Book Review of I, Coriander

Book Report: I, Coriander

General Information:

Title : I, Coriander

Author : Sally Gardner

Publisher : Orion

Year Published : 2005

ISBN : 1-84255-290-2

No. of Pages : 300

Book Review:

The book "I, Coriander" is about a young girl, Coriander, and the two worlds she lives in. The story began when she was born in the year 1643 and illustrates her life by the River Thames in the 16th century. Coriander lives in London in the time of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell is Lord Protector and Charles II is in exile. Coriander's family are Royalists, and with the rise of the Puritans, there are troubled times ahead for Coriander and her family.

Coriander's father Thomas Hobie was a good man and a London merchant and her mother Eleanor was a kind, quiet lady who brewed potions for curing the ailments of their neighbours. Eleanor was able to do this because she is actually a fairy princess who can remain in our world as long as her enchanted shadow is protected from the evil Queen Rosmore. After her mother dies, only Coriander is left to protect her family and to save the prince of the fairy world.

Coriander had a happy, fulfilling life until she discovered beautiful, enchanted silver shoes that took her to the fairy world which is in parallel to our world. Her mother died shortly afterwards and was replaced by the cruel, filthy Maud Leggs who Thomas Hobie was forced in marriage with. After that, Coriander flitted back and forth from the fairy world to our world; trying to rid of Queen Rosmore and help the fairy prince Tycho in the fairy world and searching for her mother's enchanted fairy shadow in the real world while trying to help Hester, the kindly daughter of Maud Leggs.

In the end, Coriander succeeded in all her tasks in both worlds, yet she longed for Tycho but was unable to be with him as she had to stay in her world and Tycho in his. The ending was beautiful though; on the day of restoration when the king paraded around London, Tycho entered her world and they started a happy life together.

I liked this first-person narrated book very much, especially the ending. It was unpredictable; I thought both lovers would have to give up on each other but they met up in the end and the story became happy after all the misfortunes Coriander went through.

My favourite character is Coriander. As the protagonist and main character, she was very attractive; courageous, determined and loving. She did all she could to help everyone in need, such as freeing Tycho of the curse put on him by the evil Queen Rosmore.