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

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Hardcover, 247 pages
Published May 10th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends
Goodreads|Amazon

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

Oh how I loved this book. I was so scared that I was setting my expectations to high but this book did not fail me! I have to say I love the name September *my birthday month* and this was a perfect time to read it.

The first thing I thought as I was reading was how much it reminded me of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. If you haven’t figured it out yet… I like that book… a lot. That is by far one of my favorite stories, movies, whatever I love it.

This book is very similar however it can definitely carry its own.

A small girl gets whisked away to a faraway land and has adventures and meets a how bunch of new “creatures” all while battling a Marquess and trying to stay alive. There are flying panthers, a mysterious key, and a marvelous sword.

The writing style is very imaginative and is told from the perspective of the narrator (this is what he or she calls itself). I really liked it being told that way.  It was definitely a cliffhanger ending and I closed the book with a smile on my face.

 It’s greatness in a book and I CAN NOT WAIT to read the next book.  

This very well could be my favorite read of the year. We will have to see though.

My Rating: