Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville (1650鈥�1705), also known as Madame d鈥橝ulnoy, was a pioneer of the French literary fairy tale. Though d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 work now rarely appears outside of anthologies, her books were notably popular during her lifetime, and she was in fact the author who coined the term 鈥渇airy tales鈥� (contes des f茅es). Presenting eight of d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 magical stories, The Island of Happiness juxtaposes poetic English translations with a wealth of original, contemporary drawings by Natalie Frank, one of today鈥檚 most outstanding visual artists. In this beautiful volume, classic narratives are interpreted and made anew through Frank鈥檚 feminist and surreal images.
This feast of words and visuals presents worlds where women exercise their independence and push against rigid social rules. Fidelity and sincerity are valued over jealousy and greed, though not everything ends seamlessly. Selected tales include 鈥淏elle-Belle,鈥� where an incompetent king has his kingdom restored to him through an androgynous heroine鈥檚 constancy. In 鈥淭he Green Serpent,鈥� a heroine falls in love with the eponymous snake, is punished by a wicked fairy, and endures trials to prove her worthiness. And in 鈥淭he White Cat,鈥� a young prince is dazzled by the astonishing powers of a feline. Jack Zipes鈥檚 informative introduction offers historical context, and Natalie Frank鈥檚 opening essay delves into her aesthetic approaches to d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 characters.
An inspired integration of art and text, The Island of Happiness is filled with seductive stories of transformation and enchantment.
"Brilliant drawings and a powerful translation make Madame d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 seventeenth-century fairy tales feel just as immediate and necessary as when they were written. . . . Natalie Frank鈥檚 stylized drawings work with the text to bring its heartwrenching and gruesome scenes to life, heightening the emotional impact of crucial moments."鈥擥eorge Hajjar, Foreword Reviews
"Madame d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 17th-century French fairy tales are interpreted by the feminist visual artist Natalie Frank in surreal, contemporary images."鈥�New York Times
"The new illustrations by Natalie Frank are another triumph of this collection, and they heighten the potential for d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 radical stances. Frank鈥檚 women are larger than life; they鈥檙e clearly defined in a realist style while surrounded by surreal splashes of color and figures that blend into one another."鈥擬egan Otto, Chicago Review of Books
"In giving us back the women heroines and images and lives that were once the heart and soul of the oldest stories, Natalie Frank is giving back to female readers the right to honor and tell our own stories."鈥擥loria Steinem
"Madame d'Aulnoy's stories pose a radical challenge to the status quo, and provide a bottomless well of inspiration and provocation. With a fabulous introduction by Jack Zipes and extraordinary artwork by Natalie Frank, this book feels like a portable door to d'Aulnoy's imaginary kingdoms. Her hydra-headed tales burst into view as 鈥榟yper-colored daydreams鈥� channeled through Frank's sorcerous hands."鈥擪aren Russell, author of Swamplandia!
"The Island of Happiness is gorgeous, edgy, enchanting, perverse, and fabulous, just to name a few of its qualities. It鈥檚 unlike any other book I鈥檝e read, or seen, which is not something one says lightly, or often. I intend to keep my copy forever."鈥擬ichael Cunningham, author of The Hours
"Inspired by the large-format storybooks that overwhelmed our childhood laps鈥攁nd here cleverly reduced to a compact size suitable for reading by flashlight under the bedcovers鈥�The Island of Happiness is an all-engrossing treat. Within its pages, Madame d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 arresting feminist fairy tales and Natalie Frank鈥檚 lush pastel illustrations comingle to complement and challenge one another, and to question our perceptions of personhood, sexuality, and femininity."鈥擡lisabeth Hodermarsky, Yale University Art Gallery
"What I wouldn鈥檛 give to have been a guest at the Parisian salon of the protofeminist, literary adventurer Madame d鈥橝ulnoy. The next best thing to such an invitation is this delightful book, filled with d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 lost princes, femmes fatales, fearful ogres, and magical beasts. Jack Zipes's fluid translations, interspersed with Natalie Frank鈥檚 lushly colored, monstrously sensual illustrations conjure an astonishing world of literary and imagistic invention."鈥擫eslie Camhi, journalist, author, and translator
"A prominent writer who impacted the fairy-tale tradition in significant ways, Marie-Catherine d鈥橝ulnoy merits renewed attention. In this collection of selected tales, Natalie Frank鈥檚 illustrations provide intriguing perspectives on d鈥橝ulnoy鈥檚 work."鈥擜nne E. Duggan, author of Queer Enchantments
