Customer Reviews

I, Coriander

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first thing to note about I, CORIANDER is that the prose stands head and shoulders above most books in its category. Sally Gardner is certainly a gifted writer and the narrator's voice never falters.

The second thing to note is that Coriander is an interesting and sympathetic character, and the story is an engaging one. Readers will find plenty to worry over and cheer about once they get far enough into the book.

Unfortunately, it takes too long to get to the main story, and there are several twists along the way that strain credibility. For example, the father, in the middle of grieving over his dead wife, is talked into taking another wife. Even if we accept the political reasons why this is necessary, the wife he takes is so repulsive that no reader can imagine anyone--let alone Coriander's father--allowing her in the house.

Then, to make matters worse, the father runs away (again, for political reasons) and leaves his beloved daughter in the hands of this awful woman. This would be hard to fathom even if Ms. Gardner had not painted the father as a caring, devoted parent. But since he is caring and devoted and Coriander is the only family left to him, no one can possibly believe that he would leave her behind.

The other twist comes later in the book and I won't give it away. But let us just say that having 3 years pass instead of 3 days or, at most, 3 weeks, strips the magical events of all credibility. It's just too much time. Yes, magic explains how it happened. But it doesn't explain why all the people involved allowed that much time to pass before investigating--especially when Ms. Gardner has made it clear how many people care about Coriander.

Then, of course, there is the overly accelerated ending, where everything is wrapped up so quickly that it leaves the reader bewildered and dissatisfied. This kind of editorial amputation is common these days--a symptom of the publishing industry's greater concern with length and cost than narrative integrity--but given the tenor and style of this book, one would have thought Ms. Gardner would have been allowed a little more room to wrap things up properly.

In any case, this IS a good book and well worth reading. But if it had been better edited, it could have been a phenomenal book.

Coriander Hobie, born to a wealthy mother and father in 1643, has never longed for anything. Except, of course, a pair of gorgeous, weightless silver shoes that were annonymously sent to her one summer, and promptly hidden away, in a place forbidden for her prying hands. However, Coriander, being a smart child, finds a way to release the shoes from their captivity in her father's office, and places them on her feet, only to be transported to a strange land. Now, after the death of her mother, her father's sudden departure, and being kept under lock and key by a large woman and a supposed-Preacher, Coriander has decided to tell her story. A story that she has written by the light of seven separate candles, in which she will describe each part of her story the best way she knows how. A story of the city streets of London, of a strange land where fairies are found by the bushel, of a frightening alligator, and a lovely ebony box. And, last, but not least, a pair of silver shoes.

I will be the first to admit that the one thing about Sally Gardner's book I, CORIANDER that instantly caught my eye was the gorgeous cover. In all of my years of reading, I can't say that I have ever seen a cover illustration so glamorous as the one found on Gardner's novel. However, the story kept within its pages is quite remarkable on its own, and the cover illustration only enhances the beauty of the story within. Coriander is a wonderful character whom will win the hearts of all readers - especially female - as she is a determined, brave, brash young character who shows no fear, and longs to help everyone around her. Her descriptions of life with her mother and father, as well as the hardtimes she falls upon after her father flees are engrossing, and will leave readers itching for more. A marvelous book for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and a smidgen of romance.

Erika Sorocco

Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

"I have lit the first of seven candles to write my story by. On the table next to me is the silk purse that holds my mother's pearls and beside it is the ebony box whose treasure I am only now beginning to understand. Next to that, shining nearly as bright as the moon, stands a pair of silver shoes.

I have a great many things to tell, of how I came by the silver

shoes and more. And this being my story and a fairy tale besides, I will start once upon a time . . . ."

Young Teens will sympathize with Sally Gardener's I, Coriander. In a Cinderella fashion, after the death of her mother Coriander's hasty remarries brings an ugly stepmother and then flees from political enemies. Coriander like Cinderella faces the consequences of her father's marriage alone. Magic shoes also make an appearance in this novel. The fairy tale quality of Coriander's narrative will delight young teens while the darker themes will appeal to their angst. Coriander's stepmother and her Puritan minister boyfriend attempt to break Coriander's spirit and even attempt to exhaust her life. Teens will relate to these themes of domination and lack of control, seen prominently in the stripping away of Coriander's name and previous identity. And like Cinderella, Coriander finds herself amidst the terror and abuse and not only rescues herself but her prince as

well. Younger teens will especially delight in this story fraught with fairy tale imagery and modern self reliance.

This weekend I finished listening to I, Coriander, by Sally Gardner. This book won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize in December 2005. I found the book so compelling that I almost didn't mind cleaning my house this weekend, as long as I had the book to listen to while I did so (I downloaded it).

But seriously, I, Coriander is mostly a historical novel, with a sprinkling of magic thrown in to keep things from getting too dark. Coriander Hobie is the daughter of a 17th century London silk merchant, and grows up in a beautiful house adjacent to the Thames. Her mother is a "cunning woman" who grows herbs, and helps the locals with her potions. Coriander wears beautiful dresses, and learns to read (unusual for a young girl of the time). Coriander's young life is idyllic until a pair of mysterious silver shoes appear on her doorstep, and change everything.

Before much time passes, Coriander finds herself living under the repressive rule of black-hearted Puritans, people who perform cruel acts, and suck the joy out of life, all in the name of God. She also visits a parallel world, her mother's world, populated by fairies, and discovers an evil authority figure there, too. Coriander must pass back and forth between the two worlds, and find a way to recover a lost family treasure, save the life of a prince, save the life of a human family member, understand the secret of the silver shoes, and defeat her Puritan oppressors. No small set of tasks for a young 17th century girl.

I found Coriander's Puritan oppressors particularly disturbing. The unfairness of their behavior had me practically sputtering aloud, as they performed outrage after outrage. The book reminded me a bit of Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond (which also features a free-spirited girl whom Puritans attempt to quench). There is a scene in which the local constable searches a house, and indulges in wanton destruction (again in the name of God), that made me positively cringe.

But I think that it says good things about the book, that I was so disturbed by portions of it. Sally Gardner brings Oliver Cromwell's London vividly to life in I, Coriander. And Coriander herself is a multi-faceted character whom I cared about a great deal by the end of the book. The supporting characters are not quite so well fleshed out, but still enjoyable.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to older kids who are fans of historical novels. I think that certain parts of the book might be too dark for most younger children (say, under 10). The magical elements of the book will likely draw in other readers, but for me, the real-world scenes are what make the book stand out.

The Guardian Unlimited published an excellent article about Sally Gardner back in December. The article said that writing books was a particularly big achievement for Ms. Gardner because she is dyslexic, didn't learn to read until she was fourteen, and even attended a school for "unteachable" kids when she was a child. The article says that Gardner was "bowled over and completely flabbergasted" by her Nestlé Children's Book Prize win. But I say that she deserves it 100%. I, Coriander is a book that I'll remember for a long time. (This review is reprinted here, after being initially published on my blog)

Do you have a favorite book? Look no further!!! Read this book I Coriander. It is the best book I have ever read. I like it because there are romantic parts, sad parts, and nice parts in the book. That's my opinion. Its up to you if you like it!J The book is about a girl named Coriander and she lives a happy child hood until a pair of silver shoes magically appear at the front door. They were meant for her with the first letter of her first name on them. Her mom said no but on her b-day she took them out of her fathers study. After that everything went wrong. Her mom died and they did not know the cause. Then her father had to remarry and that made things worse. She got a horrible stepmother. The story ends up being good. I don't want to give out too much about the book. I highly suggest you to read this book.

Shannon C.

I loved this book. It is engaging, magical, and hook you on the first sentence.

This book is a enchanting story of a young girl named Coriander. She is a merchant's daughter that live relatively above her means. She is wealthy until a pair of silver shoes show up and ruin her life. Thanks to them, her mother dies and her father remarried an evil Puritan that belives their simple way of life is evil and that they are all witches. When Corinader's father has to sundenly leave, he leaves her with the wicked stepmother (Maud Leggs) and her sweet daughter Hester, who is treated mighty unfairly! From all of her mother's clothing disapering to being locked in a chest (for a GOOD while) Coriander still manages to keep her mother's shadow safe and save the "other world."

First I want to mention what a terrific narrator tells the story of Coriander Hobie on this audio edition of the book. Juliet Stevenson, well known in the UK and better known to US audiences as the mother of Keira Knightley's character in the movie "Bend It Like Beckham" is absolutely hypnotic as the narrator.

My daughter and I like to listen to audiobooks together in the car when we have nothing to argue about or when the drive is a long one. We've been doing this together since she was a little girl, and we still do it even though she's a teenager. It's my chance to expose her to different kinds of books and her chance to communicate to me the kinds of books and stories and fantasies closest to her heart without writing me an essay.

Both of us were enchanted by this wonderful story and by the unbelievably expressive reading of Juliet Stevenson. The story takes place at the time of Oliver Crowell during the 17th century in England. I am a history lover, and have always loved historical fiction. My daughter usually can't even be bribed to read a history book. This story is so interesting and well-told, with really colorful characters and dialects that my daughter was as wrapped up in its fantasy as I was.

I really value Listening Library's collection of books on tape and CD because I am able to share my passions with my daughter (and my husband) through books like this that make history come alive--I can't recommend this book highly enough.

My daughter was so enchanted by the story that once it was over, she asked if we could start it again from the beginning!

This was one of the most interesting fairy tale books I have read. It didn't follow the story line of a classic fairy tale, like the book Frog Princess. I like how you couldn't predict what was going to happen before it happened like in most fairy tales.

The book is about a girl named Coriander, who finds a pair of magical shoes with a C stiched on them. The shoes weren't the main part of the book, but they were a key part of the story. After Coriander's mother dies her father marries a puritian women, who takes over the household. I won't tell you what happens in the end (or the middle for that matter), but it is a very magical ending that had me reading as fast as I possibly could.

Another reason I like it is because the author, Sally Gardner had a very amazing life story. She was dyslexic and couldn't learn to read for a very long time. She has overcome that problem and has written a very interesting book! YAY!

I will say that I really enjoyed this book. It is simple, light-hearted, and it is a fast read. As an adult though, I do have to agree with the previous reviews. The flow was a bit staggered, their were unrealistic reactions to certain events, and there were areas that were just a bit confusing. I.E.: Were we told that the King and Queen were in a second marriage and that the king had a daughter of his own? Coriander seems to figure this out pretty quickly, but exactly how she did it with the little information that she had (she sees a picture): I just don't know.

If I were a child/young adult I don't think I would have noticed these things. You become very wrapped-up in Coriander's life and you do want to see how it all pans out. Which it does do VERY quickly! It's a Cinderella story with a few more twists and turns and a bit of historical reference as well. And the cover is beautiful. :)

Sally Gardner pulled no punches in I, Coriander. Her Cromwell-era England is harsh and full and the perfect backdrop to the very dark - and very darkly human - tale she tells. No one's life is simple or all that pretty in the book, but Coriander's is made even less so upon the arrival of her strictly religious stepmother, Maug Leggs, and Maud's...'preacher' Arise Fell. Maud is pretty damn bad, but Arise Fell is one of the most disturbing characters I've ever read in a kids book, maybe in any book. He is completely repugnant and utterly fascinating. Together, they are so throroughly creepy and villainous that your skin kinda crawls when they enter a scene, adding this great sense of threat and malice and tension to the story. But the best thing (or the worst)? They are believable. These are not over the top and unrealistic villains that yeah, may be scary, but are also utterly ridiculous. No, Gardner created two people who could easily be found on the front page of the news, or in a segment on 20/20. They are creepy and awful and utterly human in it. It's scary. And it can make for a very dark read, so if you don't like that or are sensitive to some things...be warned.

But the beauty of the story? Coriander. She never gives up or loses who she is. When Arise Fell arrives and introduces her to his hands of "Wrath" and "Salvation" things get decidedly dark for Coriander -- and yet, she refuses to give up who she is. She fights to keep her self and her identity, and she actively seeks out ways to make things right. That's so powerful for a young girl to be doing in any time, but especially in Coriander's time, and that's what makes it such a potentially powerful story for young girls. Yes, it is dark, but the fact is, there are plenty of girls who go through similar things, and seeing someone triumph can only be good.

I think, too, that Gardner's use of history is genius. The tale is perfectly suited to the narrow, suspicious, dangerous times it's set in. The setting just really works for the tale, and Garnder uses enough of the history to make it come alive and give it a sense of place, but not so much that it ever start to feel like a history lesson. Her Cromwellian England is almost tangible; I could have wished for a little more of the faerie world, but in the end, I think it kind of works as is on that score.

The only thing I really had a problem with was the ending, and some of the plot-device-y-ness of some aspects. The resolution was far too quick for my liking, and I definitely needed more of the prince and that whole story line. A big part of the reason I felt this was rushed, though, is that Coriander takes great leaps in age through the story, and I needed more from that. Every time she enters the faerie world, no matter how brief it may seem to her, she finds herself aged a few years upon her return to England. This is in keeping with mythology, and I am fine with it in its way - and even as a plot device - except it left me with questions. Like, if Coriander has aged from say 8 to 16 over a few successive trips that have only equaled say 2years at the utmost in England...setting aside the problems that would cause back in Cromwell times, it left me with questions about Coriander, mentally. Does her mind age too? Does her maturity level increase along with her growth? Is she essentially a different Coriander over night, without knowing how it happened, or who she has become? Because if so, yes, it's a little strange, and would have some serious ramifications - but if not, then the WHOLE BIT with the prince suddenly becomes hella creepy. Just saying, if Cinderella featured an 8 year old girl who just looks like a pretty teen about to marry a prince, I don't think it would be nearly the popular story that it is...

And whether her mind did age or not, the age jumps happen so suddenly that it's hard for the reader to shift their mind to the new Coriander, and it left me feeling like an 8 year old was being wooed by a prince... Uncomfortable-making, to say the least.

That being said, I don't think it is meant to be creepy, or even that it reads creepy. It's more one of those things you notice on reflection and are like, WTF? But I did thoroughly enjoy myself reading this, and think Gardner has a pretty good talent for crafting a world and a story, and not being afraid of darker elements, which I always appreciate. I, Coriander has elements of the Cinderella tale, and a definite fairy tale-esque feel throughout, but it is certainly its own story, and suitable to those who don't like fairy tales just as much as those who do, and in the end, I would recommend it with only slight caveats.