Book Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairland and Led the Revels There

I think the length of the title says a lot about Catherynne M. Valente’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. It reminds me of Fiona Apple, in a way, and reflects both the high interest and sense of wordplay and imagination that is inside this book (the sequel to the first, The Girl Who Circumnavigated the World in a Ship of Her Own Making.) The Girl Who Fell is another tour de force, but it is not likely for everyone. The vocabulary is rich, and offputting at times, and the story shifts and flows in very odd directions. You can get reader whiplash at times. But if you dive in, you will be rewarded with a story of many levels, told in the vein of Alice in Wonderland, the Land of Oz books, and even A Wrinkle in Time.

The story centers on the adventures of the protagonist, a girl named September, who in the last book, saved Fairyland by defeating the evil ruler. Here, she enters Fairyland again, only to be on a quest that requires her to travel beneath Fairyland — into Fairyland-below — where the shadows of creatures above are being trapped. Or not. In this underworld, they are ruled by September’s own shadow, which she had sacrificed in the last book and had sliced off her. In order to stop her shadow from destroying Fairyland, September must continue to go down many layers of this magical underworld to save a sleeping prince. To say she meets more than her odd share of interesting and crazy characters would be to undersell Valente’s gifts as a writer.

I’m not sure who the audience for this book is, though. While it seems to be aimed at young adults, the vocabulary and syntax and writing style would likely frustrate even the strongest readers. It maybe more for adults who enjoy the whole Wicked franchise — those seeking to relive the imaginary journeys of our youths through fiction, echoing the classics while carving out something new. The Girl Who Fell is not necessarily an easy read, but it is an enjoyable ride.

Peace (in the adventure),
Kevin

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