Author: RC Ajuonuma
Illustrator: Beverley Young
Publisher: Silverwood Books
Publication Date: 2017
Please note that a review copy was provided by the author.
From the publisher’s website: “He walked for a stretch, then came to the edge of a glistening, shimmering wood, where he noticed the whiff, of candy and crisps, and everything else that was good.”
Billy lives like a prince with his mum, eating all the feasts and treats a boy could want. He doesn’t know much about people and places because she never lets him out.
One day, he wakes up peckish and sneaks off for a snack. But what begins as a trip to town becomes a search for a new friend and the start of a magical journey…
What I was expecting: a cutesy little children’s story with some tarot elements thrown on to be whimsical but not practical.
What I got: a lyrical poetic romp through the Fool’s Journey of the tarot seen through the eyes of Billy.
Though I do solicit book authors and deck creators to give me their decks or books in exchange for a review, I rarely get people taking me up on this offer. So to receive an email from RC Ajuonuma doing exactly that was a rare treat that I immediately accepted. I was not disappointed by this sweet and surprisingly deep children’s book.
When I received the book I was struck by a bit of synchronicity… the publisher (Silverwood Books) and I have very similar logos (go check out the graceful shapes of our trees). Delighted by this little divine nod, I dove right into this “children’s story”.
I expected to breeze through this book. Nope, that didn’t happen: in fact at parts of the lyrical poem-like story I was weeping. The book is sectioned into chapters, and then sectioned down again into three parts.
Part One: The Way to Your Heart
Part Two: Be Brave, Be True
Part Three: What Was Lost Can Be Found
The character of Billy changes at times, both interacting and sometimes becoming the characters of the Major Arcana. If I’m understanding the story correctly, he is both the Fool and the Emperor throughout his journey.
I won’t reveal too much of the story (because then what’s the point of you even reading it if I recommend it?), but I will share some of the parts I liked or that made me look upon the Fool’s Journey differently:
- The appearance of the Fool’s dog, a classic staple of the card, appears as something Billy fears during his journey. An interesting take, and one I hadn’t ever come across before.
- I enjoyed the appearance of the representations of the 4 Minor Arcana Suits tumbling out of the Fool’s pack (what, you didn’t know that was what he was carrying? neither did I!)
- An unfortunate first encounter with the Magician card in his trickster guise (yes, sometimes he is a trickster character!)
- The High Priestess reminding all of us that sometimes we don’t know who we are… or who we will turn out to be.
- The Empress turned into a huffy Duchess
- The glittering carnival-like Wheel of Fortune… will you take it for a spin?
- The Devil figure repeating the previously silly and selfish self-appointed King Billy’s lines I thought was especially brilliant.
In the end, King Billy and the Royal Road may not be the best book for younger readers because you’ll have quite a bit of explaining to do when you come to the darker parts of the Major Arcana/life cycle (have you had the talk about death yet?), but perhaps for children 7 and up this would be a welcome addition to their bookshelves (and yours). If you’d like a review of this book from a parent’s perspective, check out this one by Katalin Patnaik
King Billy and the Royal Road is available for purchase online… keeping in mind that the publisher is based in the UK. You can purchase a copy from the publisher’s website here.
Blessings,
~*~Hilary~*~
www.tarotbyhilary.com
hilary@tarotbyhilary.com
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© Hilary Parry Haggerty | Tarot by Hilary
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