This is not the end
A slow and yet magical fairytale discovered through the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time
«What is plucked will grow again,
What is slain lives on,
What is stolen will remain —
What is gone is gone»
There was a moment in this very ambitious fantasy reading project when I thought, «is it really worth it?» The list is huge, and I was starting to feel a little burned out on the genre. After several mixed and even disappointing reads, I seriously considered abandoning the project.
However, I decided to stick with it and I am happy to say it was a good decision. This year has brought better experiences overall. Even though I DNF’d The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, and only had an okay time with A Wrinkle in Time and Jade City — this latest read, made it all worth it again.
Thank the reading gods!
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is one of those books I knew very little about, except for the fact that it is considered a classic. Many have shared their fond memories of this book, which set the bar high. And yet, despite its short length, this book delivered, magical moments, beautiful prose and a lingering sense of wonder. It’s the kind of book that sneaks into your heart, the kind you love more with time.
The Last Unicorn follows a unicorn who lives protected in a lilac wood until one day she overhears that she might be the last of her kind. This prompts her to take a chance, leave the safety of her home and into the world to find out what has happened to the rest of her kind. And what an adventure it turns out to be.
This project has taught me to notice truly good prose, and Peter S. Beagle delivers on every page. Like Guy Gavriel Kay, he paints with words, the songs, the poems, the dialogue, the descriptions. Nothing feels out of place. I found myself highlighting endlessly, filling notecard after notecard with quotes, here are just a few examples of my favourites.
A well delivered threat;
«Do not boast, old woman. Your death sits in that cage and hears you»
I know that would’ve made me shake in my boots as a child and I found it to be so damn good in the context it was delivered. Chef’s kiss!
Wisdom that lingers;
«Things must happen when it is time for them to happen. Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit; unicorns may go unreduced for a long time, but not forever. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story.»
Even the characters and how they deliver their lines can be as haunting as ever;
«How dare you, how dare you come to me now, when I am this?»
Ouf, that one line…hit very hard as an adult!
Usually, I feel a little melancholy reading books I might have adored as a child, since the magic doesn’t always strike the same way as an adult. But The Last Unicorn is different. Beneath its fairytale surface lies depth, sadness and wisdom that would have been lost on me as a child. I really connected with the deeper meaning behind certain conversations, traces of the sting of a life lived. Reading it now, I do feel I got both things, the magic and the meaning. I know that when I return to The Last Unicorn, at a later stage in my life, I will find even more between its pages.
That said, two things might make this book less of a fit for some readers. The first being about pace. This is a very slow book and I do mean slow. It took me a while to sink into its rhythm and if you crave action or quick immersion, it may feel too slow. However, if you allow yourself to sit with it, the slowness becomes part of the magic of The Last Unicorn and it might end up surprising you.
Secondly, being labeled as a beloved classic sets expectations high, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Some readers might approach this book expecting expansive world building or layered character arcs. Beagle however, offers something else, a fairytale with depth rather than a traditional epic fantasy story. My experience was that The Last Unicorn was enough for me, more than a simple fairytale, but I can see how others might end up feeling like something is missing.
The Last Unicorn is a fairytale filled with magic, poetry and fantastical creatures. It reminded me that no matter what life brings, one still needs to find the things worth cherishing, not matter how small they seem. This book was a delightful read that reached both my inner child who would have loved this tale and my adult self, who discovered more between the pages than expected.
Unicorns are for beginnings,» he said, «for innocence and purity, for newness. Unicorns are for young girls.»
Until next time,
happy reading! ✨
