Customer Reviews

In the Kingdom of the Fairies: A Memoir of a Magical Summer and a Remarkable Friendship

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Lately I've been having the worst time trying to find something truly worthwhile to read. Countless titles have been started and then quickly set aside (since I am of an age where I no longer feel compelled to waste time reading boring books). Not only did this book not bore me, it brought me joy. Been a looooooong time since a book did that for me! If you sometimes (or oftentimes) feel as if the world has gone mostly mad, set aside a few hours for this book.

Bravo and thanks to Ms. Coyne (and Mr. Moir)!

This one-year in the life of biography describes how in 1963 then five-year old Susan Coyne spends a summer at the family cottage in Western Ontario. Susan discovered an abandoned fireplace in the hedge between her family house and that of the next door neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Moir. Her dad explained to Susan that the elves built the fireplace. Feeling some form of kinship, Susan leaves small presents for the elves that are gone by the next day. One day Princess Nootsie Tah on behalf of Queen Mab writes a thank you note. With the help of her nanny, little Susan responds. Soon an elf and a human child become pen pals even while Susan spent plenty of time with the retired Mr. Noir listening to his stories.

This true story is a great book that shows how one caring person can make a difference. Princess Nootsie Tah obviously cherished the classics and sprinkled much of that love into the letters (the allusions are brilliant) that fired the imagination of a child. The letters are incredibly written as Mr. Moir treats his young friend with respect and intelligence. Perhaps starting with that one summer provided the foundation to the dream of becoming an actress that Susan Coyne later fulfilled. IN THE KINGDOM OF FAIRIES is a strong bio of a child and an adult sharing meaningful social values.

Harriet Klausner

From BlueJeanOnline.com
by Amruta Gadgil

J.R.R Tolkien's acclaimed trilogy Lord of the Rings places New Zealand at the center of action, but the summer of '63 Western Ontario became a playground of fairies, kingdoms, fantasy, and a budding friendship for one five-year old girl. Author Susan Coyne relives and reflects on her magical summer In the Kingdom of Fairies.

While on an excursion at the family cottage, Susan stumbles onto a fireplace wedged between her house and the next-door neighbors. Her father's rationale is that the fireplace was built by elves. Intrigued, Susan leaves small gifts and flowers. The kind gestures prompt a correspondence from character, Princess Nootsie Tah through Queen Mab and Susan.

Susan strikes up a friendship with her neighbor Mr. Moir and shares her secret correspondence. Moir a good-natured old man is knowledgeable about the princess fairy Nootsie Tah and revels in Susan's curiosity and merriment in fairies and all things magical.

Nootsie Tah and Susan continue their exchange of letters and drawings while Susan's friendship with Mr. Moir blossoms, until it is time for her to go back to school in Toronto. After that summer, Susan's foray with elves and fairies stop. Nevertheless, her relationship with Mr. Moir never wanes even with the daily distractions of school and friends.

Ten years later when Susan's father sends her the old letters and cards that were exchanged, she discovers that the fairies and elves she communicated with were actually Mr. Moir.

In the Kingdom of Fairies is a true tale mingled with fantasy and friendship. Susan and Mr. Moir's friendship is uncomplicated in a complicated world making that summer one that will be etched in her mind forever.

Copyright 2003 BlueJeanOnline.com

If you are a person of a certain age you will cherish this book. If you are younger than that, you will read what you may have missed in your childhood. Reading IN THE KINGDOM OF THE FAIRIES brought back to me a time when a relationship between a small child and an adult outside of the family was not questioned or prohibited. Sometimes it takes a person who is not related (or closely related) to take away the...not loneliness but the, sameness? that may happen when people live with each other day after day. It can create a bit of mystery to enliven the imagination.

Susan Coyne has written her memoir with care and sensitivity about her five-year-old self. She has shown that there are people in this world who care about feeding and filling young minds with beauty, humor, imagination. She has shown that relationships through letters themselves can last a lifetime (Somehow I don't see young people of today remembering their text messages.)

A person could read this book in a couple of days. It is very prolific and well written and has a charm about it that makes you wonder for a while if it isn't real.
Of course and adult rational mind knows it is not and the ending thus proves it but until the true identity of the fairy princess is discovered, nobody really knows and
it takes your mind on an adventure through the eyes of a child and beyond. I recommend it. It is a good read. Read this one to your daughters.

A real heart warming memoir. I don't want to give to much of the book away..but I would recommend this book--if you want a memoir that brings thoughts of growing up and growing old to your mind and also your heart.