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Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments They felt the castle long before they saw it, felt it as a wave of sleep that pushed them away. If they walked towards it their heads fogged, their minds frayed, their spirits fell, their thoughts clouded.”
As dark fairy tales go, it had its moments. I loved the sleepers talking and eventually sleepwalking after the heroes. I've said it many times before but Gaiman's tales for kids are way creepier than the ones for adults. The art by Chris Riddell added to the tale and reminded me of old woodcuts at times. Born and raised in England, Neil Gaiman now lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has somehow reached his forties and still tends to need a haircut. A fairytale made by twisting many other fairytales. A lot more creativity could be added to this story considering what Gaiman is actually capable of. Words we love to hear and, a generation later, read aloud. Snuggled in a comfy chair, adult wrapping child in loving arms, sharing the journey through enchanted worlds.
The art and the words weave a web of imaginative power, an inspiration for those of us who are tired of princesses marrying to be forgotten. Queens take the road less travelled by. And that makes all the difference.
It has elements of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, set in an echo of Middle Earth, led by the women who are largely absent in Tolkien's world, plus (male) dwarfs. All are nameless, the better for us to know them, and maybe be them. The pictures by Chris Riddell were FANTASTIC. But then I always knew they would be since reading The Edge Chronicles, he is an amazing illustrator.It has too many lines like this: But the path to her death, heartbeat by heartbeat, would be inevitable. or this: It would be the end of her life, she decided, if life was a time of choices. which (of course) made everything ridiculously and overwhelmingly dramatic... which is one sure way to take me out of the story. This release is an extended cut of the story broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and features an exclusive introduction from Neil Gaiman. Abandoning her bridal finery, she dons her armour instead, and rides out to a castle at the very heart of the sleeping lands. There, she finds a beautiful princess, sound asleep, and a very old woman, forever awake. With no handsome prince in sight, the queen wakes the princess in the traditional way - but things are not as they seem, and it will take more than a kiss to ensure everyone lives happily ever after... Suffused with joy and melancholy and underpinned by the knowledge of where it comes from and where it wants to go… It is absolutely a retelling for our age, but also for ages still to come The adaption is perfect, the story charming. I'll listen to this many time over the coming years and recommend it to everyone.
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