The story begins with a young girl who lives in a perfect world created by her father to protect her from suffering.
Though all of her needs are met, she knows that something is missing from her life.
After receiving a message from a mysterious woman, she leaves her home and finds herself in a land of darkness, injustice, and pain. There she learns that the heart of the world has been lost. To return beauty and fairness back to the world, it is her task to find it. In order to do this, she needs to climb the highest mountain, go to the end of the Earth, and travel to the center of the world.
The truths she learns, and the adventures she lives through along the way, not only help her achieve her mission, but bring her the answer to her own dreams.
This wonderful story, that can appeal to children of all ages from 8 to 80, is sumptuously illustrated by Gale Barkus.
Here’s a review:
Dr. Berger’s “Princess Chantik” is a wondrous journey through a fanciful, yet recognizable world. It will entrance and stir the reader. At times it feels a little disjointed, disorienting and contrived as the experiences of Princess Chantik run the gamut, but it’s fiction, so I reminded myself to suspend my disbelief. To this end, there is an endearing and alluring quality to the overall theme and energy of the story that kept me “turning the page” or scrolling, as it were.
Be sure to allow a half-hour – or more – to complete the story, as it is eighty-five pages. And while there are many illustrations, they are so artistically symbolic you may find yourself spending more time taking in their fullness compared to reading the story!
All in all, it may not be a story for younger children due to its length. However, this becomes secondary to the meanderings and “what’s next” factor as the reader follows the adventures and exploits of the protagonist. I found myself reading it in my mind as if I were reading it to my grandchildren. There is much available here for the aspiring storyteller. The characters are rich and well dimensionalized.
Bottom line: it is absolutely worth a read! Download it and give yourself permission to slow down a little and take this in. It’s really quite satisfying.
Wayne Nelson
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