The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Fairyland, #1)

by Catherynne M Valente

September is a twelve-year-old girl, Somewhat Grown and Somewhat Heartless, and she longs for adventure. So when a Green Wind and a Leopard of Little Breezes invite her to Fairyland - well, of course, she accepts (mightn't you?). When she gets there, she finds a land crushed by the iron rule of a villainous Marquess - she soon discovers that she alone holds the key to restoring order.

As September forges her way through Fairyland, with a book-loving dragon and a boy named Saturday by her side, she makes many friends and mistakes. But while she loses her shadow, her shoe and her way, she finds adventure, courage, a rather special Spoon, and a lot more besides . . .

Reviewed by Terri M. LeBlanc on

2 of 5 stars

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Honestly, I would rate this book 2.5 stars. The overall concept for the book is wonderful. However, by the last 100 pages or so, I decided what I really did not like about the book wasn't the plot or the wonderful characters, it was the author's style of writing. It was very much like reading an old classic novel--lots of words used to describe the most simple things and after a while that style starts to drag and becoming boring. In some cases, you are presented with some wonderful quotes and philosophy like the following.

"Shoes make the path you're on. Change your shoes, change the path."

“One ought not to judge her: all children are Heartless. They have not grown a heart yet, which is why they can climb high trees and say shocking things and leap so very high grown-up hearts flutter in terror. Hearts weigh quite a lot. That is why it takes so long to grow one. But, as in their reading and arithmetic and drawing, different children proceed at different speeds. (It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.)"

“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 honor.”

In the end, I'm glad I challenged myself to finish the book. I, for one, will not be picking up the next one.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 July, 2012: Finished reading
  • 30 July, 2012: Reviewed