The Faerie Isle: Tales and Traditions of Ireland's Forgotten Folklore
Entrancing and immersive from the moment the cover is cracked, the reader is irresistibly lured into this stunning book. The imagery whispers of a sinister edge to the faerie folk, Dermot Flynn’s use of a ‘spikiness’ in the illustrations of the featured fae matches precisely Síne Quinn’s authentic description of fickle magical creatures who might be friend or foe based on whim, or on their treatment by humans. Each element from the cover to endpapers is indicative of a considered whole, the text and illustrations are equal partners and complement each other perfectly.
Throughout the text there is evidence of incredible attention to detail, from the portrait gallery of faerie folk and the fae cunningly hidden within the illustrations to the wealth of research done which informs the text without drowning it. Reader interest is sustained and amplified through the interspersing of rich, strikingly coloured images and folk stories throughout the book. Titbits of information are sprinkled into the ‘faerie fact’ pages and a gentle, sometimes tongue-in-cheek humour softens potential scares. Choosing a favourite faerie or tale is almost impossible (and probably unwise!)
Drawing on authentic and familiar oral folklore, the text brings this reviewer back to fire-lit evenings of storytelling with Granny. However, in keeping with a welcome trend in contemporary Irish mythological and folkloric texts, it rightly assumes there are child readers who appreciate carefully crafted prose, interesting detail and beautiful illustrations. This gorgeous book will enchant without any nasty tricks.
