lady_schrapnell (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lady_schrapnell) wrote2007-01-05 08:50 pm
lady_schrapnell) wrote2007-01-05 08:50 pm
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Gatty's Tale
Blowing a virtual kiss to Kevin Crossley-Holland, which is about the sum-total of my commenting ability just now.
Finished Gatty's Tale ... yesterday, I think it was. Yesterday's close enough. I went straight through the Arthur trilogy (The Seeing Stone, At the Crossing-Places and King of the Middle March) and into Gatty, and have many Thoughts about all the books in relation to their historical 'accuracy', how history is written and read, and the Arthur trilogy's fantasy element, which I found rather variable in effectiveness, but now just a brief rave about Gatty. Or Gatty's Tale, as Gatty herself is very much alive in the Arthur trilogy.
Gatty is a 'field-girl', who was born on and lived all her life on the Caldicott manor, but is sent to the manor of her lady's sister [EDAmend to cousin, not sister], some several days journey away, to be a chamber-maid. This unexpected change is nothing to what follows, however, as Gatty is taught to read and write and taken on pilgrimage to Jerusalem - which she hadn't even known to be in another country, when Arthur tells her he's going off on crusade. Originally, Gatty's value to the pilgrim group is her amazing singing voice, which is as much charm as entertainment. But readers will know before Gatty herself does how very much else she has to offer - courage, loyalty, common-sense, and an ability to laugh at herself, all qualities which make her easy to love. And perhaps most useful to the author's intent (crossing fingers to avoid being struck down for daring to use the word) is her eagerness to learn, her observant nature and her openness to different people and ways of viewing the world. This makes for a completely gripping read, without a dull page, to my mind.
The pilgrimage starts in the year 1203, and when I put my analytical shutter back, I may have to focus rather hard on the almost across-the-board questioning of the beliefs which sent so many off on the various crusades - even those who firmly believe all Saracens (heathens) are going to hell are fairly open: Oliver, the priest at Caldicot, for example is quite sympathetic and prepared to let people of differing opinions have their say in a way that would be a huge improvement for many today. And I might have a hard look at the Christian knight married to the (gorgeous, graceful, etc, etc,) Muslim woman, and at the other rather impressivly fluid-with-respect-to-class couples. But I'm a romantic sap, and if some hard-headedness is satisfied, my heart can be melted completely, and hence the kiss blown to Kevin Crossley-Holland. (Like throwing flowers, for the last scene of the book - and a purely chivalric kiss!) (And you didn't fool me one bit, Kevin, by the misdirection!) (But no hard feelings for the effort.)
As if a genuinely nice spirit didn't shine through this book brightly enough, I found him saying this about one of my favourite books (and one which I regularly use as a comparison point of how historical fiction for children can be done brilliantly): 'But I also read historical fiction for children by living writers, and if there is one book that set me on fire and emboldened me to write in the first person, it is Karen Cushman’s wonderful Catherine, Called Birdy.' (From the Kevin Crossley-Holland website.)
Finished Gatty's Tale ... yesterday, I think it was. Yesterday's close enough. I went straight through the Arthur trilogy (The Seeing Stone, At the Crossing-Places and King of the Middle March) and into Gatty, and have many Thoughts about all the books in relation to their historical 'accuracy', how history is written and read, and the Arthur trilogy's fantasy element, which I found rather variable in effectiveness, but now just a brief rave about Gatty. Or Gatty's Tale, as Gatty herself is very much alive in the Arthur trilogy.Gatty is a 'field-girl', who was born on and lived all her life on the Caldicott manor, but is sent to the manor of her lady's sister [EDAmend to cousin, not sister], some several days journey away, to be a chamber-maid. This unexpected change is nothing to what follows, however, as Gatty is taught to read and write and taken on pilgrimage to Jerusalem - which she hadn't even known to be in another country, when Arthur tells her he's going off on crusade. Originally, Gatty's value to the pilgrim group is her amazing singing voice, which is as much charm as entertainment. But readers will know before Gatty herself does how very much else she has to offer - courage, loyalty, common-sense, and an ability to laugh at herself, all qualities which make her easy to love. And perhaps most useful to the author's intent (crossing fingers to avoid being struck down for daring to use the word) is her eagerness to learn, her observant nature and her openness to different people and ways of viewing the world. This makes for a completely gripping read, without a dull page, to my mind.
The pilgrimage starts in the year 1203, and when I put my analytical shutter back, I may have to focus rather hard on the almost across-the-board questioning of the beliefs which sent so many off on the various crusades - even those who firmly believe all Saracens (heathens) are going to hell are fairly open: Oliver, the priest at Caldicot, for example is quite sympathetic and prepared to let people of differing opinions have their say in a way that would be a huge improvement for many today. And I might have a hard look at the Christian knight married to the (gorgeous, graceful, etc, etc,) Muslim woman, and at the other rather impressivly fluid-with-respect-to-class couples. But I'm a romantic sap, and if some hard-headedness is satisfied, my heart can be melted completely, and hence the kiss blown to Kevin Crossley-Holland. (Like throwing flowers, for the last scene of the book - and a purely chivalric kiss!) (And you didn't fool me one bit, Kevin, by the misdirection!) (But no hard feelings for the effort.)
As if a genuinely nice spirit didn't shine through this book brightly enough, I found him saying this about one of my favourite books (and one which I regularly use as a comparison point of how historical fiction for children can be done brilliantly): 'But I also read historical fiction for children by living writers, and if there is one book that set me on fire and emboldened me to write in the first person, it is Karen Cushman’s wonderful Catherine, Called Birdy.' (From the Kevin Crossley-Holland website.)
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