Name: Moray Lyle McIntosh's review of D (a Tale of Two Worlds) by Michel Faber
Item: D (a Tale of Two Worlds)
Rating: 3
Author: Moray Lyle McIntosh

Michel Faber

A stunning modern-day Dickensian fable and a celebration of friendship and bravery for freethinkers everywhere. It all starts on the morning the letter D disappears from language. First, it vanishes from Dhikilo's parents' conversation at breakfast, then from the road signs outside and from her school dinners. Soon the local dentist and the neighbor's dalmatian are missing, and even the Donkey Derby has been called off. Though she doesn't know why, Dhikilo is summoned to the home of her old history teacher Professor Dodderfield and his faithful Labrador, Nelly Robinson. And this is where our story begins. Set between England and the wintry land of Liminus, a world enslaved by the monstrous Gamp and populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures, D (A Tale of Two Worlds) is told with simple beauty and warmth. Its celebration of moral courage and freethinking is a powerful reminder of our human capacity for strength, hope and justice.

D (a Tale of Two Worlds)

Claudia Scully

It all starts on the morning the letter D disappears from language. First, it vanishes from Dhikilo's parents' conversation at breakfast, then from the road signs outside and from her school dinners. Set between England and the wintry land of Liminus, a world enslaved by the monstrous Gamp and populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures

(a Tale of Two Worlds)

Moray Lyle McIntosh

How could I not want to love something with such a beautiful cover. And I did, want to love it. There are lovely elements, the way Faber took some of Dickens's character names and made them onomatopoeia, creating new creatures and characters to reflect the sound and feeling of the word itself. I loved that the most. I enjoyed the omniscient, patriarchal narrator simply because he was so familiar from children's books gone by and his wry humour entertained me. The fairy-tale feeling overall was comforting and cleverly recreated for a contemporary audience but while I enjoyed this part, the construction of the story was a little too episodic for me which made the pace a little plodding and repetitive. I suspect that's because it's aimed at children who will only read a chapter or two at a time, or have them read to them.

The disappearing "D" (or should that be isappearing " "?) was a fun stylistic device but was only cursorily explained and having read utterly brilliant books ("Ella Minnow Pea" and "A Void") based on a similar premise was a little under-developed, as was the use of Dickens as a character. The book is marketed as a celebration of Dickens on the 150th anniversary of his death but apart from Professor Dodderfield and the reuse of character names, there was little that was Dickensian about the story.

I was also a little uncomfortable with Dhikilo's history and it's handling. Perhaps the intention was to get children reading/listening to discuss Dhikilo's circumstances to get a better understanding of what growing up can be like for someone from a refugee background. While I don't think that writers can write only about their own experience Faber writing about a young girl adopted from Somaliland during horrific conflict jarred with me on several occasions.

The audience is very difficult to identify. 7-10 would probably be enthralled love but while Dhikilo is 13 but the story is a little young for that age and older readers may want something with a bit more depth. Adults, particularly fans of Dickens, will enjoy the wordplay and nods to his work but will be otherwise underwhelmed.

'Glorious. A story that will be found and enjoyed and dreamed about for years to come. I loved it' NEIL GAIMAN A CONTEMPORARY DICKENSIAN FABLE ABOUT MORAL COURAGE AND SELF-DETERMINATION, BY THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE 12-year-old Dhikilo was born in a faraway country, though she's doing her best to feel at home with her new parents in the crumbly seaside town of Cawber-on-Sands. Until one day, the letter D disappears from the language, and Dhikilo is the only person who notices it's gone. You'd think the loss of one little letter wouldn't make much of a ifference to aily life. But it actually makes things very ifficult and, eventually, quite esperate. Determined to rescue the D, Dhikilo teams up with her old history teacher, Professor Dodderfield. In moments, she is in the wintery land of Liminus where she meets the Magwitches, the Quilps, the Spottletoes, and other strange tribes. Can she escape from the terrifying Bleak House? Can she stop the D from disappearing for ever? And can Dhikilo - a girl with no past and no country - discover who she is and where she really belongs?

zilver 

3.5 | sweet and witty and so strange and senseless. it really is a children’s book but one i’d love to read to kids because i think they’d get a thrill out of it and all its dickensian wiles.

Rachael Neal

"A strange delight." --Washington Post It all starts on the morning the letter D disappears from language. First, it vanishes from Dhikilo's parents' conversation at breakfast, then from the road signs outside and from her school dinners. Soon the local dentist and the neighbor's dalmatian are missing, and even the Donkey Derby has been called off. Though she doesn't know why, Dhikilo is summoned to the home of her old history teacher Professor Dodderfield and his faithful Labrador, Nelly Robinson. And this is where our story begins. "This splendid tale will enchant readers of all ages." --Publishers Weekly "A fascinating, fantastic fever-dream of a novel." --Bookreporter

hat carter

Katie Hosler

'Glorious. A story that will be found and enjoyed and dreamed about for years to come' NEIL GAIMAN 'Faber's writing is so dizzyingly accomplished that he is able to convince you that just sometimes, the old stories are the best ones' GUARDIAN __________________________ A modern-day Dickensian fable and a celebration of friendship and humanity, by the acclaimed author of The Crimson Petal and the White. It all starts on the morning the letter D disappears from the language. First, it vanishes from her parents' conversation at breakfast, then from the road signs outside. Soon the local dentist and the neighbour's Dalmatian are missing, and even the Donkey Derby has been called off. Though she doesn't know why, Dhikilo is summoned to the home of her old history teacher Professor Dodderfield and his faithful Labrador, Nelly Robinson. And this is where our story begins. Set between England and the wintry land of Liminus, a world enslaved by the monstrous Gamp and populated by fearsome, enchanting creatures, D (Tale of Two Worlds) is a mesmerising tale of friendship and bravery in an uncertain world. Told with simple beauty and warmth, its celebration of moral courage and freethinking is a powerful reminder of our human capacity for strength, hope and justice. ------------------------------------- 'If ever a book like this was needed, it is now. Dhikilo is a splendid heroine for our time: She stands for kindness, honesty and humanity. Her triumph will have readers rejoicing' DIANE SETTERFIELD 'In this rather ebullient and lovely new novel by Michel Faber ... older children and fully-grown adults will certainly find much to relish in it' THE SCOTSMAN A 'Biggest Books of Autumn 2020; What to read in a very busy year' title: GUARDIAN 'A firecracker of a novel' STUART KELLY, EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2020 'Dazzling' INDEPENDENT

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