THE RACONTEUR’S COMMONPLACE BOOK belongs to a genre that goes back to Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. A group of strangers are stuck together–in this case they’re in an inn during inclement weather–and they pass the time by sharing stories. But, in this book, the stories are part of a much bigger and ominous story.
I particularly liked “The Game of Maps,” “The Queen of Fog,” and “The Storm Bottle.” Kate Milford weaves all of these stories together to produce a conclusion I did not see coming. If you’re a fan of story-telling with unusual elements, I recommend The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Blue Vein Tavern — 1
The game of maps — 21
The whalebone spring — 57
The devil and the scavenger — 71
The queen of fog — 85
The roamer in the nettles — 105
The hollow-ware man — 131
The coldway — 139
The tavern at night — 177
The blue stair — 193
The storm bottle — 203
The ferryman — 223
The reckoning — 245
The particular — 259
The three kings — 297
The gardener of meteorites — 315
The summons of the bone — 347
The crossroads — 373
A NOTE ABOUT THE CLARION BOOKS EDITION — 385
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS — 389
It does sound interesting to me, like Lord Dunsany’s Jorkens stories and the like.
Jeff, yes! These stories have a Dunsany similarity in a Good Way. The story arc of the book wowed me!
I see it’s recommended for the 8-12 year old reading level. I have enough adult books I can’t get around to as it is. I’ll pass.
Steve, THE RACONTEUR’S COMMONPLACE BOOK is aimed at the Young Adult market, but it’s sophisticated enough for adults to enjoy.
I am trying to think of the Irish play where this takes place.
Patti, I think Chaucer is the prime example of this kind of story structure.
So did you read Greenglass House already?
Rick, I have THE GREENGLASS HOUSE on my Read Real Soon stack.
I t,bought it was just okay when I read it in…2019?
Rick, I think Kate Milford might get better with each successive book.