Synopsis:Aurora may be the daughter of a lord, and Clementine of a servant, but both children are blessed with gifts by the fairy Woodland Ladies at their joint christening. Then the vicious oldest Lady, Tarabosse, prophesies that at the age of sixteen, Clementine will betray Aurora to death. Though the curse is lessened to a hundred years' sleep, the girls are sent deep into the woods in an effort to evade it, to be educated in the old magic and protected by the Ladies. They grow up as sisters, but must inevitably return to the castle. Disaster, of course, cannot be averted, and the castle falls into a deep slumber. A century later, Lord Arthur, a young amateur scientist, and his friend, Raphael, arrive on the scene. Entranced by the legends of the enchanted wood, they search for it, and find not only love, but that the science, technology and political progress of the new age are no match for magic that has been untouched for over a hundred years...

Review: Clementine is a story in three parts with additional prologue and epilogue providing a frame for the tale. Part one, with a present tense narration, draws readers skilfully into the well-known narrative, and provides an intricate setting and situation for the central characters. Set in the eighteenth century, it identifies the challenges present at that time between beliefs in mythologies and the fairy-world, and scientific discoveries destined to evoke revolutionary changes. The ‘wicked’ fairy’s gift generates challenges to social and gender inequality and the narrative reflects modernist or Enlightenment views of the times.

Narrated through Clementine’s point of view, part two provides an interesting twist to the story as the two girls’ sixteenth birthday arrives, and the families attempt to counteract the curse. The third person narration distances readers from the action and enables reflection and comparison with the original tale, while its many allusions to eighteenth century texts enhance the narrative, providing an element of veracity. In part three, Masson’s use of multiple narrative voices through a range of written genres: letters, diary extracts, and field notes, in addition to third person narration and poetic extracts, provides an extra stimulus as the story unfolds in a nineteenth century setting. Readers must unravel the various pieces of information and layers of meaning, including consideration of Jung’s ‘alter-ego’, to make the links which will provide the interpretation. As in all good tales, the denouement has, as well as satisfactory conclusions, surprises which challenge readers to reflect on the whole text and its presentation.

2006-12-01