The Tale of Despereaux is the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is smaller than the other mice, with larger
than average ears. Instead of darting and dashing from humans and constantly searching for crumbs to eat, this young
mouse would prefer to read, listen to music, and dream about the Princess Pea, a human princess he is in love with.
This 2004 Newbery Award winning novel is an animal fantasy novel for young readers. The entire novel is a story
of good vs. evil, metaphors of light and dark, light and shadows heavily used. Divided into three books, the first book
introduces readers to the character of Despereaux, with all of his loveable human qualities and shortcomings as a mouse.
Despereaux is sent to the dungeon for befriending and talking to humans. Book two introduces Roscuro the rat, a rat
with a vendetta for the Princess Pea. Book three introduces Miggery Sow, a young castle servant who longs to become
a princess. All three of these stories unite in the end of the book, when Roscuro and Miggery kidnap Princess Pea at
knifepoint and Despereaux, with a needle and spool of thread, makes a daring rescue.
In my opinion it is surprising this book won the Newbery Medal. The book is a nice tale. And Despereaux,
portrayed in illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering, is awfully cute and likeable. But Despereaux Tilling, along with
the entire novel, lack characterization and a reason to care about the outcomes of the character. Having big ears is
not enough to make me love or root for Despereaux Tilling.
The setting of the novel is nicely portrayed, particulary conveying the darkness of the dungeon and of the rats.
Examining the metaphors of light and dark is a good idea and a motif of fantasy, however, DiCamillo's method of doing this
is too predictable, too contrived, and too easy. What should be described in subtle language and given to the reader
to discover for themselves is handed to the reader far too easily and unimaginatively. The continued addressing of the
reader as "dear reader" were contrived and bothersome by the end of the novel. The middle of the novel, particulary
the long stories of both Roscuro and Miggery Sow, is long and too long a departure from the story of Despereaux.
The story is a nice tale, and it has enjoyable elements. The insistence on the theme of light overcoming darkness,
however, is overbearing to the reader. I believe The Tale of Despereaux moralizes too much for its own good.
Things are not left to the reader to discover because the narrator is too busy telling the reader what they should be discovering.
