The Orphan’s Tales: In the Night Garden
Catherynne M. ValenteEvery once in a great while a book comes along that reminds us of the magic spell that stories can cast over us to dazzle, entertain, and enlighten. Welcome to the Arabian Nights for our time a lush and fantastical epic guaranteed to spirit you away from the very first page.
Secreted away in a garden, a lonely girl spins stories to warm a curious prince: peculiar feats and unspeakable fates that loop through each other and back again to meet in the tapestry of her voice. Inked on her eyelids, each twisting, tattooed tale is a piece in the puzzle of the girl’s own hidden history.
And what tales she tells! Tales of shape-shifting witches and wild horsewomen, heron kings and beast princesses, snake gods, dog monks, and living stars each story more strange and fantastic than the one that came before. From ill-tempered mermaid to fastidious Beast, nothing is ever quite what it seems in these ever-shifting tales even, and especially, their teller.
Adorned with illustrations by the legendary Michael Kaluta, Valente’s enchanting lyrical fantasy offers a breathtaking reinvention of the untold myths and dark fairy tales that shape our dreams. And just when you think you’ve come to the end, you realize the adventure has only begun.
| status | Copy #1 (7150): in |
|---|---|
| genre | Fantasy » Epic Fantasy |
| publisher | Bantam Dell |
| publish date | 2006 |
| popularity | checked out 1 time(s) |
Often I find myself wanting to give “half star” ratings-for example, a three and one half star rating for “In The Night Garden”. Having so many stories within stories within stories creates “logistical” problems for the reader-for example: Is it better to read the entire book straight through? or in little bits and pieces? Having more illustrations-especially in color-would elevate this to a solid 4 star.