‘Chivalry’ Book Review – Tea Break Read

Who knew a random find from a thrift store could shake up a widowed old woman’s life and lead a strapping handsome young man from medieval times to her door?  

Written by Neil Gaiman and filled with beautiful painting-like illustrations by Colleen Doran, ‘Chivalry’ is a 72-page book that would be a great accompaniment with your evening tea if you are a slow drinker like me.

The protagonist is Mrs Whitaker, who is a pensioneer and has a set routine which includes having tea and macaroons every Friday with a friend. One day, she buys what looks like the holy grail from a charity shop and has a knight in literal shining armor knock at her door seeking her latest buy, claiming it’s part of his ‘quest’. But Mrs Whitaker isn’t willing to part with the relic easily, even when the knight offers her mythical gifts of great value. What would it take for a kind lady to give the young dashing man what he wants?

It’s not like ‘Chivalry’ is a mystery book, far from it. It’s a kooky fantasy fiction read about an unlikely friendship between an old lady living in present day with a medieval knight who magically appears in her timeline. The illustrations ranged between plain and dreamy; the artwork has a vintage touch to it, as if you are reading an illustrated book for children from the 1940s. I quite enjoyed reading it and the story was practically over in a blink!

It’s a 4/5 from me.