I will always make time for what I consider the most underrated genre in all of fiction: children’s (or middle grade) literature. I firmly believe that we old people can enjoy a children’s book once in a while, and Catherynne M. Valente’s “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making” is the perfect novel for this.
One of my absolute favorite niche types of novels is those that are technically written for children but are most certainly constructed with an adult audience in mind, and Valente’s novel firmly falls into this category. The text beautifully blends whimsy and childlike wonder with incredibly poignant themes like nostalgia and escapism that, in my opinion, hit even harder when you read this book as an adult.
“The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland” opens in Nebraska during World War II, as 12-year-old September washes dishes in her kitchen, lamenting about her ordinary, boring life. Within two paragraphs, a personified “Green Wind” comes to her window riding a flying leopard and offers to take her to a faraway place aptly named “Fairyland.” And of course, she accepts. From there, she is whisked away to a land of magical creatures, fantastical wordplay and oddly complicated political corruption.
September is a perfect heroine because of how imperfect she is. September enters Fairyland wanting a mindless, fun adventure but ends up finding herself on a journey to save an entire world from a strongly disliked ruler. There are times when she’s annoying and stubborn, but she’s such a wonderful representation of the complexities of being a confused 12-year-old girl. By the end, all you can do is root for her.
My absolute favorite character is none other than September’s loyal, brave and oh-so-adorable sidekick A-Through-L, a red “wyverary,” a creature that is half wyvern, half library. He helps September along her journey with his steadfast friendship and his encyclopedic knowledge of, as his name suggests, everything in the world that begins with the letters A through L. A-Through-L is truly the heart of the novel’s story, and his relationship with September and the other characters is so beautiful to read about. And before anyone asks, yes, he does have a brother named M-through-Z.
Saturday — a boy who September and A-through-L meet on their travels — is another amazingly well-done character in this novel. Saturday is mysterious and wise, serving as a calm, kind and grounded presence among the many zany characters in this tale. Saturday and September’s growth as friends in the book is another of my favorite elements of the story.
Perhaps the most interesting character, though, is Fairyland’s resident tyrannical ruler who also happens to be a little girl, named “The Marquess.” I can’t say too much about her without giving away spoilers, but The Marquess is one of the most well-written, interesting villains I have ever read.
The prose in this book is, simply put, brilliant. Valente never shies away from rich, thorough, absolutely genius-level descriptions of the fantastical, otherworldly world she creates. Fairyland itself is a stunning blend of Oz, Wonderland, Narnia and everything in between, with the world almost becoming its own character in the narrative. I could read 100 books told with Valente’s words set in this world, a true testament to how well-written this book is.
Valente’s novel is genuinely one of the most moving and meaningful pieces of fiction I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. No matter your age, you should definitely give this book a read.
