Title: The Cobbler’s Daughter and Other Tales
Author: Victoria Benty
Major Themes: Fables, Allegories
Synopsis: A collection of allegorical Christian fairy tales and short stories written in the style of George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis.
I’ve loved fairy tales and fables since I was a young child. We never had fairy tales on our shelves at home, but as a youngster, once I figured out how to find books in a library, I often found myself drawn to the myths and fairy tale section. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate more diverse offerings than what the Brothers Grimm or the Arabian Nights could offer, and have delved into some of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald’s works. When I saw The Cobbler’s Daughter and Other Tales available to read and review, I was instantly interested—Christian allegories, especially in short-story form, are few and far between. Upon reading the preview, I decided I wanted to try this book. I’m so glad I did!
Publisher’s description:
A doorway to another world. An enchanted berry bush. A witch’s wry kindness. A cold night out at sea. A deal with Father Time. A thief that leaves no trace. A girl longing for more. A singer for the stars. A prince a step behind. A monster in the woods. A windless summer day. A girl who met a prince.
This collection of 12 magical tales will evoke the nostalgic memory of fairy stories from childhood, but with a mature, spiritual twist. Lovers of allegories and fables like The Pilgrim’s Progress and Hind’s Feet on High Places will enjoy this new collection from Victoria Benty. Features stunning, hand-drawn illustrations and lessons that will stay with you long after the book is closed.
My thoughts:
I loved reading The Cobbler’s Daughter and Other Tales. As the book description suggests, these stories are highly allegorical. One thing I was grateful for was that they aren’t so “in-your-face” allegorical like some books can tend to be; these stories can be taken and enjoyed just as stories in their own right. But if you want to get something more out of them, that’s easily done, too.
There were a few stories in this book that I didn’t quite get the allegorical side (I can tend to be somewhat obtuse about such things, so that didn’t surprise me!). Other stories were a bit more violent than I necessarily enjoy with tales in this genre. All were unique and creative—and I really enjoyed that aspect!
Overall, I ended up loving this book, and I’m sad I got to the end so quickly. If you have ever enjoyed any of George MacDonald’s shorter stories, C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, or enjoy parables or allegories like The Pilgrim’s Progress, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, or even more obscure ones like Sacred Allegories, you would probably enjoy this book. These aren’t your traditional fairy tales—romance is only featured in one or two of the stories—but they do carry the punch you get from more well-known and well-loved authors. Many of these stories carried the feel of MacDonald’s pen for me—that was really special to see! And the line-drawn illustrations are gorgeous. I highly recommend you check out The Cobbler’s Daughter and Other Tales. I can’t wait to see what else Benty has up her sleeve, and hope I’ll get a chance to read more of her books one day.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
WARNING: Occasionally, witches, wizards, or gods (some good-hearted, some not) appear in the story. The Door to Misty Meadows: Hints of a woman sleeping around, drinking beer. The Cobbler’s Daughter: Man dies. The Loveless Maiden: A girl is hurt multiple times (somewhat gruesome). The Penniless Sailor: Drinking beer, man thinks about suicide, mentions of soldiers using brothels and “skirmishes in dimly lit basements” (not described further), a kiss. The Just Gardener: Man hurt badly and presumably dies. The Prince of Shadows: A fight; a man killed (described to some extent). A Man Met Vengeance: Man killed. Sweetpea and the Enchanted Stone: Several kisses.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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