Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book presents itself as the diary of Angelica Cottington, a Victorian girl who captures fairies by pressing them between the pages of her journal. The book combines photographs, illustrations, and handwritten entries that document her fairy-catching activities from childhood through adulthood. The format mimics a genuine pressed flower album, with fairy "specimens" appearing as flattened figures on the pages alongside Angelica's observations and notes. Brian Froud's artwork creates the fairies while Terry Jones provides the text, together establishing a distinct Victorian-era atmosphere. Through its creative presentation and dark humor, the book explores themes of childhood innocence versus adult skepticism, and questions what we choose to believe or dismiss about the supernatural world.

Readers praise the dark humor and Brian Froud's detailed fairy illustrations that blend whimsy with grotesque elements. Many highlight the unique format presenting pressed fairies as if in a Victorian naturalist's notebook, complete with smudges and stains. Fans note the book works on multiple levels - children enjoy the silly fairies while adults appreciate the darker undertones and subtle jokes. Several reviewers mention sharing it with their kids or displaying it as a coffee table book. Common criticisms include: - Too macabre for young children - Some find the premise of killed/pressed fairies disturbing - Brief text leaves readers wanting more story Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (8,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (850+ ratings) "Delightfully twisted" and "beautifully morbid" appear frequently in reviews. One reader called it "Edward Gorey meets Cicely Mary Barker." Several mention returning to examine the intricate illustrations multiple times to spot new details.

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🧚‍♀️ The book's stunning illustrations were created by Brian Froud, a renowned fantasy artist who also worked on Jim Henson's films "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth" 📚 Author Terry Jones was a member of the legendary Monty Python comedy troupe and brought his characteristic wit and whimsy to this unique fairy-spotting journal ✨ The book's concept was inspired by the famous Cottingley Fairies photographs from 1917, where two young girls convinced many people, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, that they had captured real fairies on camera 🎨 Each fairy in the book appears to have been "pressed" between the pages like a flower, complete with splatter marks and smeared fairy dust 📖 The book spawned several sequels, including "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters" and "Lady Cottington's Fairy Album," expanding the whimsical Victorian-era world of fairy catching