The Gardens of Dorr
by Paul Biegel
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Pub Date Apr 04 2023 | Archive Date Mar 29 2023
Pushkin Press | Pushkin Children's Books
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Description
Dorr was once a city of merriment, music and dancing. Now it lies grey and silent under the spell of the witch Sirdis. When a young princess arrives in Dorr on a secret quest, she finds a town full of mystery, magic and danger. As she meets with a succession of strange, funny and frightening characters, Dorr's true history, and the true nature of her quest, become clear through the stories they tell each other. Can the princess find the gardens of Dorr and free the city from its evil enchantment?
By turns beautiful, thrilling, frightening and comical, The Gardens of Dorr is a richly detailed, unforgettable fantasy adventure, considered by many to the crowning achievement of one of Europe's most beloved children's writers.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781782693352 |
PRICE | $13.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 256 |
Featured Reviews
Such a cute fairytale! I am so sad I didn't read this when I was younger. I didn't even know this book existed. I love the cover art also!
I adored this book. I loved how magical and entertaining the story was. It felt like I was right inside of a fairytale myself. The story will take you on such a beautiful journey and you'll come out of it wishing for more.
I highly recommend this book to all whimsical fairytale lovers.
Sebuah dongeng dengan gambar dan kalimat yang indah dan juga sangat sangat menarik dan banyak lagu dan syair yang dinyanyikan di dalamnya.
The tale is brilliantly crafted and illustrated. With each page, readers are whisked away on a grand adventure, surrounded by stunning images and thrilling suspense. Author Paul Biegel takes us through all of the kingdom's vivid lands, each brought to life in such a way as to be virtually tangible. The complex, lively characters that inhabit Dorr and their amusing misadventures make the story shine even brighter.
At the heart of the story, readers find a poignant exploration of themes of hope and loyalty that any reader, young or old, can appreciate. Biegel uses elements of fable and fairy tales to drive the narrative while providing a more modern exploration of self-empowerment and positive thinking.
All in all, The Gardens of Dorr is a beautiful piece of fiction. Every bit of it has been carefully considered and assembled to create a gripping and satisfying reading experience. Whether for personal or academic use, this enchanting book should not be missed.
What a charming little story. I would definitely like to buy this once it is out — reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and the Narnia books combined. Super sweet.
Unlike any fairy tale I have read before. Distinct from the fairy tales many kids grow up to know and love. The tales of Dorr will soon become a staple of fairy tale fiction.
It's one of those book I would have wanted to read as a child: a lovely fairy tale, well plotted and compelling. There's a great MC and there's a fabolou worldbuilding
Pushkin Press is making me discover a lot of new authors that were forgotten or not so famous.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
I'm a big fairy/folk tale lover, and almost dreaded starting this one. I don't know it from my childhood and I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype I'd built up for it
I need not have worried, this is a delightful tale full of rich imagery and interwoven stories
Highly recommended, I just wish it was more known in English-speaking countries!
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
A young princess is on a quest to find the gardens of Dorr so that she can bring back the one she loves. The story follows her and the jester that helps her. The story has the feeling of classic fairy tales and is great for young readers.
I may think that some of the underlying points in narratives like this might be for an older audience, but then I feel like children grasp just as much as is appropriate for their time, and every next stage that they pick books like this up, they will find one point or another that they ignore the first time around. At least, I hope that is the case because if this generation has a better understanding of the world, fairy tales, in general, can get very dark very quickly, even the simplest ones.
A young princess is on a quest, a minstrel on her tail from the looks of it. Both of them encounter a question/request for a tale at each stage, and the princess starts to uncover the truth of Dorr and the missing gardens that she is in search of, while the other is telling the story of the Princess herself and how they both find themselves in the place.
My copy did not have illustrations, but I think that that might make this even more immersive. Everyone we encounter in the story has a past and a daunting task to carry out. There is a trace of the standard fairy tale format in the plot, but it does tend to stand on its own.
Each 'story' or history that is revealed by the characters in the book acts as a piece of a puzzle while working as individual chapters. The end works better if one can remember all the pieces that make up the entire picture. It is definitely one of the better smaller translated works I have had the opportunity to read.
I would recommend this to fans of the basic fantasy genre and/or people who like to experiment with their reads.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
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