Flowing Queen, The

Mermaids pulling gondolas, magical mirrors, flying stone lions, re-born Egyptians besieging a parallel Venice in the 1890s – just some of the elements in this, the first part of a trilogy by German writer Kai Meyer.

The ‘Flowing Queen’ is an unidentified force widely believed to be protecting the city and preventing the Egyptian aggressors from capturing it completely. Treachery is afoot as some of Venice’s Councillors prepare to betray the city, either to the Egyptians or to the forces of Hell. Enter orphans Merle and Serafin; just of an age to begin questioning the moral dilemmas of society, they find themselves charged with taking the essence of the Flowing Queen out of the city away from corruption and injustice, to fight a fight that is only hinted at as the book ends.

With references to (or borrowings from?) Joan Aiken, Pullman, C S Lewis, Rowling, and a plot complicated by many strands, we will have to wait for further parts to evaluate the story as a whole. However I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this first part, and very much welcome the unusual opportunity to read a children’s book from another language, especially one translated as seamlessly as this. AG