The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Sadko the musician loved his city of Novgorod, the richest and most free in all Russia.

With its great feasts, its white stone churches, its merchant visitors from many lands, Sadko felt there was no better place to be. Yet he was lonely too, for the rich young ladies who danced to his music would never favor anyone so poor.

One night he takes his twelve-string gusli and goes alone to play by the River Volkhov. Suddenly from the water rises the Sea King, who invites the astonished musician to play at his underwater palace. But how will Sadko get there? And how will he get back? And will he want to return at all, when he meets the Sea King's lovely daughter?

One of the most popular legends of Russia, show more Sadko's story is found in medieval epic ballads, as well as in a popular opera by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is retold here in elegant prose, complemented by the entrancing illustrations of a modern Russian master.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Poignant tale of love that cannot ever be, of being separated from one's love by things outside our control, and living on as well as one can. It's a sad story, but longing is a human emotion children resonate with. A tale with long, long cultural roots in the Russophone world for a very good reason...now brought quite stunningly to life with some of the most spectacular illustrations I've seen yet.


how we're greeted

As expected from Author Shepard, the language is lovely, lyrical, and ideal for that still-alert six-year-old who gets to lap-read it at naptime, down to a truly little one who needs it read at bedtime. This artwork makes it a great coffee-table book, one I'd display very prominently and proudly. Look:




Sadko; by the river; the storm


the Sea King; with daughter Volkhova

I am more than a little in love with this style of illustration. It is transporting to the world of the story. It gives us a real, visceral sense of the Otherness and impossinility of Sadko in his situation:


In common with all legends, this one is well-populated with interesting folk. This spread is the one I'd spend the longest staring at:

...possibly because Sadko looks very, um, provocative down in that corner.

Not inappropriate, invisible to kids, but makes me wonder what this message really is....

Something I think any parent with a lap-reader would thank you for giving to their kid. Grand, aunts, uncles all duly encouraged! show less

Author/illustrator team Aaron Shepard and Gennady Spirin here present a breathtakingly gorgeous picture-book retelling of the Russian folk legend of Sadko, a musician in the medieval city of Novgorod. Performing at many wealthy merchants' houses, Sadko encounters numerous beautiful girls, but none that would be interested in a poor musician. Then one day, playing by the banks of the River Volkhov, he is greeted by the Sea King and invited to play at his palace under the ocean waves. It is here that he meets the Sea King's daughter - the nymph Volkhova, of his own River Volkhov. Although smitten by the lovely maiden, whose hand in marriage is given to him, Sadko knows that he cannot give in to his love, or he will never see his home show more again...

Pairing an engrossing and ultimately poignant tale from Shepard with beautifully ornate artwork from Spirin, The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend is an absolute pleasure to peruse. The illustrations, done in pencil and watercolor, are the kind that I would have enjoyed poring over, again and again, if I had encountered this as a young girl, and they would undoubtedly have made it a personal favorite. Full of detail, with a lovely, subtle color palette, they draw the reader into their world of mystery and magic. The wordless two-page spreads - there are three in total - are particularly marvelous! The story starts out, as so many folk and fairy-tales do, with the idea of a poor young man in want of a wife, but doesn't progress in quite the expected way. There are so many tales in which young men win the hand of the princess, whether in human or enchanted animal form, but here the hero must choose between home and princess. His decision to return home is atypical in this type of story, I think, and it makes for a beautiful but melancholy conclusion - a conclusion that hints at the haunting power of the sea, while also emphasizing the enduring pull of home. Recommended to folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-book art. show less

This was a lovely fairy tale – a beautifully illustrated version of a Russian legend with which I was not previously familiar. The story is of a classic type – young man enters an unfamiliar world (here the sea kingdom), uses his skills to impress a beautiful woman (the title character), but is warned (in this case by the queen of the realm) that giving in to her will result in being trapped in the new realm forever. I like Russian folktales because they often end in a way that seems radically different from the more familiar European folktales. In the European tradition, or at least what it has become, the goal seems always to be with the enchantingly beautiful object of affection for all eternity; Russian tales always seem a bit show more more pragmatic and here (SPOILER) our fair hero resists temptation and makes his way home, to eventually marry a nice, ordinary girl. The book ends with a certain sense of longing – not so tangible as to be sad but, like many legends of the culture, as if life cannot always be just happily ever after. show less

Aaron Shepard's version of The Sea King’s Daughter (Russian Legend) is truly beautiful to read and look at. It tells the story of Sadko, a poor musician who plays the gusli. He plays at many parties and festivals but he is unable to get any of the fine women to look at him outside of the event due to his lack of wealth. One night he plays by the River Volkhov and laments that if it were a woman, he would marry her. Suddenly a figure arises from the river, the Sea King, who invites him to play at his underground palace. He pays him in a golden fish which he trades for much money. How will he be able to get to the palace? Where is it? Will he be able to return? Will he marry one of the Sea King's daughers?

This was a wonderful retelling show more of this legend. It was short and very easy to understand. At the end of the book, Shepard also includes information about the Russian culture of preserving ancient stories and legends in epic ballads known as byliny. He also tells a little about the history of the area. The illustrations by Gennady Spirin are gorgeous and done in the style of old fairytales. The fabric of the gowns and cloaks looked like you could touch it and that it was almost 3-D. This was a beautiful book to listen to and look at. A great book to be used in classes while studying folktales, legends and fairytales. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. show less

Aaron Shepard's version of The Sea King’s Daughter (Russian Legend) is truly beautiful to read and look at. It tells the story of Sadko, a poor musician who plays the gusli. He plays at many parties and festivals but he is unable to get any of the fine women to look at him outside of the event due to his lack of wealth. One night he plays by the River Volkhov and laments that if it were a woman, he would marry her. Suddenly a figure arises from the river, the Sea King, who invites him to play at his underground palace. He pays him in a golden fish which he trades for much money. How will he be able to get to the palace? Where is it? Will he be able to return? Will he marry one of the Sea King's daughers?

This was a wonderful retelling show more of this legend. It was short and very easy to understand. At the end of the book, Shepard also includes information about the Russian culture of preserving ancient stories and legends in epic ballads known as byliny. He also tells a little about the history of the area. The illustrations by Gennady Spirin are gorgeous and done in the style of old fairytales. The fabric of the gowns and cloaks looked like you could touch it and that it was almost 3-D. This was a beautiful book to listen to and look at. A great book to be used in classes while studying folktales, legends and fairytales. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. show less

Beautiful story and gorgeous illustrations. I just wish my 2 year old appreciated it as much as I do... a little too much text per page for him to sit through. We'll try again when he's older, and meanwhile I love this book for my own fairy-tale loving heart. Goodness knows there aren't enough Russian fairy tales in the world for me!!

Beautiful illustrations complement an amazing story. A fanciful tale of love and loss, hard work, joy, and loneliness. I especially appreciate the small section at the end explaining the tradition of this Russian folktale.

Received for Review