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bibliobethreads's review against another edition
3.0
Hi everyone I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend. Today I’m back with a book review of a novel which seemed perfect for me. It’s set on the Isle of Skye in Scotland just after the Highland Clearances in the mid 1800’s and follows a young woman who is attempting to retrieve and recount all the word-of-mouth folk tales for her reclusive employer. Then a body is found and there are strange links with old superstitions and tales that suddenly make Skye quite a treacherous place to be.
I dearly hoped this book would tick all my boxes - set in Scotland, historical fiction with a quirky, fairy-tale edge. Perhaps that was the problem, my expectations were too high. Yet I must stress this isn’t a bad read, not at all. It’s interesting, atmospheric and mysterious and I was curious enough to read all the way to the end.
Personally, I was just left wanting more and it didn’t quite hit the spot. The author clearly has a talent for setting a scene and the writing was so detailed, I could picture each moment perfectly. Sadly, I managed to predict too much about the ending and even though the folk tales were really very beautiful and the author has a vivid, imaginative way of writing, I needed something extra to really get excited about it.
Three stars
I dearly hoped this book would tick all my boxes - set in Scotland, historical fiction with a quirky, fairy-tale edge. Perhaps that was the problem, my expectations were too high. Yet I must stress this isn’t a bad read, not at all. It’s interesting, atmospheric and mysterious and I was curious enough to read all the way to the end.
Personally, I was just left wanting more and it didn’t quite hit the spot. The author clearly has a talent for setting a scene and the writing was so detailed, I could picture each moment perfectly. Sadly, I managed to predict too much about the ending and even though the folk tales were really very beautiful and the author has a vivid, imaginative way of writing, I needed something extra to really get excited about it.
Three stars
debbiejane's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable Gothic page turner full of fairy folklore, strange scratching noises, mysterious clouds of birds and some seriously unpleasant villains. Hurrah for our heroine who saves the day!
nadia_g's review against another edition
5.0
A deliciously eerie mystery driven by Audrey's investigation of the disappearances of young girls in Kyleakin, a village on the Isle of Skye. Audrey is a researcher of folklore who realises as she listens to the tales she has come to collect that a number of strange goings on have been taking place among the community to which she has come to escape London, not least of which when she herself finds a dead girl.
Audrey is a young woman whose love of folktales comes from her mother. In 1857, writing as a job, for women, let alone collecting 'fairy tales' is laughable, and it looks like Audrey is fighting an impossible battle. But she hangs on and finds employment with Miss Buchanan to help her collect spoken tales, given partly in Gaelic in the book, such a strong and elegant tribute to Gaelic speaking communities.
For those who love the eerie, know that the eeriness here runs through all the layers of the story: it comes from Audrey's sense of dislocation and relocation - the geography and people are seen through her eyes as she herself tries to find her place. It is found within the stories of evil fairies (I know, evil ones!), said to snatch people. It also felt in the palpable reality of what impoverishment means when it is entirely created by landowners during the Clearances in Skye - a time in which land owners forced entire communities to move away so to that they could sell.
But for me, as a crime fiction super fan, it's Mazzola's construction of Audrey's investigation that I thoroughly enjoyed. For people around Audrey, the mystery is around young women being targeted by something, but for Audrey, the mystery soon becomes one of a specific type of girls targeted by someone.
Two currents push the story forward: the power of folklore, and the power of facts, both often seen as mutually exclusive, except to those who know how to listen and see them as complimentary, like Audrey.
The Story Keeper is easily one one of my top favourite reads of 2018.
Audrey is a young woman whose love of folktales comes from her mother. In 1857, writing as a job, for women, let alone collecting 'fairy tales' is laughable, and it looks like Audrey is fighting an impossible battle. But she hangs on and finds employment with Miss Buchanan to help her collect spoken tales, given partly in Gaelic in the book, such a strong and elegant tribute to Gaelic speaking communities.
For those who love the eerie, know that the eeriness here runs through all the layers of the story: it comes from Audrey's sense of dislocation and relocation - the geography and people are seen through her eyes as she herself tries to find her place. It is found within the stories of evil fairies (I know, evil ones!), said to snatch people. It also felt in the palpable reality of what impoverishment means when it is entirely created by landowners during the Clearances in Skye - a time in which land owners forced entire communities to move away so to that they could sell.
But for me, as a crime fiction super fan, it's Mazzola's construction of Audrey's investigation that I thoroughly enjoyed. For people around Audrey, the mystery is around young women being targeted by something, but for Audrey, the mystery soon becomes one of a specific type of girls targeted by someone.
Two currents push the story forward: the power of folklore, and the power of facts, both often seen as mutually exclusive, except to those who know how to listen and see them as complimentary, like Audrey.
The Story Keeper is easily one one of my top favourite reads of 2018.
libkatem's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so creepy and so very good.
I don't know what else to say about it without revealing all! I couldn't stop turning pages, needing to find out what happened to these young girls. And with the backdrop of the Highland Clearances, coupled with the physical isolation of Skye from the mainland, it felt all the more urgent. And in the end, Mazzola masterfully slid together details I forgot about or dismissed as setting/worldbuilding exposition. Very clever.
I don't know what else to say about it without revealing all! I couldn't stop turning pages, needing to find out what happened to these young girls. And with the backdrop of the Highland Clearances, coupled with the physical isolation of Skye from the mainland, it felt all the more urgent. And in the end, Mazzola masterfully slid together details I forgot about or dismissed as setting/worldbuilding exposition. Very clever.
vondav's review
4.0
In 19th century Great Britain folklore was popular especially with the working class. Everyone would gather together to listen and swap stories. Each part of the country had variant stories and the task of collecting such stories were down to a small select few called folklorist.
Audrey Hart grew up listening to these stories. Unhappy with her life in London, she jumped at the chance to go to the Isle of Skye and help collect the traditional stories. As Audrey starts to collect the stories, she hears about the missing girls and when one turns up dead, she wants to find out whether it is the faerie folk or a resident of the Isle.
Lately I have read quite a few historical fiction, one thing they all had in common was the thriller element and this one was no different. However the addition of the folklore made the story more fascinating. Audrey was not your typical woman of that time, single, headstrong and ambitious. Travelling by herself to the Isle of Skye was brave.
Reading this story you can see that it was well researched not just the historical element but the folklore as well. The descriptive style of the author’s writers made the scenes come alive and it felt that you were there watching the mist roll in, whilst the mystery unfolded. The story never seemed to slow down as there was always something going on, whether it was Audrey walking around the countryside collecting stories, or her trying to fight for the girls. Whilst I had an inkling of the culprit, the reasoning surprised me. Whether you are a lover of historical fiction or are fascinated with folklore you will be in for a magical read.
Audrey Hart grew up listening to these stories. Unhappy with her life in London, she jumped at the chance to go to the Isle of Skye and help collect the traditional stories. As Audrey starts to collect the stories, she hears about the missing girls and when one turns up dead, she wants to find out whether it is the faerie folk or a resident of the Isle.
Lately I have read quite a few historical fiction, one thing they all had in common was the thriller element and this one was no different. However the addition of the folklore made the story more fascinating. Audrey was not your typical woman of that time, single, headstrong and ambitious. Travelling by herself to the Isle of Skye was brave.
Reading this story you can see that it was well researched not just the historical element but the folklore as well. The descriptive style of the author’s writers made the scenes come alive and it felt that you were there watching the mist roll in, whilst the mystery unfolded. The story never seemed to slow down as there was always something going on, whether it was Audrey walking around the countryside collecting stories, or her trying to fight for the girls. Whilst I had an inkling of the culprit, the reasoning surprised me. Whether you are a lover of historical fiction or are fascinated with folklore you will be in for a magical read.
lucyannunwin's review against another edition
4.0
The stark, brooding beauty of Skye looms over The Story Keeper, setting the tone for an atmospheric and dark tale, where the line between reality and superstition is tantalisingly blurred.
In 1857 Audrey Hart arrives on the island; ostensibly to help collect the folk and fairy tales of the highland communities, but also to escape a story of her own, and learn more about her mother, who died long ago on the island. But soon after she arrives, she discovers the body of a young girl washed up on the beach.
The pages keep on turning as all the wonderful, historical detail is wrapped up in a clever and satisfying whodunnit. But my favourite aspect of the book was discovering, alongside Audrey, the tales and superstitions that form the background of so much of our culture. Mazzola references the real-life contemporaries to the fictional Audrey; the Brothers Grimm. The twisted tales uncovered in The Story Keeper are the dark roots of the fairy stories we still tell our children now. Fascinating.
In 1857 Audrey Hart arrives on the island; ostensibly to help collect the folk and fairy tales of the highland communities, but also to escape a story of her own, and learn more about her mother, who died long ago on the island. But soon after she arrives, she discovers the body of a young girl washed up on the beach.
The pages keep on turning as all the wonderful, historical detail is wrapped up in a clever and satisfying whodunnit. But my favourite aspect of the book was discovering, alongside Audrey, the tales and superstitions that form the background of so much of our culture. Mazzola references the real-life contemporaries to the fictional Audrey; the Brothers Grimm. The twisted tales uncovered in The Story Keeper are the dark roots of the fairy stories we still tell our children now. Fascinating.
steph1rothwell's review against another edition
4.0
When Audrey travels to Skye to help capture the folktales from the islanders she isn’t prepared for what faces her. She is running away from her life in London, the details why are revealed as you read. But she is heading into danger. A danger that it is unclear whether it comes from the legends or reality.
This book had everything I enjoy. I do know that the fairy tales I read as a child were made less intimidating by the Brothers Grimm. The ones that are mentioned in the book have really ignited my interest in the original stories. It was interesting to see the frustration felt by this practice as well as the determination of others that the legends should be forgotten.
I was aware of how women were regarded at this time, some of the changes that were starting to emerge at time were part of the storyline. They helped create a true picture of how life was for Audrey with her father. The history of the cleansing of Shetland I had never heard of. I was shocked by the level of callousness and disregard for the islanders. Sadly it was also believable. The author has provided links to more information about this which I plan to look at in the future.
The mystery of the missing girls and the storyline concerning the disappearance of Audrey’s mother is just one small part of this novel. It interested me and I was aching to know what happened but for me the fascination was the legends, gaining trust from the community and the superstitions.
This book had everything I enjoy. I do know that the fairy tales I read as a child were made less intimidating by the Brothers Grimm. The ones that are mentioned in the book have really ignited my interest in the original stories. It was interesting to see the frustration felt by this practice as well as the determination of others that the legends should be forgotten.
I was aware of how women were regarded at this time, some of the changes that were starting to emerge at time were part of the storyline. They helped create a true picture of how life was for Audrey with her father. The history of the cleansing of Shetland I had never heard of. I was shocked by the level of callousness and disregard for the islanders. Sadly it was also believable. The author has provided links to more information about this which I plan to look at in the future.
The mystery of the missing girls and the storyline concerning the disappearance of Audrey’s mother is just one small part of this novel. It interested me and I was aching to know what happened but for me the fascination was the legends, gaining trust from the community and the superstitions.
lafee's review against another edition
3.0
Scottish folklore is one of my favourite things so I was eager to read this book, but it was a bit of a let down to be honest. Despite the main character, Audrey, journeying to the Isle of Skye to 'collect the word-of-mouth folk tales of the people and communities around her', there was scant mention of folklore in this book. Indeed for most of it, nobody wanted to talk to Audrey. The story was painfully predictable, the mysteries not terribly mysterious, and the ending rushed and overwrought, with all the loose ends tied up in a pretty bow.
If you want to read a better mystery set on an island and featuring Victorian feminism and independent women in the age of man, try The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge, which this book seemed like a poor imitation of.
NB. This should be marketed as a YA book, not adult fiction.
If you want to read a better mystery set on an island and featuring Victorian feminism and independent women in the age of man, try The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge, which this book seemed like a poor imitation of.
NB. This should be marketed as a YA book, not adult fiction.