Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
The lord of Erl is told by the parliament of his people that they want to be ruled by a magic lord. Obeying the immemorial custom, the lord sends his son Alveric to fetch the King of Elfland's daughter, Lirazel, to be his bride. He makes his way to Elfland, where time passes at a rate far slower than the real world, and wins her. They return to Erl and have a son, but in the manner of fairy brides of folklore, she fits uneasily with his people. She returns to the waiting arms of her father in Elfland, and her lovesick husband goes searching for her, abandoning the kingdom of Erl and wandering in a now-hopeless quest.
Is The king of Elfland's daughter appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
This 1924 literary fantasy features a fairy bride who cannot adapt to the mortal world and returns to Elfland, leaving her husband on a hopeless quest. The pacing is slow and poetic with no violence or sexual content beyond a marriage.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include abandonment.
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Readers who love classic fairy tales and dreamy, poetic stories about the border between the mortal world and Elfland will be enchanted.