Gr. 5-up. Clockwork Faerie collects the first five issues of Vogelein into a
wonderfully creative graphic novel about Vogelein, a beautiful mechanical
fairy created in the seventeenth century. Although she is immortal, she must
be wound every 36 hours. After her old friend and caretaker dies, she must
find someone new to take care of her. Her search introduces her to a
sheltered college student, a wise street cleaner, and the bitter fairy
Midhir, who has been transformed by the industrial world of Man. Through
these relationships and her cherished memories, Vogelein discovers her own
humanity in a modern world that often ignores the possibility of magic. This
modern fable is a rare treasure that weaves fanciful imagination into themes
of individuality, diversity, and independence. The art is beautifully shaded
black and white, and it carries the narrative impeccably, bringing across
both the emotions of the characters and the depth of their world. Great for
middle readers who like graphic novels or for younger children to share with
an adult.
Tina Coleman, Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Vogelein is a mechanical fairy doll made in 17th-century Germany who took on a life of her own. Since her creator's death, she has passed from one caretaker to another, each of whom is sure to wind her once a day with her key; if she goes 36 hours without winding, she will lose her memories and, eventually, her life. Now she is forced to make her own way in a modern city when her latest guardian dies. Various encounters-with a man who betrays her, a bitter and twisted genuine faerie, and an outcast who knows about the faerie world-allow her to learn about her own nature and to gain, perhaps for the first time in her life, not a guardian but a friend. This is a touching story, somber and reflective, and Irwin's exquisite, realistic black-and-white paintings fit the book's air of memory and strangeness very well. Recommended for teen and adult fans of prose fantasies in modern settings at all libraries. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
