This image is the cover for the book Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories

Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories

Rediscover a Victorian-era collection of fairy tales. Employing sorcery, a wicked princess wears the princes and kings who desire to marry her as crystal beads strung on a gold chain around her neck. A musician searches the world for his missing wife, unaware that elves have transformed her into the golden harp he plays every day. A determined prince embarks on a quest to find the evil fairy who stole the heart of his beloved princess. These are just a few of the inventive and captivating stories in this fine new edition of Mary De Morgan’s fairy tales, The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories (1880). Despite her fairy tales being well-known and loved during her time, De Morgan has been overlooked by history and largely forgotten. Considered one of the earliest feminist writers, her influential fairy tales often reflected her social and political ideologies, including reform for women. Featuring strong heroines and subverted gender roles, her untraditional stories often eschewed wealth and power, and occasionally ended sadly with no happily-ever-after. Also included in this new edition is the story “Through the Fire” from On a Pincushion (1877), De Morgan’s first published book of fairy tales. Immerse yourself in a young boy’s adventure as he journeys to the North Pole on a mission for the fire Princess. Fans of Hans Christian Anderson and George MacDonald will adore De Morgan’s rediscovered collection of fairy tales. Foreword by Dr. Marilyn Pemberton, Out of the Shadows: The Life and Works of Mary De Morgan (2012).

Mary De Morgan, Marilyn Pemberton

Mary De Morgan (Feb 24, 1850-May 18, 1907) was an acclaimed Victorian author best known for her untraditional fairy tales. Well-educated and choosing not to marry, De Morgan epitomized the “New Woman” in Victorian England, seeking radical social reforms and greater independence for women. She is considered one of England’s first feminist fairy tale writers. Her stories often subverted traditional gender roles, had little concern for accumulating wealth, and in some cases, no happily-ever-after ending. De Morgan frequently entertained the children of friends at parties with her inventive tales. Her stories were so well received, she put pen to paper and soon published her first story collection at the age of twenty-seven. Her three collections of fairy tales include On a Pincushion?and Other Fairy Tales (1877);?The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories?(1880); and?The Windfairies?and Other Tales (1900). Her story “The Toy Princess” from On a Pincushion was adapted in 1966 for the BBC children’s TV show Jackanory, and again in 1981 on Jackanory Playhouse. Otherwise, over time her fairy tales have mostly been forgotten. De Morgan died in Egypt of tuberculosis in 1907 at the age of fifty-seven.

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