Malkin (StarMaker Books) [Paperback]

Sophie Masson (Author)

Book Description

Series: StarMaker Books | Publication Date: February 2001

Based on the traditional English tale, Tattercoats, this novel follows the plight of the beautiful, neglected granddaughter of the Baron of Fisher Forest and her special friend, Malkin.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

What are people saying about “Malkin”?

“A true alchemist, Sophie Masson has transmuted cold iron into pure gold.” Lloyd Alexander, Newbery Medal winner and author of “The Black Cauldron” and “The High King”

“Watching a story unfold when you know the story but don’t know how the storyteller is going to make it work this time is a particular delight.” Phillip Pullman, author of “The Golden Compass”

From the Author

My family is Catholic; my mother is particularly interested in the moral and ethical aspects of religion, my father in its mystical and symbolic aspects. Ours is also a rather lively, argumentative, and imaginative family, and we were exposed to a lot of different religious experiences. Having lived in Africa and Indonesia, I have always been interested in religion and the spiritual, and from a very early age, I felt what I call the 'silent singing of the universe,' which are other words for grace. I feel very strongly the idea that we are all of one flesh, one blood, and that what we do to others, we do to ourselves.

I enjoy hearing from readers. You can e-mail me at [e-mail].

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Saint Mary's Press (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884896692
• ISBN-13: 978-0884896692
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,043,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Indonesia of French parents, Sophie Masson was sent to live with her paternal grandmother in Toulouse, France, when she was just a baby and lived there till she was nearly five, when her parents came back from Indonesia and took her to Australia. All the rest of her childhood, the family stayed in Australia, with frequent trips back to France, and this dual heritage underpins a good deal of Sophie's work.
Sophie's first book appeared in 1990 and since then she has published more than fifty novels, mainly for children and young adults, but with several for children as well. her books have been published in Australia, the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and many other countries. She has also had many short stories and articles published in newspapers, magazines, and online journals. She is a regular contributor to the writing blog Writer Unboxed(www.writerunboxed.com)
Sophie Masson lives in the high, cool New England tableland area of Northern New South Wales, Australia, with her husband. She has three grown-up children. She holds a BA and M.Litt in French and English literature, and is on the committee of the Australian Society of Authors.
Sophie's website is at www.sophiemasson.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Princess in Rags, a Dress of Feathers, a Tale Retold..., June 9, 2003

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Malkin (StarMaker Books) (Paperback)

"Malkin" (also published as "Cold Iron") would seem on the surface to have the rag-and-tatter clad Princess as its protagonist, shut away from her grieving grandfather's sight due to his beloved daughter's death at her birth. But it soon becomes clear, that the centre stage does not belong to the Lady Susanna (nicknamed Tattercoats because of her garb), but to her servent and friend Malkin, who would seem to be a mere serving maid in the house of the Baron. The story is told from her point of view, and as the tale progresses, we see that her own unique gifts and mysterious heritage is even more fascinating than the mistreated Tattercoats.

But Tattercoats is the key figure in motivating Malkin and the adventure that follows - when the forgotten Princess is invited to Queen Elizabeth's godson's birthday celebration Malkin and the gooseherd Pug are determined that she should inherit her birthright, and perhaps catch the eye of the young Earl of Malmsey. Pug directs Malkin in the fetching of a glorious bundle buried in the garden - a dress of feathers, a cap of moss, and two shoes of pleated grass. The trio set off towards court, gathering on the way the ministrel Gallimaufry, the drummer Tabor and the apothecary Pennyroyal.

But other forces are also on the move - the sinister, peacock-like Italian magician Oscuro who is the latest employee of the Baron to find his lost daughter, and who gives Malkin the chills, the glamour and strange workings of the gooseherd Pug, and even deeper magics in the form of the 'Other Country', and the creatures that dwell within it.

Sophie Masson mingles the old English fairytale "Tattercoats" (retold at the end of the book in her own words), the Shakespearean play "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and a bit of real English history to create a lovely story that is both new and familiar, touching on age old themes and ideas. Her poetic prose is beautiful to read, capturing every aspect from descriptions of scenery to human emotions elegantly and realistically. In Malkin, she has a strong, captivating heroine, gradually discovering the secrets to her past, and interacting well with those around her.

Although Pug (does that name ring a bell? - you've probably already guessed who he is with the mention of a Midsummer Night's Dream) is a nice, enigmatic character, Tattercoats is a little *too* good to be true, and didn't really hold my interest. She sighs in her unhappiness, giggles innocently in her joy and plays the damsel in distress one too many times for her to have any sort of character depth. I much prefer the less-perfect Malkin who has her moments of doubt, jealousy and frustration. Likewise, I could not really see the point of the trio's travelling companions Gallimaufry, Tabor or Pennyroyal - whenever they were in the action the pace tended to slow considerably, and they served no particular function so far as I could see, but to tag along (and their lack of reaction to the magical glamour around them was rather mind-boggling). Gallimaufry is Tattercoat's love interest, but their relationship is barely touched on at all. Again, I was more eager to get back to Malkin, and Sophie Masson could have gotten on much better with her original trio of travellers.

However, this is a great little book, beautifully written and created, filled with both old and new ideas, that Massonn shares with the reader in her 'Afterword' at the back of the book. Teachers or parents might be interested in using this book to introduce the Shakespeare play, or perhaps touch on Elizabethan history, but readers who love re-shaped or mingled fairytales will find little to complain about here. If you like this, I definitly recommend "The Perilous Gard", which is in much the same vein as "Malkin".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars magical juxtapositions, October 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Malkin (StarMaker Books) (Paperback)

Shakespeare blended the fairy world with mortal beings in Midsummer Night's Dream, but Ms. Masson goes one better by juxtaposing the court of Titania and Oberon with the court of Queen Elizabeth, and then adding a traditional English fairy tale to the mix. It's a lovely introduction to all three! I was not familiar with some of the traditions behind this story, but the author's voice is perfect for creating the proper mood and setting. The narrative slows down a bit in a few places, but it's fun to see the characters of the "Tattercoats" tale emerge in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" setting. This book is a lovely illustration of how human imagination touches and overlaps in folk tradition, art and history.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Malkin - a great story, May 17, 2003

By 

J. Roberts - See all my reviews

This review is from: Malkin (StarMaker Books) (Paperback)

Also published under the title of Cold Iron, this has the wonderful feeling of a primary fable, although it is woven from many different tales. I would suggest that this book is suitable for pre-teens to adults who are interested in faerie tales. The only reason that I do not give it five stars is that I think anything can be improved upon.