Published: 2023-12-31

In Search of The Fair Folk – Palingenesis of Some Celtic Folklore Motifs in Selected Young Adult fantasy novels

Kinga Matuszko
Dzieciństwo. Literatura i Kultura
Section: Studies
DOI https://doi.org/10.32798/dlk.1202

Abstract

The aim of the article is to trace the influence of folklore and Celtic mythology in YA fantasy prose and to examine how they are incorporated in selected works, such as Juliet Marillier’s The Sevenwaters Trilogy (1999–2001), Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle (2012–2016) and her novel The Scorpio Races (2011), Melissa Marr’s series Wicked Lovely (2007–2011), Rebecca Ross’s novel A River Enchanted (2022), and the universes created by Cassandra Clare in her cycles The Mortal Instruments (2007–2014) and The Dark Artifices (2016–2018), and by Sarah J. Maas in her series A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015–2021), Crescent City (2020–2024), and Throne of Glass (2012–2018). The focus of the analysis is primarily on the depiction of the fairy, the most popular character from Celtic folklore in pop culture, and to a lesser extent, other aspects of beliefs and customs from this cultural sphere. The author points out that while not all writers have fully used their potential, these motifs offer an interesting and inspiring array of meanings and symbols. They serve as a diverse and alternative resource for authors seeking to craft new narratives that exploit mythologies and beliefs of (not only) European pre-Christian communities and address themes that remain relevant today.

Received: 31.05.2023
Accepted: 06.11.2023

Keywords:

Celtic folklore, Celtic mythology, myth palingenesis, young adult fantasy, fairies

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Matuszko, K. (2023). In Search of The Fair Folk – Palingenesis of Some Celtic Folklore Motifs in Selected Young Adult fantasy novels. Dzieciństwo. Literatura I Kultura, 5(2), 89–113. https://doi.org/10.32798/dlk.1202

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