A Fairy Tail Worthy of the Ages, July 12, 2004
By Trent Dougherty "Socratic" (New York)
-This review is from: Fairy Wings (Paperback)
This is a truly great children's book. It is my favorite fairy story of all time, seriously. There is adventure and compassion, deceit and intrigue, princes and trolls--it's all there. Fia is a wingless fairy and stands in for all who feel incomplete. In a rare occurance in modern books, her father is her greatest advocate. Her best friends (other fairies shun her, including her seven beautiful sisters)--a frog a rat and a crow--are also considered outcasts. By chance or fate she meets the Fairy Prince without realizing his true identity and he invites her to the Great May Dance. Amidst the ensuing Cinderella story, Fia exhibits great fortitude in saving all the fairies from a troll who--in a great swash of irony--wants the fairies only for their pretty wings. She is aided in this endeavor by her outcast friends and they all gain the respect of the fairies through this act at once compassionate and courageous. The large and lavish watercolor illustrations are equal to the text in this first husband-and-wife collaboration. I cannot recommend a book more enthusiastically for it's genre.
A sweet and romantic fairy tale for children, February 14, 2010
By Z Hayes (TX, USA)
This review is from: Fairy Wings (Paperback)
My 5-year-old daughter and I read Fia and the Imp first and loved that story, though "Fairy Wings" is in a class of its own. The story is so well-told, filled with characters that are vivid and so real, especially the lead character, Fia. She is an amazing young fairy, filled with compassion and empathy for those who are not of the fairy realm, like the woodland animals (Frog, Crow, Rat) and the jolly woodkins who are looked down upon by the fairies. Fia understands what it's like to be downtrodden, as she herself, though a fairy, lacks wings. Her wingless state mortifies her seven older sisters, especially the spiteful Violet, who constantly belittles her. Yet Fia is loved by her parents, and beloved by the animals and many of the woodkins.
In this prequel to "Fia and the Imp", Fia meets Kip, a young male fairy whom she befriends, not knowing his true identity. When she is invited to the May Dance celebrations presided over by the King and Queen of the Fairies, she discovers some startling truths. When a troll appears and kidnaps the fairies, Fia has to rely on her wit and inner strength to help them.
This story is appealing on so many levels - though the illustrations are sparse, they are beautiful and the story is so well-crafted, the world of Fia, the fairies, woodkins and animals come alive for the reader. My daughter was enchanted by this story and so was I. I just wish Lauren Mills had continued the story of Fia and Kip (I believe there are only two books in the series). This is one book worth tracking down!
