The Last Elf
by Silvana de Mari

Release Date: 3rd Mar 2008
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 0 7475 7788 1
RRP: Ł5.99

Translated from Italian is this original tale of a world gone dark.

Yorsh is the last elf. Destined to fulfil a prophecy about which he initially knows nothing, he is said to bring about change – a new world. Hated and vilified by humans, he must find a way to survive being alone and find his way to carry out his fate.

This is a fairytale with considerable depth – or perhaps I am looking too deeply... but in my mind, simply relegating this book to the genre of fairytale does it little justice. True enough, there are elves with magical powers, dragons and tremendously stupid humans – but there are similarities between this story and an equally dark period of history when tyranny and fear ruled and those who were racially different to humans were perceived as evil and methodically eradicated from existence or exiled to special “camps”. And like at that time, traitors were found wherever elves were sheltered from such persecution.

Chances are, children will miss these glaringly obvious similarities to that dangerous and uncomfortable time. But the nuances carried along of concepts such as everyone being treated as equal, that different is not necessarily bad and that fear of something should not cloud our judgement and perhaps even the notion that we should occasionally question those that presume to lead us, may just permeate their minds and remain as a small seed of goodness that will make them better adults. Perhaps I am glorifying the status of fairytales in the growing up of human offspring... but I would like to think not.

The Last Elf is a tremendously powerful story, told with delicacy and real tenderness – it is life affirming in the most subtle and magical way. Full of joy, sorrow, beauty and horror – this is perhaps an untold gem that future generations will uncover and adore.

Your Reviews:

Click here to login or register and leave your very own review of The Last Elf

Be the first to leave your own review of The Last Elf!