Not a review: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

I make absolutely no secret of the fact that I think Catherynne M. Valente is amazing.

I first came to her work via her online presence – in her blog she is sometimes brutally honest, ofttimes willing to strip herself to the bones, to share her very marrow with her audience.  Her fiction is the same: Palimpsest is probably my absolute favourite of her works, being that it deals with dream states (one of my areas of personal interest), but the Orphan’s Tales books run a close second.

Cat’s latest book – The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making – was released on my birthday this year.  I had dipped into the book several times as Cat originally posted it online, and had jumped to preorder the hardcover when it was announced.  And even though I had many, many other books on my to-be-read mountain (including Cat’s Deathless), I picked up Fairyland as soon as I could.

And I didn’t regret it.

Cat spins magic with her words and worlds.  And this book is bursting with it.  Without spoiling anything, I will say this – Fairyland is a book that I wish had existed when I was a girl.  If I had read it when I was twelve, I would have ached to have written it.  I would have ached to find my way to Fairyland, to walk in September’s shoes (or shoe).

Fairyland makes me want to have a daughter, so I can read her September’s tale.  And I look forward to the day when I can read Fairyland to my son, so he can share in the magic.

If you need magic in your life, you need this book.  If you have a child who you want to read to, read them this book.

Buy it, and then buy the rest of Cat’s back catalogue.  And weep with envy for the way with words Cat has, and be in awe of the power of her imagination.  Knowing that a single person can dream such a place as Fairyland gives me faith in the good of humanity.

I am so, so happy that there’s going to be a sequel.  I can’t wait.

This book also launched Cat onto the New York Times bestseller list.  Keep her on the list and buy a copy.  Now.

Mirrored from Stephanie Gunn.