Book debuts a feisty half-fairy

Despite great advances in gender equality, many children and young adult stories still rely on the old fashioned standards of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, where girls might be clever and beautiful, but where ultimately, they await rescue and marriage by a perfect male suitor.

That's why the new young adult novel "Glory Rose and the Gloaming," is so refreshing. It features a 12-year-old heroine and while she is a fairy princess with pink hair, she is no saccharin plastic doll. She is resourceful, brave, in touch with her emotions and compassionate.

The first book by Eugene author Sharon Brandsma has just been published, and Brandsma will be reading from the book at 3 p.m. Dec. 7 at Grass Roots Books & Music, 227 S.W. Second St.

"Glory Rose and the Gloaming," follows the story of a half-fairy/half-human girl named Glory Rose, who finds herself outside the walls of Camelot with an erased memory. She is soon among many friends and allies, including goat Treacle and little dog Sebastian, both of whom she rescues from dangerous situations, as well as the good witch Zorya, the puckish Robin Goodfellow, and stable boy Cullan.

But Glory's greatest ally is the magician Merlin, who is connected to Glory in ways she cannot predict. Merlin at the time of the story is helping to tutor young King Arthur, but the mythology of the Arthurian legends is merely a backdrop to the greater tale Brandsma weaves of fairies, sprites and leprechauns.

As Glory's memory begins to return, it becomes clear that her destiny is a heavy one for such a young woman, but despite her apprehension, she faces it bravely. One of Glory's greatest struggles is learning that she has one foot in the human world, and one foot in fairy, making her feel at home in neither "culture."

Like many adolescents discovering new things about themselves as they step on the threshold of adulthood, Glory has her own internal conflicts, including her shame that her fairy wings are stunted and small due to her human heritage.

As Glory comes to terms with her parentage, she also learns to love herself, and to trust her magical powers, which she's just beginning to understand and to harness. Magic is a common metaphor for a young woman's struggles as she becomes an adult, and Brandsma is deft in her approach, making Glory's magical struggles reflect some very human emotions.

Brandsma's depiction of animals is especially compelling. They don't talk, except on rare occasions when they project their feelings into Glory's mind. And her depiction of a particular boorish badger who falls under Glory's spell is particularly humorous and compelling.

At the end of "The Gloaming," Glory Rose is on the brink of a particularly precarious new adventure. The book is the first in a planned series, and one can only hope that Glory Rose's spirit - and her strong friendship - serve her well in book two.

The book was published by MoonFlower Press from Eugene, in conjunction with Studio Absolute out of Sisters. Brandsma did all the illustrations, including the cover.

For more information, see www.glory

rosefriends.com