Travel Light

Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison is a magical, fiercely original fantasy novel that blends myth, folklore, and feminist themes into a rich coming-of-age tale. It follows Halla, a girl cast out of her royal family and raised first by trolls and later by dragons. Gifted with the ability to speak the language of all creatures, Halla journeys through a Norse-inspired world where she learns to "travel light"—to let go of power, possessions, and pride in favor of wisdom, compassion, and freedom. First published in 1952, Travel Light is a quietly radical tale that subverts heroic fantasy tropes, celebrating kindness over conquest and humility over glory. It remains a hidden gem of 20th-century fantasy literature.