Ratings4
Average rating3.9
"A gorgeous fantasy in the spirit of Pan's Labyrinth and John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things. Set in a world similar to our own, during a war that parallels World War II, A Green and Ancient Light is the stunning story of a boy who is sent to stay with his grandmother for the summer in a serene fishing village. Their tranquility is shattered by the crash of a bullet-riddled enemy plane, the arrival of grandmother's friend Mr. Girandole--a man who knows the true story of Cinderella's slipper--and the discovery of a riddle in the sacred grove of ruins behind grandmother's house. In a sumptuous idyllic setting and overshadowed by the threat of war, four unlikely allies learn the values of courage and sacrifice"--
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A Green and Ancient Light is a beautifully told story of love, family, the beauty of nature, and the innocence of youth. Equal parts Pan's Labyrinth, The Secret Garden, and The Chronicles of Narnia, it's a fantasy tale that could be appreciated by readers of any age.
The story was scrubbed of any identifiers (no village name, no country name, no character names), but the rich setting detail provided everything you could need. Frederic S. Durbin creates a setting filled with such beautiful imagery that opening the book felt like being transported to the nameless countryside each and every time. He writes a simple, yet profound story that I enjoyed immensely.
It was good. A slow burn. Not something I would normally read, but I picked it up when I happened to be in the mood for a book more about ambiance than plot.