The Enchanted Island of Yew

Abstract

The Enchanted Island of Yew depicts the most traditional of Baum's fantasy land settings. With knights, castles, and fairies, this novel follows common fantasy genre themes that resemble the fictional countries of Queen Zixi of Ix more than the lands of Oz. The Island of Yew is set in an undisclosed place "in the middle of the sea." Like Oz, the setting is divided into four fictional countries associated with the four cardinal directions, plus a fifth central country that dominates the others. In the east of Yew lies the land of Dawna; in the west, "tinted rose and purple by the setting sun," is Auriel. In the south lies the kingdom of Plenta, "where fruits and flowers abound;" and in the north is Heg.