Friday, 22 November 2024

Book Review - 'Imelda and the Goblin King' by Briony May Smith

Sometimes, I just want to read a story where a big, loud, obnoxious, greedy, narcissistic, entitled, opportunistic, warped, nasty, immoral, inhuman, grotesque and repugnant bully and tyrant gets what he deserves, you know? Where he is punished instead of rewarded. Where good triumphs over evil - remember when that was a given? A right and normal thing to happen? A normal way of life?

Well, anyway. In this fairy tale, good, kind, generous, empathetic people defeating a fascist dictator is exactly what happens.

In 'Imelda and the Goblin King', a greedy and selfish goblin king wants to take over a fairy forest, committing many atrocities and crimes in the process, and it is up to the frightened fairies, plus a human girl who is a friend to the forest and the fairies, to stop his oppression and madness.

The story teaches children about sharing and caring, and standing up to bullies. Remember when those were good qualities and virtues to be encouraged, too?

There is the abundantly-populated enchanted forest, magic berries, lots of delicious food - but especially the pie, and community and kindness. But knowing when enough is enough, when other options have failed, and people who refuse to change their ways must be punished, and they must go away, for the sake of everybody's lives.

Imelda is a strong, brave, brown-haired young heroine, against the big, bad, frightening, gloating goblin tyrant.

And I have to add, regarding the fairy queen, who was the first to try kindness, reason, hospitality and sharing towards the goblin king, only to get kidnapped and locked up for it, I love her facial expression at the monster king's gobbling up her entire feast. The art manages to capture how affronted she is so perfectly! Her barely-concealed shock and frustration! It's brilliant.

The art is good, colourful, cartoony, and suitable, all around. It's a bit rough, and not among Briony May Smith's best, but I like the level of detail to the forest and the fairies. There are so many of the fairy folk, all different and diverse, and they truly make the dirty and rustic, yet no less magic, forest feel lived in. Its "crowdedness" feels appropriate. The fairies' and goblins' wings being leaves is a nice touch.

'Imelda and the Goblin King' feels like a modern version of 'The Smurfs', now that I think about it. This adds to its cartoony, good-versus-evil charm. It's not childish, naïve or idealistic; it simply shows how things should be. What's natural in nature. Set within the framework of a cute fairy tale.

A feminist fairy tale. Where kindness (with limitations, and not to the point of being a pushover and doormat), giving, sharing, learning and cunning are strengths, not weaknesses.

Indeed, whatever happened to all of us getting along?

Be brave, Never give up, never be silenced.

Wow. I projected a lot into, and took away a lot from, a simple children's fairy tale picture book from 2015, didn't I?

Final Score: 3.5/5

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