A review by eupomene
A City in Winter: The Queen's Tale by Mark Helprin, Chris Van Allsburg
4.0
Mark Helprin has a beautiful imagination, which he uses full force in this story of a city and its queen. The queen is 10 years old and she has returned from exile in the forest to her snowy realm which has been overthrown by an evil usurper. The city is "in winter" for more reasons than seasonal, it is held in thrall by a cold and ruthless person. The little girl queen must work and wait, and find her friends before making herself known.
Helprin's descriptions of the colossal palace and all its different workers defies explanation here. He is assisted by Chris Van Allsburg, of all artists the one most suited to illustrate a children's story by Helprin. The pictures are quite lovely, to say the least. I feel this will certainly be a book to read to my daughter when she is old enough, though I fear my husband will claim that privilege first.
Helprin's descriptions of the colossal palace and all its different workers defies explanation here. He is assisted by Chris Van Allsburg, of all artists the one most suited to illustrate a children's story by Helprin. The pictures are quite lovely, to say the least. I feel this will certainly be a book to read to my daughter when she is old enough, though I fear my husband will claim that privilege first.