Brian FroudRezensionen

Loved it. Amazing.

Pisces season wouldn’t be complete without a foray into the fantastical realms illustrated by Brian Froud, so I’m glad I scooped this strange little book by Alexander Theroux a while back and saved it until now. Ironically, the story is far less filled with faeries than I am used to from a Froud book, but it still holds a certain fey quality. Theroux tells a tale of a pair of star-crossed lovers that centres around the titular cloak given from one to the other, which later becomes a symbol for the plagues that wracked Europe during the Middle Ages. For all that the characters of the story contain a certain amount of comedy (quietly ridiculous names and funny turns of language abound), the tale of Master Snickup and his love Superfecta is darkly grounded in the harshness of the real world. Froud’s limited palette of naturalist colours suffuses the story with a grounded tone that carries our protagonists through their love affair, Superfecta’s forced marriage, and Snickup’s monastic exile with an essence that feels borderline Biblical. Mirrored by Theroux’s bardic voice that pushes together antiquated rhythms with the occasional modernist vocabulary, the resulting narrative is an exercise in strangeness that is still surprisingly successful. We are drawn in to the majesty of Master Snickup’s cloak and beguiled by the fey creatures who come to call him neighbour, and are left wondering at the fate of the now almost-invisible Superfecta as her place in the narrative is taken by her bombastic husband. The tale concludes in an epic fashion, with an inventive set of compositions by Froud, as Snickup’s death brings the Black Death to Europe and the village that he left is in turn brought to its knees. Is this the faerie story that I expected Froud to have helmed: no; but, the mythical overtones of Theroux’s carefully wrought morality tale that keep us one step away from reality were a strange delight, nonetheless.½

Amusing and lovely, like most Froud!Things. I love getting to own books like this. The art is gorgeous and the universe of the Goblins and the Author & Artist.

What a delight this book is! Lovely photographs and humourous illustrations of crushed fairies abound.

Angelica Cottington is 16 years old when she finds a diary of her long-deceased older sister, Euphemia. Euphemia has photographed several fairies, and writes about her adventures with them in the woods. Twelve years later, Angelica is appalled by her sister's behaviour. Angelica detests fairies and squashes them dead in the very diary her sister left praising them.

As we read the diary entries and Angelica's notes, we come to understand what really happened to Euphemia. A lovely fairy tale indeed!

How can there not be any reviews yet on this amazing book? Well, allow me the honor of being the first one!
I cannot recommend this series enough to any Dark Crystal fan. Powerful messages and strong story-telling are already prevalent in the Dark Crystal franchise, but this one is especially admirable. It made me cry, and it's already a herculean task to get me to cry.The Dark Crystal already has so much content surrounding it in terms of lore and overlapping/connecting canon backstories, but if anything- this is the one to start with. It takes you back to the very beginning- No prequel before this one, this is the ultimate starting point. It tells the story of how Thra came to be and the evolution of the characters you meet in the first movie and revisit in the Age of Resistance. It reveals how the Skeksis and Mystics came to be, the first cracking of the Crystal, Aughra's origins- it is a treasure trove of content that serves as a superb vehicle for telling such an essential part in the lore and history. You also get some fantastic art you can stare at for hours along the way.
Take if from this colossal Dark Crystal fan- you don't want to miss out on Creation Myths.

I didn't mind but I do want to warn others that there are pictures of nude fairies in here (full frontal and plenty of butt cracks). Just wanted to warn parents that want to share a book about pressing fairies as if they were flowers with their young'uns. Pressing flowers is an any-age type of activity but a book about pressing fairies, who aren't always dressed, should probably be labeled at least Young Adult.
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I came across Robin Hobb using the Cottington Fairies instead of butterflies to get a point across: described writing as “chasing butterflies and trying not to crush them” and interviewer asked her to expand on the idea. “I get an idea, I can see it, and it’s absolutely beautiful, and I start writing it and I get it trapped on the page and it’s not what I meant to write,” she said.

“And the rewriting is arranging the little body and trying to make it look nice! I enjoy rewriting much more than I do doing first drafts. It’s really hard, but rewriting, you at least have something to work with, and you can make it better. First drafts are very hard for me.”

https://harpervoyagerbooks.co.uk/2014/08/19/george-rr-martin-and-robin-hobb-were.....

Gorgeous book, though.

Angelica Cottington's fairy pressing exploits have become widely known thanks to the work of the newly established Cottington Archive. But what is not so widely known is that throughout her life, Angelica conducted numerous correspondences on the subject, that is if this newly acquired and highly suspicious scrapbook of letters is to be believed. But believe it I do and when reading through these letters one thing becomes abundantly clear, Angelica is searching for more than just conformation that these pesky fairies exist outside of her imagination, she is searching for the truth, but one she may not yet be ready to hear.

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters have been lovingly reproduced and reprinted, pressed fairies and all, despite their unauthenticated and questionable origins. Who can say for sure if Annie Oakley, J. M. Barrie, Carl Jung or Queen Victoria herself did not actually write these letters to Angelica Cottington? A handwriting expert could perhaps, but thankfully none were ever allowed near this unique collection. Although it is evident the fairies themselves have had their influence stamped and squashed all over this scrapbook, these letters are a fascinating and at times illegible read into the most intriguing and elusive character of Lady Cottington.

Using a camera illegally borrowed from the basement of the Cottington Archive, Brian Froud did something remarkable. He slightly altered the valuable artefact for the purposes of photographing dairymaids in a dimly lit barn. When no dairymaids were available he took a photo regardless and inadvertently captured a blurry and obscure image. With his second photo he discovered that this indecipherable image was in reality a goblin.

Here enters Ari Berk and the Codex Goblinensis, an ancient goblin text part historical document, part phone book, part fish sandwich. With this codex and the goblin Gargle, whom these two noble and inquisitive fools have trapped in the downstairs toilet, the study and analysis of these irksome and troublemaking creatures and their disgusting and chaotic kingdom has now been made possible. However there will be consequences for this terrible knowledge.

Goblins! A nonsensical and inconsequential study into the Goblin World, containing photographs taken by Brian Froud, sketches drawn in a frenzied haste, and notes put together by Ari Berk from the Goblin Codex itself. Beware, letting these pesky little creatures into your home will only bring you trouble. A quirky and dangerous book that will either have you laughing at these creatures eccentric antics or curled up in fear at their terrorising ways.

Good faeries bring us inspiration, they are bright and beautiful and helpful by nature. They influence our lives in numerous positive ways bestowing gifts on those brave enough to believe. Seeing into our hearts, they are always there to protect and heal.

Bad faeries are bringers of misfortune, they are dark and mysterious and mischievous by nature. They often bring bad luck into our lives, bestowing curses on those foolish enough to cross their paths. Preying on our vulnerabilities, they are to blame for sickness and madness.

Good Faeries/Bad Faeries all have more in common then you might believe. A pixie blessing may have unintended consequences and a bogle curse may bring unexpected gifts. A beautiful and insightful look into the light and dark side of these elusive and magical beings that are as complex and individual as you or I.

Master Snickup was an orphan who at a young age fell in love. The object of his love was a girl he grew up with in the orphanage, a girl who grew into great loveliness. It was she was gave Master Snickup his blue cloak, she who promised to be his bride, she who choose to be with another for wealth and broke Master Snickup's heart, starting a chain of events both desperate and disastrous.

Master Snickup's Cloak was a gift, a symbol of love and fidelity, a promise for the future. But all too soon that promise was broken in the face of obsession and greed. The result of this is a story of heartbreak, sorrow, deprivation, and the Black Death. This medieval fairytale with its artistically wryly and complementary images is darkly charming but not recommended for children.

Faeries are more than just pretty little girls with butterfly wings, flowers in their hair and who live at the bottom of the garden. Although they can be just this, they are more complex then this image implies. Faeries are beings of brightness ready to guide you on your way; however you must be wary for they are also beings of shadow who would easily lead you astray. These are the dangers that come with venturing into a world both light and dark, where friendships teach wisdom and danger brings lessons.

Brian Froud's World Of Faerie is a journey into a world of beauty, inspiration and possibility, a place only few have visited but open to all if your mind and heart are receptive. A book that reminds us to believe in the impossible as well as in ourselves and shows how all life is a mystery and that acceptance and love abound. Taking you behind the scenes into a wondrous realm seen through the portal of magical creation, otherwise known as Brian Froud's studio, this enchanting book also includes the poster Instructions, a story by Neil Gaiman.

Whether this is your first experience with oracles and tarots, or faeries for that matter and you are looking for fun or just to learn, or whether for serious reflection or you are an expert at reading cards or communicating with faeries, these cards will open your mind to the possibilities and potentials that exist both in our world and the faery realm as well as within ourselves.

A selection of faeries both favourable and frightening have been drawn together, each to impart their own story and wisdom to those brave enough to search their depths for deeper meaning. There are as many meanings and interpretations of these faeries as there are ways of reading these cards and it is up to each individual to find their own path.

The Faeries' Oracle brings the enchanting and mystical artwork of the talented Brian Froud together with the insightful and spiritual teachings of Jessica Macbeth to guide us through the pathways of faery and our inner selves. This oracle set is unique in both meaning, imagery and magic, despite many of these faeries having been introduced to us before in Brian Froud's Good Faeries/Bad Faeries. A truly versatile and inspiring set.

These faeries enhance our journey of discovery, wisdom and joy as we uncover insights into our lives. These insights are discovered through images as lively and charismatic as the definitions they embody. Below is a simple three card reading representing past, present and future, more information about which can be found inside The Faeries' Oracle.

During his time at the Institute for the Criminally Insane, Quentin Cottington devoted his life to the study of stains both great and small, and their associated smells both foul and sweet. His so called research led him to believe that these stains were more than just something to be scrubbed, washed out and removed, these were living, breathing, stinking beings.

Strange Stains And Mysterious Smells uncovers a world never before imagined, a world of stains come to life and smells having personalities. With the fame of his twin sister Angelica, it seems strange that we have not before heard of Quentin Cottington, especially with the content of his research. A uniquely stench filled book that's rich with stains, personality and beings of a disgusting nature.

Once there was a goblin king who endeavoured to keep his subjects safe from the growing advancement of the ungoblin world. So he built a great structure where all goblins could live in safety from the outside world. Eventually this became the only place goblins could be found; this was the Labyrinth.

The Goblin Companion is the accumulation of forty-three dusty, mouldering notebooks dating from 3000 B.C. created by a goblin of some talent but, unfortunately, little concentration. Painstakingly restored by the eminent goblinologist, Brian Froud, these pages are full of goblin diagrams, footnotes and facts.

Even as a child Brian Froud has held an affinity with nature and the land. His imaginings transforming the trees, rivers and stones into being of mystery and magic, manifesting the land into a world of faeries. Each image is a door into a land all its own, each with its own story to tell and each a glimpse into the possibilities of worlds yet to be created, of stories yet to be told.

The Land Of Froud is an enchanting journey into the imagination of a talented artist who has inspired and delight many throughout the years. Drawing influences from other artists, stories and legends and from the land itself, Brian Froud has evolved from a simple illustrator of other peoples stories into an artist whose pictures really do tell a thousand words. A book any Froud fan will treasure.

On her sixteenth birthday Angelica Cottington discovers an album that had once belonged to her sister Euphemia. It had been twelve years since her sister had passed, a sister she bearly remembered but for a few kindnesses. However the entries with this album reveal to Angelica the character of a girl lead astray by the fairies, portraying Euphemia as she has never been revealed before.

Lady Clottington's Pressed Fairy Album continues Angelica's story, and fairy pressing, through the revealing entries of a lost album. In this we learn not only of Euphemia's life and love of capturing fairies in photos, we learn of Angelica's reactions to her sisters exploits. But the most shocking truth of all is still to come, if only Angelica could refrain from squashing fairies for a moment or too. Another beautifully constructed and elegantly pictured book in the cottington series.

One of the most important things a troll possesses is his, or her, tail. It is where they store their tales, the stories that tell of the nature of things, their world, their history, themselves. It is in the remembering, the telling and the sharing of these tales that trolls are able to pass on the knowledge and wisdom that has been learnt over the long, long years. But not all trolls are born to carry these tails, some are hunters, some are fighters, some live under bridges and others on very rare occasions have been known to eat small children.

Trolls leads us into a world where few humans have been before. The Otherworld is a place where every stone, every bone, every feather and every twig tells a story. Trolls are everywhere if you would only open your eyes to see. Although not all trolls are wise or intelligent, all are ancient beings of nature and time, majestic and complex, they are diverse as they are elusive. This beautiful and breathtaking tail reveals soulful and delicate beings who are greatly misunderstood. A stunning and skilfully illustrated guide into the land of Trolls.

There are many doors and pathways to Faerie, even a window will do if you can open it wide enough to fit through. However this guide takes you by the hand and leads you willingly to a place where faeries exist, a place where they play, dance and dream. Anywhere you find nature, the wind, the sky, a puddle of water, you will find a story and a gateway into Faerie.

The Runes Of Elfland are a set of twenty-four runes known collectively as the Elder Futhark. Each individual rune represents more then just its sound or letter, there is a meaning behind each symbol and a story behind each meaning. Between the pages of this book are charms, stories, gifts and symbols that will amuse, delight and enlighten all those who venture along pathways and through doors opened within these pages. A beautiful book for lovers of faeries, art, fairytales and magic.

When Angelica Cottington shocked the world with her fairy squashing ways, not to mention her proving once and for all that fairies exist, she did it through a dairy not too dissimilar from this journal. As one of the greatest fairy related finds in history, Lady Cottington's story has entertained, enchanted and engaged all who have been lucky enough to read it. Now with this journal is an opportunity to create some magic of your own.

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal is beautifully bound with a ribbon page marker and antiqued pages. Pre-lined and littered with squashed fairies throughout, this is the perfect home to store your dreams, wishes, stories, random thoughts, or anything you care to jot down. Filled with the promise of endless possibilities this exquisite book would make a perfect gift for that someone special, or a charming treat for yourself.

It's not hard to see faeries, not really if you try. Though you may only see them if your looking, it may not be with your eyes. There are many ways and means to Faerie, through games and rhyme and art. But the best way to spot a faerie is to use your own true heart. So keep your mind open and taken time to listen, for if you're very lucky you may see a faerie too.

But a warning to all who venture here, for time is not the same. And with each page a lifetimes lived, treasured moments to be relived again. Watch for the symbols and follow the clues, be ready to step through the gate. Just remember, though they are tricksters, meeting faeries is up to fate. When strolling through Faerie, slow down and take your time, after all you're just a visitor and you're only passing through.

How To See Faeries is more then just a beautiful guide book to the fey, this is a portal to another world not all that far away. Here you are guided by the hand, into a strange and wondrous Faerie Land. A place of hidden messages and magical devices, staying close to your heart it more then suffices. But just remember, although you may seek to see a faerie, it may just be a faerie that is seeking to see you.

When a small, impossibly ancient, earthenware pot was first discovered in remote Olduvai Gorge its significance was such that it was promptly ignored and abandoned. Luckily it was later discovered and destroyed by Brian Froud. However before its destruction Mr Froud was able to discover a message hidden within this pot. And when that message was eventually deciphered he began a journey that would lead to the greatest goblin related discovery in history.

The Labyrinth, created by a goblin king, was built as a refuge to goblins from those in the world not of goblinkind. Over the years the Labyrinth has become one of the only places in the world where goblins can be found, however until now little has ever been known of their daily lives let alone their appearances. But when one goblin artist decided to thrown down his images of goblins, images that were later enhanced or butchered depending on who you talk to, finally the world was introduced to the goblins of Labyrinth.

The Goblins Of Labyrinth is a unique look at a species that has eluded, beguiled, teased, tormented and terrorised many a human over the course of history, a time honoured goblin pastime that is still alive and well today. There is much to read, see and ponder within these pages, the least of which not being the story, and goblins, behind the well known movie Labyrinth. Aside from this however there are plenty of legends, tales and poems, not to mention recipes, games, philosophies and sacred days to uncover. All in all a very beautifully presented book of not so beautiful beasts.

My very first deck. AMAZING artwork and very accurate readings. 💗💗💗

A fab set of cards and accompanied book. Probably the best set of oracle cards on the market

This is really a terrific series for us children of the 80s. The backstory is so cool!