Catherynne Valente -- anyone?

[phoenissadido]

I just read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and thought it was absolutely the best book I'd read in ages. It had a little bit of an Alice in Wonderland feel, but beyond that I find it really hard to describe, so I'll post a generic Amazon description and urge everyone to read it! It's brilliantly written with vibrant characters and colourful scenes and I'm so happy the sequel came out recently.

 

From Amazon: Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

[Guest Anonymous]

I had a quick browse on Amazon. Is the Marquess female? What's up with that? Is it explained in the story?

(I know I probably shouldn't question fairyland)

[phoenissadido]

Yep, female -- I assumed it was her bastardization of Marquise. (Or Marchesa, I guess, would be closer.)

[Guest Anonymous]

But 'marquess' is an actual male title. That seems like the sort of thing that would be picked up in editing (or specifically explained as part of the story).

[phoenissadido]

Oops -- I didn't know. I've only heard Marquis or Marchese. And no, I don't think it's explained. She's female and always has been. Maybe it's like Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest stories, where the title is gender neutral? (Although they explain that one.)