Honeycomb
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- €3.99
Publisher Description
An astonishing, richly interwoven story from #1 bestselling author Joanne M. Harris (The Gospel of Loki, Chocolat), beautifully illustrated by the multiple award-winning Charles Vess (Stardust, The Books of Earthsea).
Long ago and far away,
Far away and long ago,
The World was honeycomb, we know,
The Worlds were honeycomb.
The beauty of stories is that you never know where they will take you. Full of dreams and nightmares, Honeycomb is an entrancing mosaic novel of original fairy tales from bestselling author Joanne M. Harris and legendary artist Charles Vess in a collaboration that's been years in the making. Dark, gripping, and brilliantly imaginative, these magical tales will soon have you in their thrall.
Each original tale is a small piece of the larger picture - a clue or a message, a theme, or a warning - interwoven with the tale of the Lacewing King as he travels the Worlds and encounters a multitude of characters: a toymaker who wants to create the perfect wife; a princess whose heart is won by words, not actions; a tiny dog whose confidence far outweighs his size; and the vengeful Spider Queen, and deadly Harlequin . . .
Turn the page, and be swept up in the adventure.
Perfect for fans of Sandman, The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye, Piranesi and The Midnight Library, this tour de force is a beautiful achievement, from two exceptional creators at the top of their game.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Floating somewhere between story collection and novel, this extraordinary work from Harris (Chocolat) transports readers to the enchanting, dreamlike Nine Worlds. Most of these bite-size fairy tales chronicle the life of the Lacewing King, the leader of the Silken Folk, "who live in the shadows and cast none themselves," beginning with his birth in "The Midwife," and tracking his heartless actions as ruler in "The Lacewing King and the Spider Queen." "Penance of the Lacewing King" and "Travels of the Lacewing King," reveal his moving change of heart, and his story culminates in the kingdom of death in the title story. He is aided in his many misadventures by his mother, the Honeycomb Queen; a nameless builder of boats; and others he meets along the way. But he is also hunted by both the Spider Queen and the Harlequin. Some stories run parallel to this central narrative, allowing readers glimpses into a farm of troublesome animals ("The Bull and the Snail") and showing the actions of the other leaders of this dark, magical world ("The Prince"). Several also feature caged singers, both birds ("The Sparrow") and women ("The King's Canary"). The effect is magical, poignant, and wholly transporting. Supplemented by evocative line drawings, this strange, wondrous mosaic is sure to delight any lover of fairy tales.
