The Letter for the King

Starred review from May 25, 2015
Following its 2013 release in the U.K., which marked its first English translation, this 1962 Dutch children’s classic now hits American shelves, allowing a wider audience to enjoy this old-fashioned tale of knights, quests, and derring-do. Sixteen-year-old Tiuri is on the brink of achieving knighthood when he answers a call for help that launches him on an journey to deliver a letter of vital importance to a neighboring kingdom. His trek through the wilderness is long and hazardous, filled with allies and enemies—from the justice-seeking Gray Knights to the ominous Red Riders—and perils at every turn. There’s a timeless charm to Tiuri’s quest, a mixture of innocence and death-defying adventure, invoking chivalric ideals and a sense of refinement. Dragt conjures up elements of Tolkien and the Arthurian mythos, combining the traditional hero’s journey with an episodic structure, as though the novel was made for serial storytelling, or to be read aloud. Though some modern readers might find the story tame or slow-paced compared to more recent offerings, the rich language, lush descriptions, and sense of wonder allow it to hold its own against any competitor. Ages 12–up.

June 15, 2015
The English translation of a prizewinning 1962 Dutch historical adventure exhibits both old-school charms and flaws. On the eve of his knighting, 16-year-old Tiuri abandons his vigil to answer an old man's desperate plea. When the knight he seeks is murdered, Tiuri is charged with the delivery of a secret message determining the fate of kingdoms, and so begins a quest rich in chivalry, daring, and deadly peril. Brave, honorable, and earnest, Tiuri's personality is matched by the straightforward prose, which meticulously chronicles every step of his journey in a meandering, episodic narrative. While encountering every make and manner of man (female characters barely exist in this world), Tiuri appears capable of judging the disposition of each at a glance, a feat made less remarkable when nearly everyone goes out of his or her way to be friendly and helpful, and the few villainous exceptions act with either inexplicable generosity or ludicrous incompetence. In stark contrast to current tropes, Tiuri's mission at the end plays only a minor role in the greater conflict of nations, the outcome of which is never addressed. Tiuri himself returns home to pick up his life precisely where he left off, richer in experience but with his character fundamentally unaltered. Short chapters and frequent mild cliffhangers make this suitable for a middle-grade classroom read-aloud; but there's little here to captivate a 21st-century reader. (Historical adventure. 10-15)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Originally published in Amsterdam in 1962, this work took Europe by storm winning several awards and translated in 16 languages. It is the story of a young man on the verge of becoming a knight. While spending his vigil with four other young men, a sudden knock at the chapel door reveals an elderly man who gives him a letter and begs him to deliver it to the Black Knight with the White Shield. Though he knows it may cost him his knighthood, Tiuri abandons his vigil and takes up the quest only to find the knight lying in a forest withterrible wounds. With his dying breath, the knight implores Tiuri to deliver the letter to King Unauwen. With enemies of the king on his trail, the teen must find the courage to complete his task and the faith that those who appear to be allies will not prove to be false. In spite of an excessive number of pages devoted to setting up the plot and describing the dangers involved in the quest, the story clips right along providing readers with plenty of cliff-hangers (literally). While this is an interesting adventure story, it's a little difficult to understand how this could have been such a mega-hit in the 60s. Still, the characters are appealing and the action will keep readers engaged. VERDICT An additional purchase where adventure fantasies are popular.-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.