A City in Winter [Hardcover]

Mark Helprin (Author), Chris Van Allsburg (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

This tale reveals a city veiled in snow at once divine and deadly. The illustrations capture the expanse of the story - from the chaotic pulse of the masses, to the wrath of the bloodthirsty usurper who scours the city streets after curfew, to the opulence of an intimate dinner party.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Another ambitious and glossy collaboration between novelist Mark Helprin and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg, continuing the story of Swan Lake, their earlier book that recreated the ballet classic for children. Emulating Maurice Sendak's reinterpretation of The Nutcracker, both the earlier book and A City in Winter abound in winter season atmosphere and fairy tale magic. At the end of Swan Lake, the unnamed little girl who has heard the story of a prince and his beautiful lover Odette usurped from their kingdom by evil forces, realizes that she is the daughter of the pair, and the rightful heir to the kingdom. As the sequel begins, the girl is now an adult, restored to the throne as queen. She recalls her return to the city at age ten, and tells how the restoration came about.

From Publishers Weekly

A none-too-kid-friendly mixture of war story and bureaucratic satire, this tale of a 10-year-old queen's quest to regain her throne suffers from a proliferation of heavy-handed and portentous philosophical passages. "I began my journey to the city in blindness and confidence," says the queen, "which, if you think of it, is how we must all live, given the nature of our origin and the certainty of our destination." Helprin (Winter's Tale; A Soldier of the Great War) is at his weakest in his panoramas of an epic war, which are frequently confusing; and strongest in conveying the farcical and magical aspects of the evil Usurper's empire. For example, the enslaved queen is put to work in the yam section of the palace's starch kitchens; she later tours a storage structure of over 600 floors, including a shop for the repair of winter clothing used by podiatrists attached to the rhinoceros-horn carving apprenticeship program. Two-time Caldecott winner Van Allsburg emphasizes the story's dramatic moments rather than its humor. With characteristic poetic stillness and rich depth of color, his paintings cast a warm glow over the icy city. Although the deliberately cryptic narrative style makes for lackluster reading, the book's handsome design with its use of page ornaments and its production on high-quality paper will make it attractive to collectors of finely illustrated works. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 147 pages
• Publisher: Viking/Ariel; 1st edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670868434
• ISBN-13: 978-0670868438
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Curious and Entertaining, September 25, 2004

By 

Arthem "arthem" (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A City in Winter (Hardcover)

What a strange book this is! Part childrens' fairy tale (old school - bad things do happen to good people), part political satire, part fantasy, A City in Winter weaves an enchanting melody amidst its disconcordant environment.

I'm not sure who the target audience is - the illustrations and language make the book suitable for kids, while the bizarre characters and convoluted social system are friendly rejoinders against centralism and establishment.

One thing is certain - it is brilliantly written - a captivating book that takes little time to devour. The imagery is outstanding, the characters are engaging and enjoyable, and the plot moves along handsomely. For as short a book as this is, there is sufficient depth to make it worth more than one read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "City in Winter" is a masterpiece, March 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A City in Winter (Hardcover)

Mark Helprin is a magical author able to draw his readers in simply on the power of his imagery and emotion. Chris van Allsburg's lush illustrations are cathartic images meant to shake the reader. Between the two, a masterpiece of modern literature has emerged. I have read a number of Helprin's books and cannot wait to get my hands on all of them. This may be a children's book in name, but anyone who remembers how to dream will be enchanted by this story and its companion piece, the Veil of Snows.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Tale, February 27, 2002

By 

hedgewytch "hedgewytch" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A City in Winter (Hardcover)

I loved this series by Mark Helprin. I'm a big fan of Winters Tale, and this was just as enjoyable. These are wonderful to read aloud to children, or to pass around and take turns with, as we've done with the Harry Potter and other series. Beautiful artwork, and thick shining pages make this book a keepsake, and a sumptuous pleasure to read. In this retelling of Swan Lake, all things are possible... you'll find yourself laughing one moment, tense the next, and always riveted. I also found the strong and triumphant female lead character refreshing, ..the story is told from her point of view, after all this has happened, a narrative to her not yet born child.