And my eyes as black as sloe;
I am as brisk as brisk can be,
And wild as forest doe.
(The Child Ballads, 295)
So begins a beautiful tale of love, loss and revenge. Following the seasons, A Pocketful of Crows balances youth and age, wisdom and passion and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless wild girl.
Only love could draw her into the world of named, tamed things. And it seems only revenge will be powerful enough to let her escape.
Beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins, this is a stunning and original modern fairytale.
Comment: One of my friends is a fan of this author and she lent me this book because, in general, I also like her books. I was expecting some along the lines of the other books by the author I've tried so far but this was very different.
In this fantasy story, we have a short length tale of a "wild" girl who falls for a "normal" boy. The girl doens't have a name, as is the habit of her people, the people of the earth, of magic and secrets, those who can become animals and feelings and don't adhere to the usual rules of humans.
However, one day the girl interrupts what seems to be a spell a human girl is attempting to capture the attention and heart of a boy. Perhaps because she interrupted, the spell fails and the girl looks for the boy to see what would be so special about him. She becomes enamored and with time he seems to reciprocate her feelings, even though others don't agree. The problem comes when the boy's father returns and the difference of classes proves to be too much...
I was surprised by how simple this story appeared to be. In fact it isn't so and the writing is beautifully lyrical and vibrant. I did like the scenes the writing evoked in my head and, of course, one could discuss the meaning of things and the supposed lessons to pick of this read. However, all things considered, I think this story was both too simple and too YA-like for me to enjoy it more.
The characters are really young, I think the female protagonist is 14 and I can see the sort of fantasy/historical vibe in that and in the reaction others had of her looks faced with the other girls. I can see the duality of criteria based on looks.
As a matter of fact, I suppose one of the biggest issues here is how unfair it is for girls of a certain look or of uncertain origins to be labeled and judged by that, not caring about who they really are as a person. In this story this is more than evident but then two details to think about: this girl is no fragile flower who will be rewarded by her dignity and simple ways and the boy is definitely not prince material to make things better in the end.
If I had to summarize what this novel is about, I'd choose "revenge". The girl doesn't get to to have her feelings reciprocated in a serious manner but instead of just going away to lick her wounds or to patiently wait for the guy to get his bearings, she plans on revenge.
In this regard, I can see a bit more of mrs Harris usual style in plot and characterization. Things aren't easy but the girl can find ways of making her plans come true. We never lose the sense she is worthy and innocent while planning something that won't be undone but that can be tricky to think about. At the same time, the fact the protagonist is both aware of her negative feelings but looking to restore her simple and pure way of living is probably the "deepest" subject here. Can we all be that balanced in our own way of thinking?
I can understand the author was trying to write something a little whimsical, a lesson to be taught and a warning to be done to those who don't respect other people's feelings.
I can enjoy her inspiration and even the beautiful writing but as a whole this story didn't really made an impression in me.
A note to this book, which also contains art by Bonnie Helen Hawkins and that is also beautiful and a lovely addition. Still, I must say the same characters weren't always done exactly the same way... ok, this is not a comic book but I certainly noticed the changes.
This was a good enough tale to read but I don't think I'll easily remember it in a few weeks...
Grade: 6/10
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