The Ravenous Gown - Steffani Raff
"The King smiled. 'You are like that stained glass window, my dear. Whatever beauty you had before has only been magnified by the darkness you have experienced in your life. A stained glass window sparkles when the sun is out, but when darkness comes, it can only remain beautiful if there is a light from within to illuminate it.'"
This book of short stories is absolutely darling! I don't think that I can express how much.
Raff is a storyteller in Utah, and her craft shows brilliantly in this book. Not only are her stories original and clever, but Raff's voice and style are versatile and expansive. In one story, I'm touched and teary, and in the next, I'm suffering from a humor-induced asthma attack. And, perhaps best of all, Raff has sewn each story with the thread of true beauty. As it says on the back cover, "The Ravenous Gown captures the essence of a stronger, smarter princess--the kind that actually lives happily ever after."
I have to recommend this book to everyone who has a little girl, everyone who once was a little girl, and everyone who has known a little girl. Beyond being a delightful read on its own, this book would be incredible for bedtime stories.
You might now be wondering how a book of new fairy tales has lead me to travel, but I assure you that Raff's beautiful language sends me to a new world with each story. Perhaps it is not much different from the Rogers & Hamerstein's Cinderella song, "In My Own Little Chair," because in reading The Ravenous Gown, I find myself in a dragon's lair, in dark wood, or climbing a rainbow. The journey is one of the imagination, but it moves my heart.
Captain's Note: I have to admit that I'm biased to this book because I served as an editor for Steffani. I will say this, though: the stories were brilliant and beautiful long before I took a red pen to the manuscript. And I am Steffani's #1 fan.
No comments:
Post a Comment