The Lion Tamer's Daughter
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Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from a stunning new picture book, Mary’s Secret by David McKee (Andersen Press, 0 86264 909 9, £9.99). An ecological fable about doing without cars, McKee’s story with its bright pictures full of well observed detail is set within Mary’s cheerful family and at her school. His bold, painterly illustrations use the page so confidently and dextrously that their quirky, decorative perspectives seem entirely natural. Thanks to Andersen Press for their help in producing this September cover.
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The Lion Tamer's Daughter
Keith had always thought that his friend Melly was a rather ordinary, if dreamy, girl. Then he meets Melanie, her mirror image, and a bizarre chain of events is triggered. Melly and Melanie share the same memories and dreams, and a desperate urge to discover the dark secret that connects them. In his essay 'Fantasy: the need for Realism' Dickinson argues for fantasy writing to prove its relevance to life 'fantasy is fundamentally about ideas, a dead idea is a dead book'. In his unforgettable futuristic fantasy, Eva, Dickinson highlights the moral and ethical issues concerned with human transplant and the possible consequences when two minds occupy one body. The Lion Tamer's Daughter explores the opposite end of the spectrum. Melly and Melanie share one mind but live in two separate bodies. In this tale of suspense and intrigue Dickinson employs magic realism to reflect contemporary concerns about the ethics of genetic engineering. A tightly structured story with a highly charged climax, and satisfying denouement and resolution.
