The Fair Folk
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From prize-winning author Su Bristow comes a fascinating coming-of-age novel about magic and the choices that define future generations.
It’s 1959. To eight-year-old Felicity—who lives on a dying farm in England—the fairies in the woods have much more to offer than the people in her everyday life. As she becomes more rooted in their world, she learns that their magic is far from safe. Their queen, Elfrida, offers Felicity a gift. But fairy bargains are never what they seem.
As an adult, Felicity leaves for university. Unfortunately, books are not her only company at school: Elfrida and Hobb—the queen’s constant companions—wield the ability to appear at any time, causing havoc in her new friendships and love life. Desperate, Felicity finally begins to explore the true nature of the Fair Folk and their magic. Her ally, the folklorist Professor Edgerley, asks, “What do they want from you?” The answer lies in the distant past, and in the secrets of her own family.
As the consequences of the “gift” play out, Felicity must draw on her courage to confront Elfrida, and make the right choice. Interwoven with traditional stories and striking characters, The Fair Folk poses questions about how we care for our children, our land, and our love-hate relationship with what we desire most.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bristow (Sealskin) draws on English folklore for a whimsical if baggy story about the interplay between fairies and humans. The action begins in 1959 Surrey, where eight-year-old Felicity Turner is bullied at school and alienated by her parents. Defying her father's wish that she stay away from the woods, Felicity discovers the enchanted world of "the Fair Folk" at the edge of the forest. She keeps her discovery a secret as she becomes enamored of fairy queen Elfrida and Elfrida's companion Hob, a jester-like character who loves playing tricks on people. Eventually, she accepts the gift of glamour and charisma from Elfrida, though she later transfers it to her first boyfriend, an aspiring actor, at university in Cambridge. There, Elfrida and Hob unexpectedly come to her whenever they wish, and on one occasion Hob wreaks havoc by pegging a classmate of Felicity's with crabapples. Felicity finds a kindred spirit in Professor Edgerly, a historian of folklore whose lessons make her wonder why fairies help people, and what they might want in return. It turns out Elfrida wants to trade places with Felicity, and as Felicity considers the proposition, she uncovers a secret about her father's connection to Elfrida. It takes a bit too long for the plot threads to tie together, but Bristow utilizes Edgerly's stamp of authority to successfully encourage readers to suspend disbelief. Lovers of classic folktales will appreciate this.
