Status
Available
Local notes
PB Bil
Collection
Publication
Aladdin (2002), 176 pages
Description
Orphaned Corinna disguises herself as a boy to pose as a Folk Keeper, one who keeps the Evil Folk at bay, and discovers her heritage as a seal maiden when she is taken to live with a wealthy family in their manor by the sea.
Awards
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Winner — Fiction — 2000)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2000)
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Grades 4-8 — 2005)
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (1999)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1999
Physical description
176 p.; 7.66 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member quigui
The Folk Keeper is a small book, the story Corinna, a young girl that disguises herself as a boy, Corin, to be able to be a Folk Keeper. Being a Folk Keeper is all she ever wanted to do. But when she is summoned by Lord Merton to be the Folk Keeper of the huge estate in Cliffsend she starts to see
Of course there are some good things to her new life in Cliffsend, Corinna lives with more comfort, and gains a friend, Finian, who is the reluctant heir to Merton Hall – he would much rather be a fisherman or a sailor. And then there are bad things that happen, of course, otherwise there would be no story.
I liked Corinna because she is not the sweet little girl one would expect of a children's book. She is angry and vindictive at times, and always makes sure she comes out on top. As I read the book, which is in diary form, I started to realize why she is the way she is. She is an orphan, and a girl, which would mean a life of being a servant. But she decides to pose as a boy, gathering the knowledge of Folk Keepers apprentices in exchange of doing chores, and making sure that wherever she is Folk Keeper, she is essential.
This may seem cold, and in a way, Corinna is cold. But it left an opening for a great duo, between her and Finian, who is the sweetest and most cheerful of people. He has a deeper intelligence, and see things that others don't – not through any special power, but because he cares enough to look.
The action, though, has very little to do with their interaction, and more with Corinna discovering herself. And I also liked that part – there was a bit of darkness in it, with stories of crazy maidens and forays into graveyards in the middle of the night and murder attempts! And all in such a tiny book!
The feeling at the end was of a pleasant book. Not stellar, but it will leave your heart a little bit warmer.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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that maybe being a Folk Keeper is not all that it's cracked to be. There the Folk are vicious, and her own powers seem to lose strength.Of course there are some good things to her new life in Cliffsend, Corinna lives with more comfort, and gains a friend, Finian, who is the reluctant heir to Merton Hall – he would much rather be a fisherman or a sailor. And then there are bad things that happen, of course, otherwise there would be no story.
I liked Corinna because she is not the sweet little girl one would expect of a children's book. She is angry and vindictive at times, and always makes sure she comes out on top. As I read the book, which is in diary form, I started to realize why she is the way she is. She is an orphan, and a girl, which would mean a life of being a servant. But she decides to pose as a boy, gathering the knowledge of Folk Keepers apprentices in exchange of doing chores, and making sure that wherever she is Folk Keeper, she is essential.
This may seem cold, and in a way, Corinna is cold. But it left an opening for a great duo, between her and Finian, who is the sweetest and most cheerful of people. He has a deeper intelligence, and see things that others don't – not through any special power, but because he cares enough to look.
The action, though, has very little to do with their interaction, and more with Corinna discovering herself. And I also liked that part – there was a bit of darkness in it, with stories of crazy maidens and forays into graveyards in the middle of the night and murder attempts! And all in such a tiny book!
The feeling at the end was of a pleasant book. Not stellar, but it will leave your heart a little bit warmer.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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LibraryThing member Nandakishore_Varma
I usually don't read YA: just picked up this book at a garage sale without knowing what it was, read two pages and abandoned it. I went back to it only because I wanted a slim volume to keep up my book count for the reading challenge... but now I am glad that I did. Good for goodreads!
I am in two
Corinna Stonewall is an orphan and a Folk-Keeper. She dresses up as a boy (Corin) and lives in the cellar of the Rhysbridge orphanage. Her task is to keep the Folk (beings which are "mostly wet mouth and teeth" - brr! Right out of M.R.James, that) from working their black magic and spoiling food and harvest, by continuously feeding them. She is jerked out of this less than idyllic but stable existence and hauled off to Cliffsend in the Northern Isles, by Lord Merton and his wife Lady Alicia, along with Lord Merton's cousin Edward. Lord Merton dies immediately after meeting Corinna, after startling her with knowledge of her secrets: but he intrigues her enough to persuade her to travel.
Once at Cliffsend, Corinna begins to make startling discoveries about her true nature. The Folk are stronger here, but they are not the only denizens that inhabit the twilight world between reality and fantasy. As Corinna slowly discovers her kinship to them, the secrets of her past are also slowly revealed.
The Folk Keeper is a fairy tale and Gothic romance rolled into one. The author makes use of common devices of both the genres and merges them seamlessly. I could feel the bite of the cold wind at Cliffsend, and the woodland sprites flitting about at the corner of my vision. And the resolution is satisfying to both genres.
This is also a coming-of-age story, and a Hero's journey, where the heroine finds her true nature at the end (though not in the way we expect).
Why only the three stars then? Well, as mentioned in the beginning, the story is spread too thin. It seems as though Ms. Billingsley was in a hurry to get the novel out. I can't help feeling that this is one book which would have been better if it had been a little fatter.
I am in two
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minds about this book. The premise and story are superb, and the characters are drawn with a few deft brush-strokes. But this book is too thin, almost an outline for a novel than a novel itself. The beginning is so abrupt that I was tossed head-first into the middle of the story, and it took me quite some time to regain my breath: then some more time was spent on getting my bearings in this strange universe into which I had descended. Then, I was captivated.Corinna Stonewall is an orphan and a Folk-Keeper. She dresses up as a boy (Corin) and lives in the cellar of the Rhysbridge orphanage. Her task is to keep the Folk (beings which are "mostly wet mouth and teeth" - brr! Right out of M.R.James, that) from working their black magic and spoiling food and harvest, by continuously feeding them. She is jerked out of this less than idyllic but stable existence and hauled off to Cliffsend in the Northern Isles, by Lord Merton and his wife Lady Alicia, along with Lord Merton's cousin Edward. Lord Merton dies immediately after meeting Corinna, after startling her with knowledge of her secrets: but he intrigues her enough to persuade her to travel.
Once at Cliffsend, Corinna begins to make startling discoveries about her true nature. The Folk are stronger here, but they are not the only denizens that inhabit the twilight world between reality and fantasy. As Corinna slowly discovers her kinship to them, the secrets of her past are also slowly revealed.
The Folk Keeper is a fairy tale and Gothic romance rolled into one. The author makes use of common devices of both the genres and merges them seamlessly. I could feel the bite of the cold wind at Cliffsend, and the woodland sprites flitting about at the corner of my vision. And the resolution is satisfying to both genres.
This is also a coming-of-age story, and a Hero's journey, where the heroine finds her true nature at the end (though not in the way we expect).
Why only the three stars then? Well, as mentioned in the beginning, the story is spread too thin. It seems as though Ms. Billingsley was in a hurry to get the novel out. I can't help feeling that this is one book which would have been better if it had been a little fatter.
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LibraryThing member sagrundman
The Folk Keeper is a fantasy book by Fanny Billingsley. The book is the diary of Corianna, a young foundling who disguises herself as a boy (Corin) to become a Folk Keeper. The dairy follows her through her new life as the Folk Keeper at Cliffsend. Although it is not explained well in the book, a
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Folk Keeper is one who feeds the demons that dwell under a town or estate. Through her trials at Cliffsend, she finds out that she is a seal maiden and the daughter of the Lord of Cliffsend. The main human enemy in this book tries to kill her and the man she ends up loving many times, trying to burn her seal skin. In the end, she must decide between her love and the sea. The book has an overlying theme of good vs. evil, evil being personified as the Folk and the human enemy. The three star review is based on the fact that the book felt very disjointed at time, being split up as a diary, the days did not follow any path and many of the concepts of the book were not explained. This lead me confused and wondering if there would be a possible prequel or sequel. This book is written for 4th- 8th graders, but with the disjointedness and missing concepts I would recommend this for the upper of this range. Show Less
LibraryThing member jayde1599
Synopsis: A juvenile fantasy book told through the eyes of Corinna as written in her diary. Corinna is a strong willed girl who takes control of her life after being sent from one orphanage to another. She disguises herself as a boy so she could become a Folk Keeper - one who keeps the Evil ones
Pros and Cons: This juvenile fantasy book takes the reader on a pleasant journey with some exceptions.
What I liked: I liked that Corinna is portrayed as a strong female protagonist, even though she disguises herself as a boy for the first half of the book. She takes control of her destiny and does what she needs to do to survive and better her life. I liked the theme of Old World superstitions of Evil Folk, selkies, animal folk and solstice festivals. The characters, especially Corin/Corinna were very compelling and the reader can become emotionally invested.
What I didn't enjoy: I think the book could have used a better editor. There really is not a clear explanation of what the Folk are, other than beings who spoil milk and kill animals. Many of the parts and times throughout the book are disjointed sequences. If the book hadn't been set up as a diary, I would have been very confused. There were a few mythologies/superstitions to keep up with, and would have gone much smoother with a better connection and editing.
The book is written for 8-12 year olds....but may be difficult to comprehend with the disjointedness. The older age group would be better as the story is gets really interesting halfway through.
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from wrecking havoc to the human households. Corinna is an observant and secretive child, who picks up the ways of a Folk Keeper by trading chores with the boys and keeping an ear at the market. As the boy Corin, she spends her time in the cellar looking after the Folk, until one day a Lady Angela comes to the home asking for Corinna Stonewall. Corinna decides to follow Lady Angela and her son back to their manor by the sea, as long as she can remain a Folk Keeper. Here, the Folk are much fiercer and Corinna runs into some trouble, learns new secrets, and discovers her true destiny. Pros and Cons: This juvenile fantasy book takes the reader on a pleasant journey with some exceptions.
What I liked: I liked that Corinna is portrayed as a strong female protagonist, even though she disguises herself as a boy for the first half of the book. She takes control of her destiny and does what she needs to do to survive and better her life. I liked the theme of Old World superstitions of Evil Folk, selkies, animal folk and solstice festivals. The characters, especially Corin/Corinna were very compelling and the reader can become emotionally invested.
What I didn't enjoy: I think the book could have used a better editor. There really is not a clear explanation of what the Folk are, other than beings who spoil milk and kill animals. Many of the parts and times throughout the book are disjointed sequences. If the book hadn't been set up as a diary, I would have been very confused. There were a few mythologies/superstitions to keep up with, and would have gone much smoother with a better connection and editing.
The book is written for 8-12 year olds....but may be difficult to comprehend with the disjointedness. The older age group would be better as the story is gets really interesting halfway through.
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LibraryThing member beserene
I first encountered Billingsley when I read 'Well Wished' and was enchanted by her simple, yet imaginitive fairy-tale style. 'The Folk Keeper', while darker than I recall the other Billingsley book being, is equally charming. The folklore origins are a bit more obscure in this book, but the ideas
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are recognizable enough that those who enjoy folk and fairy tales will be satisfied, and those who aren't on such close terms with the subject will not be lost. Even more delightful -- as far as I know, Billingsley's books are not series, but stand on their own as quick, thoughtful, and pleasant reads. Show Less
LibraryThing member sbigger
The Folk Keeper is a fantasy book by Fanny Billingsley. The book is the diary of Corianna, a young foundling who disguises herself as a boy (Corin) to become a Folk Keeper. The dairy follows her through her new life as the Folk Keeper at Cliffsend. Although it is not explained well in the book, a
Show More
Folk Keeper is one who feeds the demons that dwell under a town or estate. Through her trials at Cliffsend, she finds out that she is a seal maiden and the daughter of the Lord of Cliffsend. The main human enemy in this book tries to kill her and the man she ends up loving many times, trying to burn her seal skin. In the end, she must decide between her love and the sea. The book has an overlying theme of good vs. evil, evil being personified as the Folk and the human enemy. The three star review is based on the fact that the book felt very disjointed at time, being split up as a diary, the days did not follow any path and many of the concepts of the book were not explained. This lead me confused and wondering if there would be a possible prequel or sequel. This book is written for 4th- 8th graders, but with the disjointedness and missing concepts I would recommend this for the upper of this range. Show Less
LibraryThing member buoyread
Corinna Stonewall deigned avoid her fate as a servant girl, and knowing that boys have it better, she dons boy's clothing, cuts off her hair everyday (her hair grows two inches every night), and learns the trade of the Folk Keeper. The folk keeper tends to the feared Folk, who lives underground
Packing a girrrl power, fantasy, mystery, and romantic punch, this story will undoubtedly bring you back to the days when you used to beg your mom or dad to read a bedtime story to you. However, as soon as you settled into that feeling, Corinna's narration through her journal, Corinna's Folk Record, will have you bristling at her haunting, self-aware, vengeful, and hard-hearted recollection of events past. The imagery and tone of this story will have you turning the pages faster than you would like to reach that final resolution that will surprise, delight, and touch every reader.
From her journal entries, one might infer that Corinna is a strong, fearless young woman. But as the story progresses, one will realize just the opposite - Corinna is a sensitive, insecure, frightened little girl who covers her feelings of ineptitude with hardness. Every inch of her life, every spot of her personality, everything about this story is all about disguises. Corinna hides her fears, and she disguises her gender, and then she eventually learns things about herself which has been disguised by history.
I would just like to comment though, on the flatness of the other character's personalities. Finian and the Lady Alicia would have been more likable had more depth been written into their characters. But then, this story is told through the entries in Corinna's journal, which may explain for the lack of perspective into these other characters.
Until now, I am struggling to find words good enough to describe the enjoyment to be had from this book. I read this a long time ago, and yet when I remember the story, I get all excited, like coming across a beautiful piece of artwork that I could not bear to leave behind. Unfortunately, my copy was lent to a former friend who never returned it to me. I am definitely going to get another copy of this one, and reread it all over again.
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constantly angry and ravenous, spoils the milk, rots eggs and meat, and ruins crops. But when she is summoned to Merton Hall to be its new Folk Keeper, she discovers haunting, dangerous, and liberating secrets that involve the Lord of Merton Hall - and herself.Packing a girrrl power, fantasy, mystery, and romantic punch, this story will undoubtedly bring you back to the days when you used to beg your mom or dad to read a bedtime story to you. However, as soon as you settled into that feeling, Corinna's narration through her journal, Corinna's Folk Record, will have you bristling at her haunting, self-aware, vengeful, and hard-hearted recollection of events past. The imagery and tone of this story will have you turning the pages faster than you would like to reach that final resolution that will surprise, delight, and touch every reader.
From her journal entries, one might infer that Corinna is a strong, fearless young woman. But as the story progresses, one will realize just the opposite - Corinna is a sensitive, insecure, frightened little girl who covers her feelings of ineptitude with hardness. Every inch of her life, every spot of her personality, everything about this story is all about disguises. Corinna hides her fears, and she disguises her gender, and then she eventually learns things about herself which has been disguised by history.
I would just like to comment though, on the flatness of the other character's personalities. Finian and the Lady Alicia would have been more likable had more depth been written into their characters. But then, this story is told through the entries in Corinna's journal, which may explain for the lack of perspective into these other characters.
Until now, I am struggling to find words good enough to describe the enjoyment to be had from this book. I read this a long time ago, and yet when I remember the story, I get all excited, like coming across a beautiful piece of artwork that I could not bear to leave behind. Unfortunately, my copy was lent to a former friend who never returned it to me. I am definitely going to get another copy of this one, and reread it all over again.
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LibraryThing member julieah
Fifteen year old orphan, Corinna Stonewall is in a hierarchical world that she disagrees with. Instead of giving in to society and becoming a servant, Corinna changes her identity to a boy named Corin and becomes a “Folk keeper.” Corin’s job is to protect the village against the underground
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creatures. Corin’s adventures continue, fighting off beasts and even discovering special powers. She begins to struggle to keep her identity a secret and at the same time make discoveries about her past. Billingsley uses very strong visual imagery in his novel, which puts the reader almost disoriented but in Corinna’s world. This book would be a great edition in a 4th-6th grade classroom library in the fantasy novel section. It would also be a nice book to carry on the shelves in a middle school library. With an exciting plot and a female hero, this could be a nice piece to recommend young girls branching off into the fantasy genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
I saw a review for this book on another blog and it sounded fantastic so I ordered a copy through paperbackswap(dot)com. I am so happy I did it, was an absolutely fantastic read. I wonderful story with a fairy tale feel to it that had some neat twists at the end and a feel good ending.
Fifteen year
This book is short, but has a very fantastic story in that short space. The story has a traditional dark fairy tale feel to it. Corinna has a very vengeful attitude early on in the book and is not a character that is easy to like. As her story unfolds though so does she. She learns about parts of herself she's been cut off from and grows into a character to be admired and enjoyed.
The writing style is descriptive and does a good job of making the environments come alive; the characters are engaging and likable. This is a pretty dark story overall, but it ends in a way that makes the reader feel happy and uplifted. The plot has some large twists towards the end that took me by surprise, but in hindsight made perfect sense. It takes a skillful author to weave these subtle hints throughout the plot and still have the story be surprising.
I will say that in the beginning of the book there were some turns of phrase that were a bit confusing and the story was a bit slow. This was quickly remedied as the book continued and by the end I was absolutely blown away by the skillfully told story.
Overall an excellent read and I am so glad that I read it. Fans of stories with a fairy tale feel to them or stories about the fey folk cast in a darker light should really enjoy this story. It is appropriate for middle grade and up reading levels. I will definitely be checking out more stories by Billingsley. Right now she has a new YA novel out called Chime, so if you enjoyed this book you may want to check that one out...I know I am going to!
Fifteen year
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old Corinna Stonewall is masquerading as a boy and as a Folk Keeper in order to avoid a life as a servant. Then a lord and lady come to disrupt her life by telling her she is the son of a nobleman and needs to claim her place. She agrees but only if she can be their Folk Keeper. Her new home of Cliffsend has Folk more viscous than those she has ever seen before and there are secrets here that run deep that Corinna must find the answers too.This book is short, but has a very fantastic story in that short space. The story has a traditional dark fairy tale feel to it. Corinna has a very vengeful attitude early on in the book and is not a character that is easy to like. As her story unfolds though so does she. She learns about parts of herself she's been cut off from and grows into a character to be admired and enjoyed.
The writing style is descriptive and does a good job of making the environments come alive; the characters are engaging and likable. This is a pretty dark story overall, but it ends in a way that makes the reader feel happy and uplifted. The plot has some large twists towards the end that took me by surprise, but in hindsight made perfect sense. It takes a skillful author to weave these subtle hints throughout the plot and still have the story be surprising.
I will say that in the beginning of the book there were some turns of phrase that were a bit confusing and the story was a bit slow. This was quickly remedied as the book continued and by the end I was absolutely blown away by the skillfully told story.
Overall an excellent read and I am so glad that I read it. Fans of stories with a fairy tale feel to them or stories about the fey folk cast in a darker light should really enjoy this story. It is appropriate for middle grade and up reading levels. I will definitely be checking out more stories by Billingsley. Right now she has a new YA novel out called Chime, so if you enjoyed this book you may want to check that one out...I know I am going to!
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LibraryThing member Capnrandm
This is a wonderful book. Normally I dislike books told through letters and journals, as by design the action is taking place before or after the present writing. However, Corin's journal and experiences paint the world around her, her blindspots and insights as important as the events she writes
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about. Having the story told through her written thoughts, rather than an omniscient perspective in her head, was a critical component that made this book all the more effective. Reading THE FOLK KEEPER felt like nothing so much as a treasure hunt, gathering pieces of Corin and fitting them together to form a whole. Though Billingsley has created a startlingly creative world, she manages to keep it grounded and explainable in a way that makes it all the more fantastic. A wonderful fairy tale, I can’t wait to read more by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member Inky_Fingers
Not as fabulous as Well Wished, but still a very compelling book, full of very deep and serious magic. I am a Billinglsey fan.
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Quite charming little book about a selkie girl who doesn't know that's what she is. She's not particularly sympathetic to begin with, but she improves with self-knowledge. And she's certainly no pushover.
LibraryThing member cindywho
Not as fabulous as Chime, but still a charming story from the point of view of a strange girl with goals...
LibraryThing member LarissaBookGirl
As Corin, Corinna has been able to trade her time and chores for skills and spells. This was essential to her plans, for only as a boy could she become educated and only with education could she become a Folk Keeper. At a young age Corinna learnt that only through power over others could she obtain
For years Corinna kept her secrets; her secret knowledge, her magic abilities, her convictions that kept her through the tough times. Everything that made Corinna who she is was hidden behind the façade of Corin. But then one day a Lady arrived at the orphanage to fetch her and take her to a new home, here the hard and disciplined Corin is stripped away and only the vulnerable and stubborn Corinna is left behind.
The Folk Keeper is a beautifully unique story of a girl searching for her place in the world. Written with poetic language and a descriptive style, this complex story is full of vivid characters, mystery, charm and charms. A tale of transformation, homecoming and murderous plots; this story is just another reason why Franny Billingsley is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.
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what she wanted and what she wanted was the cold and dark place where she belonged.For years Corinna kept her secrets; her secret knowledge, her magic abilities, her convictions that kept her through the tough times. Everything that made Corinna who she is was hidden behind the façade of Corin. But then one day a Lady arrived at the orphanage to fetch her and take her to a new home, here the hard and disciplined Corin is stripped away and only the vulnerable and stubborn Corinna is left behind.
The Folk Keeper is a beautifully unique story of a girl searching for her place in the world. Written with poetic language and a descriptive style, this complex story is full of vivid characters, mystery, charm and charms. A tale of transformation, homecoming and murderous plots; this story is just another reason why Franny Billingsley is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.
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Pages
176