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The Folk Keeper
She is never cold, she always knows exactly what time it is, and her hair grows two inches while she sleeps. Fifteen-year-old Corinna Stonewall — the only Folk Keeper in the city of Rhysbridge — sits hour after hour with the Folk in the dark, chilly cellar, "drawing off their anger as a lightning rod draws off lightning." The Folk are the fierce, wet-mouthed, cave-dwelling gremlins who sour milk, rot cabbage, and make farm animals sick. Still, they are no match for the steely, hard-hearted, vengeful orphan Corinna who prides herself in her job of feeding, distracting, and otherwise pacifying these furious, ravenous creatures. The Folk Keeper has power and independence, and that's the way she likes it.
One day, Corinna is summoned by Lord Merton to come to the vast seaside estate Cliffsend as Folk Keeper and family member — for she is the once-abandoned child he has been looking for. It is at Cliffsend that Corinna learns where her unusual powers come from, why she is drawn to the sea, and finally, what it means to be comfortable in her own skin. Written in the form of a journal, The Folk Keeper is a powerful story of a proud, ferociously self-reliant girl who breaks out of her dark, cold, narrow world into one of joy, understanding, and even the magic of romance.
One day, Corinna is summoned by Lord Merton to come to the vast seaside estate Cliffsend as Folk Keeper and family member — for she is the once-abandoned child he has been looking for. It is at Cliffsend that Corinna learns where her unusual powers come from, why she is drawn to the sea, and finally, what it means to be comfortable in her own skin. Written in the form of a journal, The Folk Keeper is a powerful story of a proud, ferociously self-reliant girl who breaks out of her dark, cold, narrow world into one of joy, understanding, and even the magic of romance.
162 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1999
About the author
Franny Billingsley
10 books402 followersWhile Billingsley's first novel, Well Wished (1997), was warmly received by critics, a year ago she was a virtual unknown within a publishing climate that regarded fantasy as a specialty genre. Today, her name is on the lips of booksellers and reviewers throughout the country.
Franny Billingsley was not always a writer. She graduated from Boston University law-school in 1979, and worked for 5 years as a lawyer — a profession which she “despised.” In 1983, Billingsley visited her sister in Barcelona, Spain where she was “entranced by a lifestyle in which people did not make a lot of money yet lived richly and artfully.” Realizing that she needed to change her life, Billingsley quit her job and moved to Spain with all of her favorite children's books. “Books like A Wrinkle in Time, Harriet the Spy, and The Narnia Chronicles seemed like the perfect antidote to hideously wearisome legal documents,” remembers Billingsley, who began writing children's books while living in Spain.
When Billingsley returned to the United States, she took a job as the children's book-buyer at 57th Street Books, a major independent bookseller on the South Side of Chicago. “I worked at the bookstore for twelve years and I loved it because it helped me get back to the things that matter to me: people, ideas, and imagination. I wrote throughout this period. My early books were simply awful, but I did not let rejections and criticism stop me from writing. I worked hard at learning how to write and finding my strengths. It was not until I began writing fantasy that I found my voice. I believe that, ultimately, talent is less important to writing a good book than is determination.”
Franny Billingsley lives in Chicago with her family and currently writes children's books full-time.
Franny Billingsley was not always a writer. She graduated from Boston University law-school in 1979, and worked for 5 years as a lawyer — a profession which she “despised.” In 1983, Billingsley visited her sister in Barcelona, Spain where she was “entranced by a lifestyle in which people did not make a lot of money yet lived richly and artfully.” Realizing that she needed to change her life, Billingsley quit her job and moved to Spain with all of her favorite children's books. “Books like A Wrinkle in Time, Harriet the Spy, and The Narnia Chronicles seemed like the perfect antidote to hideously wearisome legal documents,” remembers Billingsley, who began writing children's books while living in Spain.
When Billingsley returned to the United States, she took a job as the children's book-buyer at 57th Street Books, a major independent bookseller on the South Side of Chicago. “I worked at the bookstore for twelve years and I loved it because it helped me get back to the things that matter to me: people, ideas, and imagination. I wrote throughout this period. My early books were simply awful, but I did not let rejections and criticism stop me from writing. I worked hard at learning how to write and finding my strengths. It was not until I began writing fantasy that I found my voice. I believe that, ultimately, talent is less important to writing a good book than is determination.”
Franny Billingsley lives in Chicago with her family and currently writes children's books full-time.
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July 5, 2023
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
“You have to be ruthless to care for what you love.”
A mystical fantasy that lures the reader right into the heart of it's premise, The Folk Keeper is rich in atmospheric prose that alludes to the Gothic fairy-tale-esque vibes it was trying to create. Told through the eyes of Corinna, the latest folk keeper assigned to meet every whim and pleasure of the rakish and foreboding folk (who remain a a creepy enigma till the very end), Franny Billingsley's book is both a mystery and a romance that serves as the backdrop to a twisted and mystical coming-of-age story that truly reveals that no one is quite like they appear to be. 😨
Not normally what I would be inclined to read, I found this little novel in my tbr, and figured if there was a reason for it to be here, I might as well give it a go. It takes awhile to get used to Corinna's train of thought - there is many a moment, where her way of thinking would be as wild and fearsome as the very Folk she had been hired to look after. But, as we delve further into her life as a caregiver, doors are opened to reveal a history of secrets into Marblehaugh Park, one which, unwittingly become a key part of her own chance of survival.
“No one can tell a falsehood about Corinna Stonewall and remain unpunished.”
It's an ironic notion, considering it is Corinna masquerading as Corin, who is deceiving everyone, but through time, one sympathizes and empathizes with her decisions. There is much that she does not know about her connection to the Folk, much that she has to endure as their Keeper, and even more so, at the hands of those who hired her. ✨✨ What starts off as just a caretaker task, subtly delves into an unraveling of her own identity, a kinship of understanding to her way of being, a truth to the lies that she had always been led to believe. That hint of the mystery, along with the unexpected turn of events was one of the strongest facets of this book to me.
“The air is always shifting, boiling around you, full of mysterious and wonderful things to see — if you only know how to see!”
I wasn't too much of a fan of the choppy sentence structures - most of the narrative involved glimpses into Corinna's thoughts, but even the conversations had a halting approach to them, that made even the characters' interactions seem less nuanced. However, Ms.Billingsley did an excellent job of describing the atmosphere into one that was as hauntingly chilling and foreboding as the flesh-eating and carnivorous Folk were portrayed to be. There is an undercurrent of unsettling forces at work that comes forth in Corinna's moments with all the characters that draws to a close in a very unexpected and surprising reveal. 😮😮
“There is a price you pay for power.”
The twist at the ending was very well done - though, as tempestuous and jarring as Corinna's initial reaction, it was the highlight of the book for me, and it resolved so many missing puzzle pieces in one swift motion that I was swept along the waves with Corinna. It still would have been nice to have a more grounded ending - I felt it was rather abrupt and inconclusive, but if you look at it, as simply one life-changing moment in Corinna's life, then this story captured that journey perfectly. 👍🏻
“You have to be ruthless to care for what you love.”
A mystical fantasy that lures the reader right into the heart of it's premise, The Folk Keeper is rich in atmospheric prose that alludes to the Gothic fairy-tale-esque vibes it was trying to create. Told through the eyes of Corinna, the latest folk keeper assigned to meet every whim and pleasure of the rakish and foreboding folk (who remain a a creepy enigma till the very end), Franny Billingsley's book is both a mystery and a romance that serves as the backdrop to a twisted and mystical coming-of-age story that truly reveals that no one is quite like they appear to be. 😨
Not normally what I would be inclined to read, I found this little novel in my tbr, and figured if there was a reason for it to be here, I might as well give it a go. It takes awhile to get used to Corinna's train of thought - there is many a moment, where her way of thinking would be as wild and fearsome as the very Folk she had been hired to look after. But, as we delve further into her life as a caregiver, doors are opened to reveal a history of secrets into Marblehaugh Park, one which, unwittingly become a key part of her own chance of survival.
“No one can tell a falsehood about Corinna Stonewall and remain unpunished.”
It's an ironic notion, considering it is Corinna masquerading as Corin, who is deceiving everyone, but through time, one sympathizes and empathizes with her decisions. There is much that she does not know about her connection to the Folk, much that she has to endure as their Keeper, and even more so, at the hands of those who hired her. ✨✨ What starts off as just a caretaker task, subtly delves into an unraveling of her own identity, a kinship of understanding to her way of being, a truth to the lies that she had always been led to believe. That hint of the mystery, along with the unexpected turn of events was one of the strongest facets of this book to me.
“The air is always shifting, boiling around you, full of mysterious and wonderful things to see — if you only know how to see!”
I wasn't too much of a fan of the choppy sentence structures - most of the narrative involved glimpses into Corinna's thoughts, but even the conversations had a halting approach to them, that made even the characters' interactions seem less nuanced. However, Ms.Billingsley did an excellent job of describing the atmosphere into one that was as hauntingly chilling and foreboding as the flesh-eating and carnivorous Folk were portrayed to be. There is an undercurrent of unsettling forces at work that comes forth in Corinna's moments with all the characters that draws to a close in a very unexpected and surprising reveal. 😮😮
“There is a price you pay for power.”
The twist at the ending was very well done - though, as tempestuous and jarring as Corinna's initial reaction, it was the highlight of the book for me, and it resolved so many missing puzzle pieces in one swift motion that I was swept along the waves with Corinna. It still would have been nice to have a more grounded ending - I felt it was rather abrupt and inconclusive, but if you look at it, as simply one life-changing moment in Corinna's life, then this story captured that journey perfectly. 👍🏻
June 1, 2015
I finished The Folk Keeper in just a few hours and almost in one sitting. I was reminded: this is one reason I like middle-grade literature. Short powerful stories you can enter and leave in a short time, something like a movie, rather than that other experience of reading a book over days or weeks. The latter is so stretched out, dipping your feet back in the water, getting into the flow again. The Folk Keeper was a plunge, into the waves! I was impressed. I felt like a ten-year-old again. (This is another reason I like middle grade literature.) The language was beautiful. Lyrical. Surprising. The plot was fun and didn’t wind down, either. New developments. A strong and powerful book! It made me feel strong and powerful, too, as a writer and as a young person going out in the world. (Yet another reason I like middle grade literature.)
January 30, 2012
I usually don't read YA: just picked up this book at a garage sale without knowing what it was, read two pages and abandoned it. I went back to it only because I wanted a slim volume to keep up my book count for the reading challenge... but now I am glad that I did. Good for goodreads!
I am in two minds about this book. The premise and story are superb, and the characters are drawn with a few deft brush-strokes. But this book is too thin, almost an outline for a novel than a novel itself. The beginning is so abrupt that I was tossed head-first into the middle of the story, and it took me quite some time to regain my breath: then some more time was spent on getting my bearings in this strange universe into which I had descended. Then, I was captivated.
Corinna Stonewall is an orphan and a Folk-Keeper. She dresses up as a boy (Corin) and lives in the cellar of the Rhysbridge orphanage. Her task is to keep the Folk (beings which are "mostly wet mouth and teeth" - brr! Right out of M.R.James, that) from working their black magic and spoiling food and harvest, by continuously feeding them. She is jerked out of this less than idyllic but stable existence and hauled off to Cliffsend in the Northern Isles, by Lord Merton and his wife Lady Alicia, along with Lord Merton's cousin Edward. Lord Merton dies immediately after meeting Corinna, after startling her with knowledge of her secrets: but he intrigues her enough to persuade her to travel.
Once at Cliffsend, Corinna begins to make startling discoveries about her true nature. The Folk are stronger here, but they are not the only denizens that inhabit the twilight world between reality and fantasy. As Corinna slowly discovers her kinship to them, the secrets of her past are also slowly revealed.
The Folk Keeper is a fairy tale and Gothic romance rolled into one. The author makes use of common devices of both the genres and merges them seamlessly. I could feel the bite of the cold wind at Cliffsend, and the woodland sprites flitting about at the corner of my vision. And the resolution is satisfying to both genres.
This is also a coming-of-age story, and a Hero's journey, where the heroine finds her true nature at the end (though not in the way we expect).
Why only the three stars then? Well, as mentioned in the beginning, the story is spread too thin. It seems as though Ms. Billingsley was in a hurry to get the novel out. I can't help feeling that this is one book which would have been better if it had been a little fatter.
I am in two minds about this book. The premise and story are superb, and the characters are drawn with a few deft brush-strokes. But this book is too thin, almost an outline for a novel than a novel itself. The beginning is so abrupt that I was tossed head-first into the middle of the story, and it took me quite some time to regain my breath: then some more time was spent on getting my bearings in this strange universe into which I had descended. Then, I was captivated.
Corinna Stonewall is an orphan and a Folk-Keeper. She dresses up as a boy (Corin) and lives in the cellar of the Rhysbridge orphanage. Her task is to keep the Folk (beings which are "mostly wet mouth and teeth" - brr! Right out of M.R.James, that) from working their black magic and spoiling food and harvest, by continuously feeding them. She is jerked out of this less than idyllic but stable existence and hauled off to Cliffsend in the Northern Isles, by Lord Merton and his wife Lady Alicia, along with Lord Merton's cousin Edward. Lord Merton dies immediately after meeting Corinna, after startling her with knowledge of her secrets: but he intrigues her enough to persuade her to travel.
Once at Cliffsend, Corinna begins to make startling discoveries about her true nature. The Folk are stronger here, but they are not the only denizens that inhabit the twilight world between reality and fantasy. As Corinna slowly discovers her kinship to them, the secrets of her past are also slowly revealed.
The Folk Keeper is a fairy tale and Gothic romance rolled into one. The author makes use of common devices of both the genres and merges them seamlessly. I could feel the bite of the cold wind at Cliffsend, and the woodland sprites flitting about at the corner of my vision. And the resolution is satisfying to both genres.
This is also a coming-of-age story, and a Hero's journey, where the heroine finds her true nature at the end (though not in the way we expect).
Why only the three stars then? Well, as mentioned in the beginning, the story is spread too thin. It seems as though Ms. Billingsley was in a hurry to get the novel out. I can't help feeling that this is one book which would have been better if it had been a little fatter.
February 12, 2016
Both the little one and I really enjoyed this book. The narrator has such a strong voice, and in the beginning (and mostly throughout) her utter disdain for people was endearing and entertaining.
Plus (~~minor spoilers~~), the fact that the narrator was a girl masquerading as a boy led us to a conversation about how some people feel the desire or downright need to dress as the opposite sex, whether out of fun, or self-identity. So I got to throw some open-mindedness and acceptance into her innocent little brainpan as well. Bonus. (I didn't do the 'hide spoilers' thing because, seriously, you find out within the first 20 pages.)
The supernatural elements (i.e., the Folk that, as you may have guessed, are Kept) are portrayed with just the right level of creepiness to build tension, but not necessarily make the faint-hearted shiver and ask to sleep in YOUR bed tonight. There are a few bits of stuff that are pretty intense (discussions of deaths of previous household members, including that of a mother and child during birthing), but it's done in a matter-of-fact way that I think actually helps a child realize that sometimes bad crap happens and lives must go on.
All in all, both adult and child were delighted with this story. If you read to children, read this to them. If you read YA/middle grade literature for yourself, read this to you.
Plus (~~minor spoilers~~), the fact that the narrator was a girl masquerading as a boy led us to a conversation about how some people feel the desire or downright need to dress as the opposite sex, whether out of fun, or self-identity. So I got to throw some open-mindedness and acceptance into her innocent little brainpan as well. Bonus. (I didn't do the 'hide spoilers' thing because, seriously, you find out within the first 20 pages.)
The supernatural elements (i.e., the Folk that, as you may have guessed, are Kept) are portrayed with just the right level of creepiness to build tension, but not necessarily make the faint-hearted shiver and ask to sleep in YOUR bed tonight. There are a few bits of stuff that are pretty intense (discussions of deaths of previous household members, including that of a mother and child during birthing), but it's done in a matter-of-fact way that I think actually helps a child realize that sometimes bad crap happens and lives must go on.
All in all, both adult and child were delighted with this story. If you read to children, read this to them. If you read YA/middle grade literature for yourself, read this to you.
June 15, 2014
Once I started reading I couldn't put this book down. It was storming outside my window and I was huddled by my lamp devouring Billingsley's words. I stayed up the entire night reading and when I finished I was left wishing for more. I can probably credit this book for making me realize that writing doesn't have to be a boring and daunting activity. If I could find the right words I could make the exciting stories in my head come to life on paper for other people to enjoy.
I still get a little thrill of excitement when I think of this book. It's not just a children's book, I recommend it to anyone who likes dark fairy tales. If you can, read it on a stormy night with the rain drumming on your roof... and the Folk hungry in your basement.
I still get a little thrill of excitement when I think of this book. It's not just a children's book, I recommend it to anyone who likes dark fairy tales. If you can, read it on a stormy night with the rain drumming on your roof... and the Folk hungry in your basement.
September 12, 2011
Hmmmm. I'm still compiling my thoughts on this one, mainly wondering if I would be more impressed if I'd read The Folk Keeper before the superior Chime. This book feels like the precursor to Chime, the I'm-still-working-things-out on the author's part - things like mood and the delicate balance of eerie and fey, like better-integrated descriptions and language. I realize that some might think Chime to be overly long or endlessly narrated, but its language was so nuanced and lovely that the The Folk Keeper feels choppy and abrupt in comparison, almost as though part of the story was edited out.
This is not a bad read; it's certainly creative and it kept me turning the pages. But for Billingsley's real masterpiece, read Chime.
This is not a bad read; it's certainly creative and it kept me turning the pages. But for Billingsley's real masterpiece, read Chime.
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December 18, 2016I really do just want to copy and paste Beth's review! I, too, felt like this was a not-as-good precursor to Chime. And to some extent, I was ALWAYS going to compare the next Billingsley I read to my beloved Chime, but this had a lot of parallels with the mysteries to both reader and narrator. The romance, too, had a similar flavor.
Anyway, this was nice enough.
Anyway, this was nice enough.
March 27, 2013
The Folk Keeper is like a prototype for Chime. Something about the narration, the tone, the characters. I still liked it, though, even if not as much as Chime -- it's shorter, lighter, and it does have details all its own: Corinna has her own lovely-strange powers, her own story.
If you liked Chime, The Folk Keeper may seem like an easier, shorter version, but it's still very good. I read it all in one go, and apparently my train stopped in Cheltenham without me even noticing...
If you liked Chime, The Folk Keeper may seem like an easier, shorter version, but it's still very good. I read it all in one go, and apparently my train stopped in Cheltenham without me even noticing...
February 28, 2011
I read many books over the course of a year, some for pleasure, some for work, some to review and share with others. Some of the books I start out reading for work or to review I end up enjoying more than I had initially predicted. Very, very few however, of these books make it onto my all time favourite list. So in a year when I have read some of the finest books yet, it is with great excitement that I add The Folk Keeper to my list of all time favourites.
The Folk Keeper sits within a genre of books that has become very popular with children's and adult writers alike. I like to call them 'full-pitcher' fantasies. The term refers to Maurice Saxby's description of literature being like the magical pitcher that never runs dry, you can always dip into it and come up with a recurrent theme, archetypal character or story with which to do something new.
I have to admit from the outset that full-pitcher fantasies are probably my favourite sort of books to read. One of the children's literature subjects I teach focuses on the history of myths, legends and folk-tales and how these traditional literatures impact on modern writing for children. It is a fascinating subject and I am on as steep a learning curve as the enthusiastic students with whom I work. What I most enjoy is discovering some element, character or symbol from one of these traditional literatures woven into a new book. Perhaps it is this context, which made The Folk Keeper stand out for me as such as strong story.
Corinna Stonewall, the female protagonist, masquerades as a male so as to be allowed the position of Folk Keeper. She is endowed with all the feistiness and ingenuity needed to keep the Folk of the Otherworld at bay. Her story is told through the entries she makes into the Record, a diary of what the Folk are eating and how they are responding to her keeping of them on certain feast days throughout the year. I normally find books told through the device of diary entries quite boring � it is a device that has been done to death. So I was surprised by the originality of the opening entry.
February 2nd Candlemas
It is a day of yellow fog, and the Folk are hungry. They ate the lamb I brought them, picking the bones clean and leaving them outside the Folk Door.
The lamb was meant for Matron's Sunday supper. She'll know I took it, but she will not dare say anything. She can keep her tapestries and silks and Sunday dinners. Here in the Cellar, I control the Folk. Here, I'm queen of the world.
It is one of the strangest opening passages I've ever read but two or three entries later I was completely hooked.
Billingsley has this knack of casually throwing out clues about Corinna which are at first slightly unnerving. We are told she hardly eats or sleeps, that her skin has a strangely translucent quality and that her downy hair magically grows two inches each night. Coupled with her fierce determination to control the Folk and her revengeful nature it took me a while to warm to her. Early in the story and, against her wishes, she is summoned to the bedside of Lord Merton who is dying. He sees past her boyish disguise and recognises her face and her skin. When she agrees to become The Folk Keeper at Cliffsend, Lord Merton's estate, she finds herself caught up in a tangled family history. A history full of secrets and mystery and of characters who are not what they appear to be. As Corinna searches desperately for her own identity and her place in the world her vulnerability is revealed.
I did not pick the solution to the mystery. I didn't see the love-story coming and the murder took me completely by surprise, but even if I had guessed at these things I am sure I would still have been satisfied by the story. Billingsley laces The Folk Keeper with many motifs and archetypal characters from Celtic and Norse mythology, and tells it in an unusual combination of literary quality and pace. The Folk Keeper shows how complex a 1st person narrative can be if written as brilliantly as Billingsley does.
Please judge this book by its cover. Sarah Gibb's eerie illustration is striking, and Yeti McCaldin's design is one of the most sophisticated I have seen - you will find it holds a truly remarkable tale inside.
Sadly new edition's cover is very bland in comparison to the last one
The Folk Keeper sits within a genre of books that has become very popular with children's and adult writers alike. I like to call them 'full-pitcher' fantasies. The term refers to Maurice Saxby's description of literature being like the magical pitcher that never runs dry, you can always dip into it and come up with a recurrent theme, archetypal character or story with which to do something new.
I have to admit from the outset that full-pitcher fantasies are probably my favourite sort of books to read. One of the children's literature subjects I teach focuses on the history of myths, legends and folk-tales and how these traditional literatures impact on modern writing for children. It is a fascinating subject and I am on as steep a learning curve as the enthusiastic students with whom I work. What I most enjoy is discovering some element, character or symbol from one of these traditional literatures woven into a new book. Perhaps it is this context, which made The Folk Keeper stand out for me as such as strong story.
Corinna Stonewall, the female protagonist, masquerades as a male so as to be allowed the position of Folk Keeper. She is endowed with all the feistiness and ingenuity needed to keep the Folk of the Otherworld at bay. Her story is told through the entries she makes into the Record, a diary of what the Folk are eating and how they are responding to her keeping of them on certain feast days throughout the year. I normally find books told through the device of diary entries quite boring � it is a device that has been done to death. So I was surprised by the originality of the opening entry.
February 2nd Candlemas
It is a day of yellow fog, and the Folk are hungry. They ate the lamb I brought them, picking the bones clean and leaving them outside the Folk Door.
The lamb was meant for Matron's Sunday supper. She'll know I took it, but she will not dare say anything. She can keep her tapestries and silks and Sunday dinners. Here in the Cellar, I control the Folk. Here, I'm queen of the world.
It is one of the strangest opening passages I've ever read but two or three entries later I was completely hooked.
Billingsley has this knack of casually throwing out clues about Corinna which are at first slightly unnerving. We are told she hardly eats or sleeps, that her skin has a strangely translucent quality and that her downy hair magically grows two inches each night. Coupled with her fierce determination to control the Folk and her revengeful nature it took me a while to warm to her. Early in the story and, against her wishes, she is summoned to the bedside of Lord Merton who is dying. He sees past her boyish disguise and recognises her face and her skin. When she agrees to become The Folk Keeper at Cliffsend, Lord Merton's estate, she finds herself caught up in a tangled family history. A history full of secrets and mystery and of characters who are not what they appear to be. As Corinna searches desperately for her own identity and her place in the world her vulnerability is revealed.
I did not pick the solution to the mystery. I didn't see the love-story coming and the murder took me completely by surprise, but even if I had guessed at these things I am sure I would still have been satisfied by the story. Billingsley laces The Folk Keeper with many motifs and archetypal characters from Celtic and Norse mythology, and tells it in an unusual combination of literary quality and pace. The Folk Keeper shows how complex a 1st person narrative can be if written as brilliantly as Billingsley does.
Please judge this book by its cover. Sarah Gibb's eerie illustration is striking, and Yeti McCaldin's design is one of the most sophisticated I have seen - you will find it holds a truly remarkable tale inside.
Sadly new edition's cover is very bland in comparison to the last one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2015
Franny Billingsley has magic in her fingers. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she has magic in her mind. There are conventional ways to create characters and then there's the Franny B. way. Her protagonists (I've read three of her books so I know what I'm talking about) have this certain quality of otherness. This, how do I say it, unearthliness to them that make all of them just so fascinating to read.
Corinna is no different. The story is told in the first person and from the very beginning, the reader has to take a breath to adapt to the curious manner in which Corinna thinks. You have to sift through her words, through her actions to find the daily-normal life explanations. Some people will find Corinna difficult to relate to. I know I did. Some will find her a bit too honest. But there's something that everyone (albeit unwillingly) will agree to: Corinna is compelling. She is an intriguing character and because she is intriguing, you will read through the book, experiencing (in a slightly diluted manner) the events that lead to the book's conclusion.
I also adore (and I don't use the word often so you know I mean it) the romance in the book. It is mush-free and just sneaks up on you with a subtlety and a delicacy that is a testament to Billingsley's skill. The book, though slim, offers a lot within its pages. The story it tells is, in no way, simple. The complexity is disguised by the enigma of Corinna and the reveal at the end will elicit understanding.
If it wasn't clear before now, I enjoyed this novel. And if you like something different, something other than mush and the run of the mill tortured romance, you should read this.
Corinna is no different. The story is told in the first person and from the very beginning, the reader has to take a breath to adapt to the curious manner in which Corinna thinks. You have to sift through her words, through her actions to find the daily-normal life explanations. Some people will find Corinna difficult to relate to. I know I did. Some will find her a bit too honest. But there's something that everyone (albeit unwillingly) will agree to: Corinna is compelling. She is an intriguing character and because she is intriguing, you will read through the book, experiencing (in a slightly diluted manner) the events that lead to the book's conclusion.
I also adore (and I don't use the word often so you know I mean it) the romance in the book. It is mush-free and just sneaks up on you with a subtlety and a delicacy that is a testament to Billingsley's skill. The book, though slim, offers a lot within its pages. The story it tells is, in no way, simple. The complexity is disguised by the enigma of Corinna and the reveal at the end will elicit understanding.
If it wasn't clear before now, I enjoyed this novel. And if you like something different, something other than mush and the run of the mill tortured romance, you should read this.
June 23, 2018
A lovely magical atmosphere and some beautiful ideas here, but as a whole the story lacked body. The pacing felt hurried and the characters were not at all fleshed out. Several more spoonfuls of TLC and what a lush tale The Folk Keeper would've been! For fans of selkies: One Saved to the Sea.
February 14, 2020
I loved it. This book was dark and mysterious however not too dark. I enjoyed the main character and a good ending.
June 16, 2014
There is so much to love about THE FOLK KEEPER, but if I had to say one thing about it, I would say that it is a perfect example of the Iceberg Theory.
In case you don't know, the Iceberg Theory describes the writing style of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway thought that if the writer was skillfull enough, she could give the reader minimal information in the narrative, a surface story if you will, but write in such a way that the underlying story "shines through" (as Wikipedia puts it), even if none of it was explicitly stated.
THE FOLK KEEPER uses this style perfectly. You see that picture above? Well, the part above the water is the actual 162-page story. It's a great story, mind you, and is exciting, with suspense, twists and turns, and an unpedictable, nicely-paced plot. It's the reason why I (and lots of other kids) fell in love with THE FOLK KEEPER a number of years earlier.
Now, do you see the part below the water? That's the REAL story. It's the story of a girl who has been rejecting her true self, but when she does embrace it, she is finally able to see her world with open eyes. It's a book about power, and how gaining it and using it can either bring happiness or surpresses the self. It's a book about a vivid, richly realized world of superstitions, traditions, and otherworldly creatures. It's also a very feminist book, so even though it's set in a patriarchal world, it shows the strength of women and how they can rise into power while still being true to theirselves and their femininity. It's a book about all these things and so much more, a book that you can read again and again and still come away with something new.
(Oh, and the language is astonishingly beautiful. Here is a very typical but beautiful passage I found when I opened the book to a random page.)
And, as anyone can see, I'm madly in love with THE FOLK KEEPER. It's an amazing children's book, an unforgettable experience - it transcends genre bounds, so even if you don't like fantasy, READ IT.
In case you don't know, the Iceberg Theory describes the writing style of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway thought that if the writer was skillfull enough, she could give the reader minimal information in the narrative, a surface story if you will, but write in such a way that the underlying story "shines through" (as Wikipedia puts it), even if none of it was explicitly stated.
THE FOLK KEEPER uses this style perfectly. You see that picture above? Well, the part above the water is the actual 162-page story. It's a great story, mind you, and is exciting, with suspense, twists and turns, and an unpedictable, nicely-paced plot. It's the reason why I (and lots of other kids) fell in love with THE FOLK KEEPER a number of years earlier.
Now, do you see the part below the water? That's the REAL story. It's the story of a girl who has been rejecting her true self, but when she does embrace it, she is finally able to see her world with open eyes. It's a book about power, and how gaining it and using it can either bring happiness or surpresses the self. It's a book about a vivid, richly realized world of superstitions, traditions, and otherworldly creatures. It's also a very feminist book, so even though it's set in a patriarchal world, it shows the strength of women and how they can rise into power while still being true to theirselves and their femininity. It's a book about all these things and so much more, a book that you can read again and again and still come away with something new.
(Oh, and the language is astonishingly beautiful. Here is a very typical but beautiful passage I found when I opened the book to a random page.)
We retired to the Music Room after supper. [...] The Music Room was small by Manor standards (not big enough to hold more than fifty elephants), and all white and gold with huge marble fireplaces that yawned into the room with toungues of flame.
The Music was not too bad, really.
Lady Alicia sat at a spinet in an alcove; Finian raised his little whistle. The room gradually reduced itself into a golden bubble, just big enough to hold a candle, Lady Alicia's shining hair, and Finian's fingers dancing over a scrap of tin. The silver thread of Finian's whistle wove itself into a rainbow of arpeggios as Lady Alicia spiraled to the final chord. She kissed Finian's cheek before she left the alcove. She did love him best of all, anyone could see that.
And, as anyone can see, I'm madly in love with THE FOLK KEEPER. It's an amazing children's book, an unforgettable experience - it transcends genre bounds, so even if you don't like fantasy, READ IT.
October 8, 2009
Very, very unusual book. It would have been a great advantage being more fluent in English, because I'm not sure I understood all of it. Don't get me wrong, the story as a whole was easy enough to understand, but being doomed to failure, because of the little things? I have this feeling, I could have enjoyed it a little more, without this hindrance.
Corin/na is brave, vengeful, patient, stubborn and very, very smart. She's afraid that people will constrain her freedom, take away her rights once they know she's merely girl dressed as a boy. She's also bloodthirsty, people who've wronged her, she takes revenge upon, with no second thought. So, it's also no wonder she enjoys having power over other people and being able to keep her secrets to herself, since she knows she's indispensable.
"Everyone else is afraid. Only I am powerful."
"Vengeance. It is not always as delicious as you anticipate, but you must not flinch from it. Otherwise the Matrons of the world would rule us all."
"But I never spoke my anger; no, you must never give your anger away. "
She likes to keep people guessing, keep them on their toes, but actually only minds her own business.
"There is power in silence, I have always known that."
And then of course, the little things, which made me like her.
" I don't care for beauty, not in the ordinary way. "
Although it's said that The Folk Keeper is a children's book. I must say I'm not sooo sure about that one.
Well, enough said. I enjoyed it enough. And so might you.
Corin/na is brave, vengeful, patient, stubborn and very, very smart. She's afraid that people will constrain her freedom, take away her rights once they know she's merely girl dressed as a boy. She's also bloodthirsty, people who've wronged her, she takes revenge upon, with no second thought. So, it's also no wonder she enjoys having power over other people and being able to keep her secrets to herself, since she knows she's indispensable.
"Everyone else is afraid. Only I am powerful."
"Vengeance. It is not always as delicious as you anticipate, but you must not flinch from it. Otherwise the Matrons of the world would rule us all."
"But I never spoke my anger; no, you must never give your anger away. "
She likes to keep people guessing, keep them on their toes, but actually only minds her own business.
"There is power in silence, I have always known that."
And then of course, the little things, which made me like her.
" I don't care for beauty, not in the ordinary way. "
Although it's said that The Folk Keeper is a children's book. I must say I'm not sooo sure about that one.
Well, enough said. I enjoyed it enough. And so might you.
Read
January 3, 2021Complicated thoughts…Mainly that I enjoyed the folklore aspects like the Folk and the Sealfolk but disliked the main romance (or, to be more specific, the age gap).
October 1, 2023
this was my first reread of this book in years- i have always loved it
December 9, 2022
I probably would have enjoyed this more at a far younger age, but ah well. 2.5 stars generously rounded up to 3.
January 18, 2008
Corin/Corinna is the ‘folk keeper’ at Rhysbridge. She controls and tends to them, so that they will not create havoc on the people of the village. They have been known to sour the milk, kill the crops and harm the animals. So they must be appeased. Corinna knows that only boys can be folk keepers. She disguises herself. She is called to a new village to become the folk keeper of Lord Merton’s people. Lord Merton mysteriously knows her secret and eventually Corinna learns of other secrets, too. Her destiny is realized at Cliffsend, Lord Merton’s realm. But, does she want to accept this new development in her life and return to the sea from which she came? Corinna deals with issues unique to her and her life.
November 11, 2016
Short and sweet. The writing style in this book was very to-the-point, being descriptive when necessary and succinct otherwise. And because it was written in journal-style, only the key elements were included and not any long, perhaps unnecessary passages. Thus we are left with a short book, but a touching story. It is largely the story of Corinna's coming-of-age, but it surprising ways. I would definitely recommend it to any fantasy lovers.
August 29, 2016
Not sure if I should be giving this 3 or 4 stars. 3.5? I like Corinna's anger and ruthlessness, but it feels like it's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it needed to be longer?
November 27, 2017
Full review here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com/201...
June 10, 2018
Какво става ако се комбинират красивата, отчайваща приказност на Андерсен и черната, готическа безнадежност на М.Р.Джеймс?
Мисля, че Folk Keeper е отговорът на този въпрос, който никога не бих си задал преди прочита на книжката.
Митично фентъзи, насочено към детската аудитория, което ми достави неимоверно удоволствие. Авторката успява да засегне дост�� теми свързани с навлизането на децата в лишения от илюзии свят на възрастните, без да набива някакъв фалшив, възвишен морал, без да дава отговори и обещания.
Повествованието тръгва малко тромаво, но бързо се разгръща в едни от най-красивите природни и емоционални описания, примесени с едно постоянно чувство на напрежение и скрита угроза, за да изненада на финала с развръзка, която очаквах, но не и в такава морбидна форма, въпреки щастливия (дали?) завършек.
Корина наближава тринадесетата си година. До тук е размятана от приемен дом, на приемен дом в едно доста нещастно детство, което я е направило, едва ли не, пълен социопад. Преди последното си преместване тя успява с хитрост и тотално незачитане на моралните норми да се отърве от новия пазач на народа и да заеме мястото му, правейки се на момче. След три спокойни, по критериите ѝ, но ужасяващи за мен, години измамата и е разкрита от умиращ благородник, дошъл специално да я заведе в имението си. Смъртта му запазва тайната ѝ и тя продължава да е пазител в новото имение, където Народа е доста по-кръвожаден. Там тя успява да се замеси в безбройните тайни и интриги на управляващото семейство, които ще и разкрият миналото ѝ. А по пътя някак си ще разбере, че, въпреки тайните си сили, и тя е човек.
Мисля, че Folk Keeper е отговорът на този въпрос, който никога не бих си задал преди прочита на книжката.
Митично фентъзи, насочено към детската аудитория, което ми достави неимоверно удоволствие. Авторката успява да засегне дост�� теми свързани с навлизането на децата в лишения от илюзии свят на възрастните, без да набива някакъв фалшив, възвишен морал, без да дава отговори и обещания.
Повествованието тръгва малко тромаво, но бързо се разгръща в едни от най-красивите природни и емоционални описания, примесени с едно постоянно чувство на напрежение и скрита угроза, за да изненада на финала с развръзка, която очаквах, но не и в такава морбидна форма, въпреки щастливия (дали?) завършек.
Корина наближава тринадесетата си година. До тук е размятана от приемен дом, на приемен дом в едно доста нещастно детство, което я е направило, едва ли не, пълен социопад. Преди последното си преместване тя успява с хитрост и тотално незачитане на моралните норми да се отърве от новия пазач на народа и да заеме мястото му, правейки се на момче. След три спокойни, по критериите ѝ, но ужасяващи за мен, години измамата и е разкрита от умиращ благородник, дошъл специално да я заведе в имението си. Смъртта му запазва тайната ѝ и тя продължава да е пазител в новото имение, където Народа е доста по-кръвожаден. Там тя успява да се замеси в безбройните тайни и интриги на управляващото семейство, които ще и разкрият миналото ѝ. А по пътя някак си ще разбере, че, въпреки тайните си сили, и тя е човек.
September 13, 2017
I was looking around for a new book and my partner pulled this off the shelf from me, from when she was younger. I liked it much more than I thought I would. It's about Corrine, a foundling who is in charge of caring for the Folk (who are sort of like very wild elves or something?) who live under the earth. But then she is called away to be the Folk Keeper on a northern island, and things spiral from there. Corrine is a fascinating heroine with an otherworldliness about her. The romance piece was a bit cliche but whatevs, it's a YA novel.
January 10, 2021
This was creepier than I remember it being, both because of the scary man-eating Folk that live in caves and the gothic manor full of secrets, and (unfortunately) because of the romance that would have been totally fine if it didn't have a weird and unnecessary age gap. However, I did like the lovely writing style, the unique faeries, and Corinna was a compelling narrator, so that kind of makes up for it?
April 1, 2017
Franny Billingsley does it again. She manages to create a magical, fantastical world that feels so foreign, yet so realistic, that you wish you could visit. Corinne is a great example of a main character that isn't exactly likable, but you're drawn to her and want her to succeed.
November 4, 2018
The Folk Keeper is everything I love about YA. It has a powerful simplicity and purity that serves the story well. The heroine is intrepid, strong and unique. I shed real tears over this painfully beautiful little book and I highly recommend.
August 7, 2021
I’ve been meaning to read this book for so long, and I wasn’t prepared for how engaging and beautiful it was. A compact, lovely story, full of depth and otherfolk and selkie lore. I loved it as much as the Scorpio races.
February 5, 2018
I read this ages ago and forgot the title. It is a dark, dreamy story with unique mythology and a sharp-edged heroine.
September 4, 2018
Nice surprise.
A bit of a slow start, but it picked up, and that last third was great. I loved the reveal (really, multiple reveals) and the satisfying conclusion.
A bit of a slow start, but it picked up, and that last third was great. I loved the reveal (really, multiple reveals) and the satisfying conclusion.
June 30, 2019
Couldn't finish it. I did try, but I didn't get on with the writing style. I'm sure if it's your cup of tea it's lovely, but I didn't enjoy it so I stopped.
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