feather_ghyll

The Secret Country: Pamela Dean, Firebird (Penguin), 2003

This is Volume One of the Secret Country trilogy, first published in the 80s, and as it ends at a satisfying resting point, but with much left unresolved, I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next. Dean is the author of ‘Tam Lin’, which adapted and updated the ballad, setting the story at an American college in the 1970s, and which I rated very highly. (I’ve also read ‘The Dubious Hills’ by her, but not posted about it.)

Readers of children’s fantasy books will be familiar with the concept ( Read more... )

Thanks to Mr. Jones: Phyllis Mathewman. C. & J. Temple, 1948.

‘Who is Mr Jones?’ I wondered, having bought this on the strength of having enjoyed a couple of Mathewman’s books for girls in the past. I see I haven't reviewed anything by her here. It turns out that Mr Jones is ( Read more... )

The Pearl Thief: Elizabeth Wein, Bloomsbury, May 2017

This prequel to ‘Code Name Verity’ and ‘Rose Under Fire’ is both mystery and coming-of-age tale, in which Julie Beaufort-Stuart (or Lady Julia if you must) is spending a last summer at Strathfearn, where she and her big brothers would come for holidays. Julie is ( Read more... )

Mystery at Gull’s Nest: Roberta Moss, Andre Dakers,

Despite the appealing title, this isn’t a particularly good book. ( Read more... )

Over the past couple of months, there were two books that I read that I considered posting a review of here, namely, 'Twice Freed' by Patricia St. John (a reread) and 'Miriam' by Jane Edwards (a Welsh language book). ( Read more... )

Ha, I did have something to say!

As for ‘Barbara - Called Binkie’, well, I ploughed on with the collection, mainly shorter multi-chapter stories. ( Read more... )

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This started promisingly. I liked the depiction of both family and friendship dynamics, and, of course, there’s a novelty to reading a mid-twentieth century girls own book set in the USA, but ( Read more... )

Bosom Friends: Angela Brazil, Nelson

Looking over the book for a publishing date, I see it’s subtitled ‘A Seaside Story.’ As I read it, I assumed that this must be one of Brazil’s earlier books, ( Read more... )

Coots in the North and other stories: Arthur Ransome (edited by Hugh Brogan) Jonathan Cope, 1988.

This is one for Ransome completists, but it’s also frustrating. It isn’t a collection of short stories, either. The most typical ‘stories’ here of the creator of the Swallows and Amazons are chapters or fragments from uncompleted books, one being the title story, featuring already familiar characters, the other about a brand new boy with a feeling for nature. Then there are short stories, some based on folk tales, the best told in a begrudging seadog’s voice.

( Read more... )

Welsh Adventure: Viola Bayley. The Children’s Book Club edition 1968

I had to get this to read! ( Read more... )