A Skinful Of Shadows

Author: Frances Hardinge

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General Fields

Price : 20.00 NZD
ISBN : 9781509835508
Publisher : PAN MACMILLAN UK
Imprint : Macmillan Children's Books
Contained items :
Weight (g) : 0.321
Publication date : April 2018
Dimensions : 197mm X 130mm
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Availability date : May 2018
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Product Type : books

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color :
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Author : Frances Hardinge
Series :
Bind : Paperback
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Illustrator :
Language : English
Dewey classification : 823.92
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9781509835508

Local Description

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STELLA'S REVIEW:
A Skinful of Shadows is an immensely compelling novel for children and adults alike. Like Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge creates wonderful characters, intriguing plots, and ideas that will stay with you long after you shut the covers. In 2015, she won Costa Book of Year in 2015 with The Lie Tree an intriguing tale of truth, science and faith set in the Victorian era on a remote island. A Skinful of Shadows is set in England in the 1640s, the Civil War is brewing, Puritans and Catholics are at loggerheads, and so are the King and parliament. In a small village called Popular, Makepeace lives with her mother. Making a piecemeal living from lace-making and odd jobs, they live in a small barren room in the home of her aunt and uncle, barely accepted by them or the village. When her mother dies, Makepeace is sent to the home of the aristocratic Fellmotte family, where she becomes a kitchen skivvy. Makepeace, an illegitimate child, has the Fellmotte gene, one that enables them to possess ghosts. The Fellmottes have dangerous and dark plans for her - ones that will consume her in their obsession to preserve the family line, the Fellmotte power and property. Not everyone is an enemy, though, and she makes plans with her half-brother James to escape Grizehayes. After many failed attempts, the chaos of the Civil War gives them the perfect opportunity to escape. When James lets her down, Makepeace finds herself in an even more precarious situation, but with the help of a bear and her overwhelming desire to survive she begins a journey across England to find a document worth more than gold, a document that will grant her freedom from the Fellmotte family and ensure their fall from grace. Like all good mysteries, there are plenty of turns and forks on the road, and those that help and those that hinder. Yet the more intriguing elements are those that involve the ghosts or the souls that are possessed, some of which are malevolent, others helpful. Makepeace is an excellent heroine and her relationship with Bear is endearing. A story about power, possession and purpose, it’s on my list of excellent children’s books.

Description

A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled' - Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent
Frances Hardinge weaves a dark, otherworldly tale in A Skinful of Shadows, her first book since the Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree.

When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding. Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment.
And now there's a ghost inside her. The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession - or death.

Promotion info

The stunning story of a young girl's quest to shape her own destiny from the author of The Lie Tree, winner of the Costa Book Award 2015

Awards

Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2017.

Reviews

Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now. -- Patrick Ness 'A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. The striking originality of its magical element is matched by a thrilling depiction of a 17th century England riven with political and religious unease. At the centre of the novel, young Makepeace is a vital and engaging presence amid a cast of extraordinary and villainous characters, and she had my heart from the first. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled' -- Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent Hardinge is a talent who deserves to be read by children and adults alike. * Guardian * Hardinge's hypnotic prose and resourceful heroine will appeal to young adults and adult readers alike. * The Mail on Sunday * Hardinge's tale of ghosts, puritans and shaping your own destiny is an unmissable, hypnotic treat. * Observer Children's Book of the Week * Creepy, clever and mind-blowing. * Emerald Street * Chillingly atmospheric, historically fascinating, it's also blackly comic in parts and beautifully written. * Daily Mail *

Author description

Frances Hardinge spent her childhood in a huge old house that inspired her to write strange stories from an early age. She read English at Oxford University, then got a job at a software company. However, by this time a persistent friend had finally managed to bully Frances into sending a few chapters of Fly By Night, her first children's novel, to a publisher. Macmillan made her an immediate offer. The book went on to publish to huge critical acclaim and win the Branford Boase First Novel Award. Known for her beautiful use of language, she has since written many critically acclaimed novels, including Verdigris Deep, Cuckoo Song, and the Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree.