Woodenface

Gus Grenfell

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Meg is a Maker, pouring life into the wooden dolls she carves. Accused of witchcraft, she flees to Halifax, only to find her father in jail, facing death by the gibbet. Desperate to save him, she must first learn what being a Maker really means - and confront the demons that stalk her.

Meg has somehow always know about the ancient power of trees and wood. She loves carving and her little wooden figures take on a life of their own. There's Dilly-Lal, always ready to dance; the Seeing-Eye, which lets Meg see places even though she's not there; and there's Bolly-Bolly, carved from a special tree and full of magic - if he feels like cooperating.

An atmospheric novel set in the dark and dangerous world of seventeeth-century England.

Age: 9 years +

Review by Jessica (270909) Rating (8/10)

Review by Jessica
Rating 8/10
Gus Grenfell has had many jobs including a market researcher, folk musician and a teacher working with adults with learning disabilities.
He has had many short stories and poems published as well as an adult novel. Gus lives with his wife Tessa, who is a weaver, and their three cats plus dog, on the Isle of Arran. He did live in the Yorkshire Pennines where Woodenface is set where he ran a small-holding raising cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, hens and six children! This is his first novel for younger readers.

The cover of this book is striking and unusual and makes you immediately want to open it and read - you will not be disappointed!

Woodenface is set in Heptonstall in the Yorkshire Pennines. The graveyard of St Thomas's church is a mysterious and atmospheric place and this is where Meg begins to imagine the graves as being empty apart from a skeleton although she is able to see their restless souls floating around. Meg always carries with her a bag of little dolls or figures as she calls them which she has made herself. Dilly-Lal who wants to dance, Drum-a-Dum who always wanted to play his little drum and also Bolly-Bolly who was carved out of a very special tree - Meg would play with them on the gravestones.

Eventually Meg had to run away because she was accused of causing a young girl to behave in a strange and violent way. Meg was terrified although she could quite often see things happening to other people as she played with her dolls.

Historical facts about the Puritans and local characters of the time in the seventeenth century around Heptonstall and Halifax give the book a real identity. How Meg uses her amazing powers and what occurs makes fascinating reading.

A brilliant first novel for younger readers.
Jessica (27th September 2009)