Book review: "Will in Scarlet" by Matthew Cody

Title: Will in Scarlet
Author: Matthew Cody
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013

Will Shackley has grown up in a life of privilege, the son of a lord and sole heir to his father's household and keep. He spends his free time causing mischief, but must grow up quickly when he is forced to flee the only life he knows for one of uncertainty, danger, and revenge. Luckily, he is captured by a band of outlaws known as the Merry Men, who hope to gain a ransom for the young lad on such a fine horse.

Will, who renames himself Will Scarlet after a childhood nickname, manages to extend his life long enough to convince Much (a girl disguised as a boy), John Little the giant, and Rob, the band's drunk, to join him on a raid of his former home with the promise of a treasure. Of course, things don't go according to neither Will's nor the Merry Men's plan, and life gets even more interesting.

You really have to go into this book not expecting a straight-up Robin Hood retelling. This is much more of an origin story, before Robin was heroic and confident, before Will Scarlet was part of the Merry Men, before the Sheriff of Nottingham was the low and dastardly man we know. It really gives us a different way of looking at the characters, and as an adventure story it's very good, though a bit slow in the beginning. If some of the part about Will in his childhood home (also a castle) were trimmed a bit, I think it would be easier to get into. Yet once the action started I flew through it. 

I'm hoping there will be a follow up, since I'd like to hear more about these characters and their history. Plus, we haven't gotten to Friar Tuck just yet, and Maid Marian only has a not-even-really-passing mention. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good medieval adventure tale with swords and trickery and good-hearted thieves. Knowing the Robin Hood tale is a plus, but if you're a huge fan just keep an open mind and stick with it because it won't be what you expect.

Disclosure: I received this e-galley from Edelweiss as a librarian reviewer. NetGalley rejected my request, boo.

Review: "Chime" by Franny Billingsley

Title: Chime
Author: Franny Billingsley
Publisher: Listening Library, 2011 (print available from Dial Press)
Narrator: Susan Duerden

Briony Larkin is a witch. She has abilities that no one else does, abilities that she must keep secret or risk death by hanging in her small English village, circa 1900. Her stepmother was the one who figured it out, and ever since her death Briony has lived with this knowledge, and the knowledge that she is responsible for her twin sister's mental deficiencies, alone. She must always hate herself or risk the lives of those she cares about the most. This is until Eldric comes, opening her eyes to new adventures and bringing her back to the swamp she loves but must avoid—a swamp filled with Old Ones, elemental beings filled with magic and power. Can Briony learn to control her powers, or will she bring about her doom and the doom of her family and community?

This is not a book for the faint of heart. No light read, this novel is extremely complex, coupled with an unreliable narrator and steeped in folklore. It's beautifully written, and the atmosphere and world Billingsley creates is mysterious and gothic, darkly romantic and dangerous. It's a novel to digest slowly, one you need to take the time to make sure you understand where you and the characters stand.

I loved this novel, one that I would categorize as slipstream. It is historical fiction, yet is infused with elements of the fantastic. Old Ones abound, bringing their ancient magic and enchantment into Briony's community. It's folklore come true.

I loved waiting to see what happened between Eldric and Briony. The book starts with a prologue that makes you think one thing will happen, yet as the story develops I couldn't help wondering if it would end the way I was led to think it would. Throughout the novel we get hints that everything is not as it seems, and Billingsley does a masterful job at slowly revealing the truth.

Susan Duerden was the perfect casting choice as the narrator. She has distinct voices for every character, and those of you who regularly read my reviews might know that that is very important to me. Her accents, the refined British and the cockney, are spot on. I highly recommend the audio version of this book; it's exceptionally well done.

This is a great choice for strong readers, or older readers. The complexity of the narrative might not make it a good choice for someone who struggles with reading or who can't quite follow plot as easily as others. It's a challenge, but one that I believe is well worth it if you are willing to spend the time and effort.

Disclosure: I got this audiobook from the library.

Review: "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling

Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008

This collection of fairy tales from the wizarding world of Harry Potter were written by J.K. Rowling, creator of one of the most popular, widely read and well-loved series to ever exist. Here she brings together a handful of "favorite tales" from the world she created, beloved by wizards and witches for centuries. From "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" to "The Tale of the Three Brothers" (the latter of which readers of the Harry Potter series will be very familiar), each story gives its own spark of magic, as fairy tales tend to do.

I can't believe I'm just getting around to reading this collection, but I'm honestly glad I waited until after my storytelling class to read this. It's clear to me that J.K. Rowling has studied folklore and fairy tales, both their history and their form. Notes from Dumbledore at the end of each story really show this, as he goes into theory and history of the tales, something which it would be impossible for Rowling to write about to such a degree without prior study.

The tales are delightful and clever, though one or two have a darkness that is more along the lines of the later Potter books—"The Warlock's Hairy Heart" being the first and foremost that springs to mind on that front. I loved how the heroines of the tales are rulers of their own fates, unlike the Grimm or Perrault tales we are so familiar with, as Rowling points out in her introduction.

These stories would be great to tell fans of the series, or even those who haven't read the Potter books yet, during a storytelling event or at bedtime (again, excluding the darker tales). The appeal is wide.

Storytime! La Llorona: The Weeping Woman

Hi all. As you might glean from my quick intro in the following video, I'm taking a storytelling class, and a big part of that class is telling stories. I've already told one, but I'm a bit more nervous about my second story. So I decided to practice in front of the camera and ask you guys what you think. It's the story of La Llorona, a well-known folktale told throughout Latin America.



Thanks for listening! I know it's not perfect, and please excuse my disheveled appearance. Yes, I am in my pjs, and yes I am on my bed.

Review: "The Greedy Sparrow" by Lucine Kasbarian

Title: The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale
Author: Lucine Kasbarian
Illustrator: Maria Zaikina
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children, 2011

When one thinks of folk tales, familiar ones from childhood are first to come to mind. Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella. But this depends on the child. Armenian children's author Lucine Kasbarian remembers the story of a greedy sparrow she learned from her father and grandmother when she was little. As an adult, she decided to turn that story into a picture book, and with smashing results.

In this tale, starting with the traditional Armenian folk tale beginning of "There once was and was not" (explained in a helpful author's note at the beginning), a sparrow starts off with a thorn in its foot. It asks a nearby baker if she will remove it, and she does it, "with pleasure!" The sparrow flies off and the baker tosses the thorn into her fire. But then in a twist, the sparrow comes back later and demands the thorn back. Clearly it's impossible to retrieve it, so he demands a loaf of bread in return. So the baker does.

In a pattern of lending and replacing, the sparrow goes from bread to a sheep (how hilarious is that cover picture of the sparrow flying with the sheep?), and on to other replacements, until his greed gets him right back where he started.

I loved the predictable pattern of the storytelling, and yet despite knowing that each person the sparrow asks to watch over the items will fail him, I was sometimes surprised at what the sparrow asked for in return! It's really delightful, and we get the beautiful illustrations to show us the funny results (sheep!).

Speaking of the illustrations, there couldn't have been a better artist than Maria Zaikina for this book. Her unusual style of using layered wax and oil paint brings us striking, textured representation of each scene in the story. It definitely lends it a folksy feel. And the clothing! I love the traditional outfits of all the Armenians she illustrated, especially in the wedding scenes. I loved that little bit of my culture brought to life.

Kasbarian mentions a number of real places that are or were in Armenia, such as Lake Van, Mount Ararat, and Aghtamar. In a discussion guide I received with the book, it asks readers to do some research and find out which ones are no longer in Armenia.

My only regret about this book is there is not much background information in the actual book. I would love to see another, longer author's note at the back explaining some of the traditions that were explained in the supplementary material I received with this, like the importance of minstrels in Armenia back in the day.

I will most certainly be keeping this picture book through the years, and when I have children some day, I'll share this part of their heritage with them in the form of The Greedy Sparrow.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author for review.