Flowing Queen [Hardcover]

Kai Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2005

Winged stone lions fly through the skies of an imagined Venice, which is besieged by the armies of a revived Egyptian Pharaoh. Orphans Merle and her blind friend Junipa are apprenticed to Arcimboldo, the maker of mysterious mirrors, and find his housekeeper, Unke wears a mask to hide her mermaid's wide mouth of sharp shark's teeth. Merle carries a mirror made of water, and Unke feels the vibration of her connection with the mystical Flowing Queen who protects the Venice lagoon. In the mirror Junipa sees something she cannot tell. Meeting the attractive pickpocket Serafin, Merle overhears corrupt Venetian councillors making a deal with the Egyptians, over a flask containing the essence of the Flowing Queen. Serafin is caught, but Merie flees with the flask and is convinced by the Queen to drink its contents, and from then on carries the Flowing Queen inside her. Envoys from Hell - in this world, a real, geographical place - arrive in Campo San Marco, demanding Venice forms an alliance with Hell, or be destroyed. Vermithrax, one of the last talking stone lions, whisks Merle up from the burning piazza, and away over the mountains to find help...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kai Meyer is one of the most successful writers in Germany. Having studied film and drama, he worked as a journalist before devoting himself to full time writing. His two fantasy trilogies for children, both to be published by Egmont, appeared on adult and children's bestseller lists in Germany, with combined hardback sales of nearly 500,000 copies. His work has been translated into sixteen languages around the world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Egmont Books (May 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405216387
• ISBN-13: 978-1405216388
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,570,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just a little note..., January 27, 2006

By 

Jessica R. Kenyon "Young Adult Lit afficionado" (Chattanooga, Tn United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flowing Queen (Hardcover)

This book is now published as The Water Mirror. No word yet on the translation of book two in the series but, this is brilliant, fast-paced and it makes you think. I believe some of the subject matter might be a little much for today's conservative america but, if you are an open minded parent and wish to raise your children in the same manner, then I suggest this book. Gotta love it when a child is forced to make an agreement with the devil in order to save the goddess of Venice, right?

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it!, August 6, 2005

By 

M. R. Scott "DreamingReader" (Reno, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flowing Queen (Hardcover)

It is my opinion that reading a book in the original language is always the best so I speak from the experience of reading this book in German. I am ecsatic to find it published in English because it is a really good story.

Meyer combines elements of fact and magic to masterfully create a setting in Venice that is neither here nor there. The story follows a young girl, Merle, as she seeks to find the truth about herself and save her home from destruction. She is drawn into a bigger tide of events that she herself cannot see by the mysterious "Flowing Queen"--the lifeblood of Venice. Aided by a troop of odd people and creatures, Merle must save the entire world in order to save her friends.

I would recommend all lovers of fantasy to read this series. The story is much like the books Dianna Wynne Jones: fun and fantastic.