Marianne Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland

For the unfamiliar, here is my explanation of a Marianne Review.

So, this morning I finished Catherynne Valente's Fairyland sequel The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. I had fifty pages to go, so I spent the morning in the secret garden with the chubby unicorn and his unicorn girl for companions.

How did finishing the book make me feel? Well, a little bit like how I imagine this feels:



Re: AWESOME.

This book, in my opinion, is perfect. I absolutely loved it.

The story was exactly what I Wanted, even if I didn't realize I wanted it until I read it.

I really enjoyed Fairyland #1, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, but I wouldn't say it was perfect. In my opinion it rambled a bit at the end and left me trailing behind, unable to keep up.

But just like September herself, The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland is a little bit older, a little bit wiser, and with all the confusion of a new heart (she is growing up and is not entirely heartless anymore!).

This book mixes the whimsy and strangeness of the first with the darker depths you discover at the end of book #1. There are new friends and old, though everything is not quite what it seems and it will take all of September's strength, boldness, and cleverness to try and set things right.

And to be clear, this is not the end of September's story. There will, I believe, be 5 books in the series. So. The story continues, but it ends on a very satisfying note with plenty to mull over until the next installment.

You will love this book. You will hug this book. You will sleep with it under your pillow. It's going on my list of Favorite Books Ever. I can't wait for you to read it and then come back here so we can talk about our favorite parts!