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

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.   ~ From Goodreads

Catherynne M. Valente's novel is absolutely wonderful.  It has the same wild creativity as a Neil Gaiman novels mixed with the knowing wisdom of Terry Pratchett's work.  Valente does not shy away from uncomfortable truths like C. S. Lewis did in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but rather faces them full on, making her story completely different than all its predecessors.  

I fell in love with this book from the first page and surprised myself by loving it all the way through.  So often children's novels of this sort lag at the halfway point (The Graveyard Book for instance) but Valente's story kept its pace from beginning to end.  I completely lost in Fairyland along with September, and I was a bit disappointed to find my way again with the closing of the last page. 

Chapter XVI (Until We Stop) is by far my favorite part of the entire book.   The fishing scene is gruesome, heart wrenching, and overall just plain truthful in its depiction of September's reaction to killing the fish.  If I had to do what September did, I would be bawling my eyes out too.  I love that  Valente shows real emotion and loss.  I've always held C. S. Lewis at fault for not depicting the repercussions of the Pevensie children's adventures.   After all those children went through, they should have PTSD.  Valente, however, does not shy away from exposing her characters to lasting pain.  Blood is drawn.  Bones are broken.   Loss is real.  

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is not treading new ground, but it really isn't trying to.  Valente gives nods to Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland,  and Chronicles of Narnia throughout her story, and really this book has everything you loved about those old classics and so much more.  Its a fairy tale for adults as well as children.  And aren't those really the best kind?