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Post by Claire on Oct 9, 2018 15:20:54 GMT 1
This Autumn's Halloween themed read is the appropriately titled Mr. McFadden's Halloween by Rumer Godden. I've set this up fairly early so everyone who wants to take part has a chance to get the book before Halloween. So discussion will start in approx 3 weeks.
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Post by susanb on Oct 15, 2018 11:16:48 GMT 1
I'm in! Bought a copy last year in fact, have been saving it It looks charming, and it's a short-ish read. Sorry to take so long to post, I don't know how I missed seeing that the Halloween thread had been set up, as I've actually be on the lookout for it!
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Post by Claire on Oct 26, 2018 18:43:30 GMT 1
Just bumping this thread in case anyone has missed it. We will be starting discussion in a few days. I've read most of it and really enjoyed it so I'd recommend giving it a go.
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Post by susanb on Oct 27, 2018 18:12:39 GMT 1
I read it this morning, it's very charming, and I love the illustrations (I have the edition you have pictured on this thread), particularly the one of Selina on Haggis in her "Good Witch" costume
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Post by darkhorse on Oct 29, 2018 20:30:47 GMT 1
I'm just about to start, I've had a quick look at it and I really like the illustrations.
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Post by brumby on Nov 2, 2018 7:12:32 GMT 1
I'm planning on joining in, if the book ever arrives, I ordered when you first posted Claire. Things seem to hang around for ages in customs!
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Post by susanb on Nov 2, 2018 11:14:51 GMT 1
It's a fast read when you do get it, brumby....150 or so pages, and they go by quick
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Post by Claire on Nov 3, 2018 20:24:47 GMT 1
Sorry to hear it hasn't arrived yet Brumby! Although it does feature Halloween, a lot of the book is actually not about the night so it doesn't matter that you're past the date - can be read at any time of year.
Anyhow better add my thoughts!
I really enjoyed this book. Great characters, most slightly eccentris but loveable, including Haggis the pony. Even the goose has a definite character! It's a heart warming story along the same lines of Goodnight Mr. Tom in which a crusty old geezer slowly opens his heart. But in this case it's a pony that starts the transformation. It has a lot of fairly dry humour too. The Scottish dialect works really well in this book, although it doesn't in many I have read. Because the book is set in the Scottish Borders and I come from the North of England, I did recognise a few words/expressions that are also used in our part of the world which was quite nice. I also liked the sense of community that the book highlighted.
You are tempted to call such a story charming, but it was of greater depth than that and also I found some of it a little disturbing. The boys 'tricks' on McFadden and in particular attacking Selina and tying her to a tree were considered as jokes by most of the villagers but the consequences could have been far greater. I don't know if the author was making a point of this or not, but it did ironically contrast the far more caring behaviour of the town Pariah with the nastiness of the more socially accepted 'mischievous' boys.
Although there were two Halloweens in the story, there was little in the way of scares or shivers, it wasn't really a spooky read. (the scariest thing was the behaviour of the boys!) It was however interesting on the Halloween customs of the area.
Perhaps could have done with a little more pony content and a bit more of Haggis, who was one of those stubborn cantankerous hairy types of pony I find somehow irrisistable. It was nice to see that Selina loved him for what he was and there was no attempt to turn him into something else. In fact when she is offered a chance for someone to school him she turns it down. (In some ways a pity as I thought a sequel where Haggis resisted all attempts to transform him would have been good fun!
Any thoughts on the book Susan/darkhorse? Sorry about the poll somehow disappearing, I've had to put another one up so you may need to re-vote!
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Post by susanb on Nov 5, 2018 4:18:59 GMT 1
LOL, the poll vanished before I even saw it, so this is my first vote! I agree on the boy's "pranks'....I was stunned that literally nothing happened to them....there was no comeback for terrorizing an old man, animals and attacking a young girl. But then, look at the townsfolk...yes, I get it's agrivating that you want to have a nice park and the person who owns the land doesn't want to sell it, but people aren't obligated to give (or sell) you their stuff just because you happen to want it. They know the man is a virtual hermit, with no transportation, and they start refusing to sell him supplies? That's just plain mean. I loved that Selina's family helped out, even if they were ticked off at him; Selina too, when she found out, and was angry with him, couldn't stop herself from going back. What did you think of the boy's character? And his family
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Post by rallycairn on Nov 6, 2018 6:26:25 GMT 1
I had such a long reply typed out, scrolled up to double check something from the start of the thread, and scrolled back down to find my post vanished. I'll try to rewrite it later, but for now I'll just say I loved this wonderful book. Not scary certainly, but saturated with the spooky, mysterious, expectant atmosphere of Halloween and autumn. Not just the characters themselves but also their interrelationships are so wonderfully drawn. I do have to get a plug in for calling it by its full title -- every edition I've seen does title it _Mr. McFadden's Hallowe'en_, not just McFadden, so Just a nit to pick. Such a satisfying read -- not just a short, action-packed story like so many are today. I would have liked to have seen more of Haggis, but the ponies were the start of it all, and Selina's relationship with Haggis was so different from Muffet's with her pony. Selina was so appreciative of Haggis for who he was, as was Mr. McFadden.
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Post by darkhorse on Nov 7, 2018 13:58:40 GMT 1
I really enjoyed this book. It's a really old fashioned, character driven story. It does seems like a cosy little story on the surface but underneath it shows the extremes of both sides of human behaviour, good and bad, in the microcosm of the village. Also, like Claire and Susan, I was shocked by the villagers' treatment of Mr. McFadden and especially by the boys who tied up Selina. This should have been considered as assault but it was just brushed off. I expected them to get their come-uppance somewhere later in the story but they didn't. I loved Haggis and would have liked more of him.
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Post by brumby on Nov 16, 2018 21:28:23 GMT 1
Sounds like a great book, if it ever arrives I shall enjoy reading it
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Post by Claire on Nov 17, 2018 16:54:30 GMT 1
Brumby - it should have arrived by now, I post books all over the world and they never take that long to arrive. I'd get onto whoever you ordered it from and say it's gone missing. What a shame.
Rally - just a quick tip for you - and anyone else who doesn't already know about it. If you are using a windows computer and if everything you have typed suddenly disappears (yes it's happened to me too) try pressing CTRL and Z together, this is a get out of jail free card and will reverse the last action you have done on the computer. Usually your missing text will re-appear! (it's good for all sorts of other mistakes too)
Susan - yes I was quite disturbed by the little lad (apologies, his name slips my mind) and his situation. It was definitely child neglect by his horrendous parents. Surprised that none of the adults got involved or reported it. Seems to fit with the way that the other boy's horrible behaviour was swept under the carpet. A case of what goes on in the village stays in the village and also the rather 'head in the sand' attitude of the villagers to anything unsavoury. Certainly the human behaviour in the book was more frightening and dark than thoughts of ghosts and ghouls. Thankfully balanced out by some truly selfless characters and kindly deeds. Was quite a lump in throat moment when Mr. M. wanted to adopt the lad.
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Post by brumby on Nov 22, 2018 1:53:18 GMT 1
My books arrived today, seems they always take a long time form the USA to Australia.
So I will start reading tonight!
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Post by susanb on Nov 22, 2018 4:50:52 GMT 1
I think you'll really enjoy it when you read it, Brumby....hope we haven't tossed too many spoilers out on this thread!
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Post by brumby on Nov 29, 2018 7:14:40 GMT 1
What a delightful book, thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly after that long wait for the book to arrive I didn't get the lovely illustrated version Agree with all the comments, tying Selina up in that manner was brutal and the poor home life of Tim was quite depressing, but I thought the ending was very satisfying, the characters were well rounded and very likeable, especially Selina. But of course my favourite character was Haggis, what a personality! and good on Selina for recognising a free spirit and for not wanting to change him. Are Rumer Godden's other books this enjoyable? Any recommendations?
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Post by Claire on Dec 1, 2018 22:31:03 GMT 1
Glad you enjoyed the book after the looong wait Brumby! The Diddakoi is a very good (partly) pony story by the author. It was also made into a very popular British TV show back in the 1970s called Kizzie which I am sure many of us Brits will remember well. I haven't read her other children's pony-related children's book which is about a rocking horse (possibly magical!) but have read her adult horse story The Dark Horse which is pretty good. If you have ever seen the classic 1940s film Black Narcissus, that was actually based on a story by Rumer Godden! Anyhow included link below to my page on her which has a bit more info. rumergodden.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/
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