Angelica Cottington's fairy pressing exploits have become widely known thanks to the work of the newly established Cottington Archive. But what is not so widely known is that throughout her life, Angelica conducted numerous correspondences on the subject, that is if this newly acquired and highly suspicious scrapbook of letters is to be believed. But believe it I do and when reading through these letters one thing becomes abundantly clear, Angelica is searching for more than just conformation that these pesky fairies exist outside of her imagination, she is searching for the truth, but one she may not yet be ready to hear.

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters have been lovingly reproduced and reprinted, pressed fairies and all, despite their unauthenticated and questionable origins. Who can say for sure if Annie Oakley, J. M. Barrie, Carl Jung or Queen Victoria herself did not actually write these letters to Angelica Cottington? A handwriting expert could perhaps, but thankfully none were ever allowed near this unique collection. Although it is evident the fairies themselves have had their influence stamped and squashed all over this scrapbook, these letters are a fascinating and at times illegible read into the most intriguing and elusive character of Lady Cottington. ( )

All of Brian Froud's books are filled with whimsical magic, and Lady Cottington's collection of letters (displayed alongside another selection of her trademark faeries) is not exception. The faeries, even in their squished forms, display lovely artistic techniques, as Froud is a master of the watercolour medium and the human (fey) form which brings each subject to life. Well, maybe not life, but you know what I mean. Ostensibly the book is not meant to be another collection of faeries, and is meant to be a book of letters collected for the writer's sister as she searches for a way to contact her ghost, btut in true Cottington fashion the faeries refuse to leaver her alone and must therefore be squashed! This plotline, as such, is not very successful in terms of providing a real narrative, but the letters themselves are still a great read. Lady Cottington corresponds with the who's who in Victorian (and occasionally earlier) folklore and fantasists, from William Shakespeare to J.M. Barrie, so it was great fun imaging the friendship amongst this fictional group. Each letter is carefully crafted in terms of content to showcase the unique personalities' voice and opinions on the subject of faeries, and Froud's innovative design work integrates the letters into the illustrated pages with style. I definitely wish that they had made this book longer or written a sequel, because we're barely given a taste of what could have been a far more developed narrative. But, like many historical archives, there are pieces of the story missing, so instead maybe we should use this as an opportunity to continue the story on our own! ( )

What started out as what I assume to be a bit of comic relief, Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book, and its subsequent volumes, turned into something of its own fairy tale. Through each volume, we gain a little more insight into the world of Angelica Cottington, who masters the art of pressing fairies in her books, to preserve them and show the world the truth. I give each book 4 stars, but really, the second book is what brings the three volumes together as something more than whimsy.

The first volume, Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book, I'm quite sure was meant nothing more than a bit of humor. We follow the adventures of Lady Cottington as a small girl as she begins to notice the fairies around her and as she discovers the pressing technique to preserve them in her books. In Lady Cottington's Fairy Album we learn a little more of Lady Cottington's heritage, and this is where I think the series, while still deep in it's whimsical foundations, takes a turn for the more "serious." With Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters, we are presented with letters from the likes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rasputin, Houdini, Helen Keller and more, as Lady Cottington continues her journey of discovery.

The artwork throughout remains consistently humorous, with each fairy pressing more ridiculous than the last. A truly unique reading experience. ( )