Continuity of tradition in Rowling's "Ickabog"

English Literature has dealt with heroes & monsters, from the time of Beowulf the hero defeating the monster Grendel, ascribed to an anonymous poet in the 10th Century. Kenneth Grahame, author of "The Wind in the Willows" also wrote "The Reluctant Dragon", where a dragon wants a peaceful co existence with humans.

Continuing this tradition, Rowling in her latest book, deals with a seeming monster, whose nature is determined by the situation at its birth, which is called "bornding" because the parent has to die at that moment. This also recalls a similar situation in another children's classic "Charlotte's Web", where the spider Charlotte dies after delivering her sac of eggs. Though death is not concerned, the literary twisting of common words is also used in Dickens' "Dombey & Son", where Captain Cuttle, to heighten the expectations of Florence Dombey, repeatedly says "Walters (Florence's beloved) Drownded."

The cruelty indulged by Ma Grunter in "Ickabog", makes one wonder whether she shares her DNA with the Dickens' characters, the sadistic school master Wackford Squeers of "Nicholas Nickleby" & the dwarfish Gabriel Quilp of "The Old Curiosity Shop."

Rowling's book also deals with ecological balance, human kindness & value of democracy. It also satisfies the gourmet in the reader by describing heavenly food. The needs & motivations of the widest spectrum of people from kings to starvelings are described at length. Beautifully paced, it gathers momentum towards the end & ties up all ends to ensure everyone gets their just rewards. The repentant King, looking after a born vicious monster, also finds redemption leading to a lessening in evil of the monster also.

All in all, a rewarding read for young & old.