- Hardcover: 160 pages
- Publisher: Bodley Head Children's Books; First Edition edition (1 Mar 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0370325737
- ISBN-13: 978-0370325736
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,700,399 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Beguilers
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
A mystical tale from the multi-award-winning author of The Switchers Trilogy and The New Policeman
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
Every generation threw up a beguiler-hunter; a tragic soul considered by the rest of the villagers to be insane. Rilka knows she isn't mad. But the desire to catch a beguiler is about to change her life, and the lives of those around her for ever.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This lady really is a superb authoress with an incredible imagination.
The book is set around a mythical village somewhere in the past and the people are governed by Elders. Every month a meeting is held so that the villagers can declare their 'Intentions' or in some cases their 'Big Intentions'. Rifka, the heroine of our story is bored, bored with her life in the village so on one of these occasions she makes an announcement she is going to go and catch a Beguiler. These Beguilers are what the villagers consider the stuff of nightmares although they don't know what they are and as soon as night falls nobody is allowed outdoors in case the Beguilers 'get them'.
To make their life happy, instead of having pets like dogs, they own creatures called Chuffies who take on all their sadness and woes. Remember this as this is crucial to what Rifka eventually finds out about the Beguilers.
A moralistic tale in some ways but as usual well written, unusual and a really good read.
The book is set around a mythical village somewhere in the past and the people are governed by Elders. Every month a meeting is held so that the villagers can declare their 'Intentions' or in some cases their 'Big Intentions'. Rifka, the heroine of our story is bored, bored with her life in the village so on one of these occasions she makes an announcement she is going to go and catch a Beguiler. These Beguilers are what the villagers consider the stuff of nightmares although they don't know what they are and as soon as night falls nobody is allowed outdoors in case the Beguilers 'get them'.
To make their life happy, instead of having pets like dogs, they own creatures called Chuffies who take on all their sadness and woes. Remember this as this is crucial to what Rifka eventually finds out about the Beguilers.
A moralistic tale in some ways but as usual well written, unusual and a really good read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Entertaining story, good characterization
15 Jan 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is an entertaining (and relatively short) story about a young woman coming-of-age, learning about personal responsibility and commitment to one's dreams. The universe that the author created is interesting, the characters are largely believeable, and the tale kept my interest. It was a fine book to read on an airline flight... not a story to change one's life, but better-than-usual mind candy.
Some of the society's features were rather appealing, such as a monthly tradition among the townspeople to state your Intentions (i.e. your current short-term goals) and report how you'd done on the last one. Other story elements are a little simplistic, but not in an annoying way.
Adults shouldn't think this is a story only for kids; I didn't realize this book was classified as Young Adult until I looked at the Amazon listing. The writing isn't "childish" in any way, though there's nothing offensive to younger readers.
Some of the society's features were rather appealing, such as a monthly tradition among the townspeople to state your Intentions (i.e. your current short-term goals) and report how you'd done on the last one. Other story elements are a little simplistic, but not in an annoying way.
Adults shouldn't think this is a story only for kids; I didn't realize this book was classified as Young Adult until I looked at the Amazon listing. The writing isn't "childish" in any way, though there's nothing offensive to younger readers.
Short and Sweet
8 Sep 2007
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Most people know Kate Thompson from her Switchers Series. I didn't know she had any other books till I found this one in a used bookstore.
Let me start off by saying that The Beguilers is very underrated. It's a lovely coming-of-age book about a girl who is different and discovers what her path is in life (okay, I know that every YA book is like this, but somehow, Thompson's writing makes it work).
In Rilka's village, nobody is allowed to go out after dark because of beguilers, which are mysterious, luminous ghosts that "lure you to your death." Kate Thompson writes without being overly ridiculous of "jubjub" fruits and the chuffies (which are very friendly, emotion-sensing dogs) that Rilka is allergic to. Being allergic to these lovable pets makes her fit in even less and she often dreams about life outside the village. So for her Great Intention in life Rilka decides to capture a beguiler.
She sets out on her journey as an awkward, outcast of a girl. After listening to the advice of an eccentric, elderly woman, setting off expecting to die, foraging her way through the wild and befriending a handsome young blind boy, she discovers the beguilers' secret. When this happens, the reader will understand what the beguiler stands for and why Rilka makes the choice that she does. The secret isn't even that important, but Rilka's journey is.
Readers will rejoice at her triumphs and be proud of the wise woman she becomes.
Let me start off by saying that The Beguilers is very underrated. It's a lovely coming-of-age book about a girl who is different and discovers what her path is in life (okay, I know that every YA book is like this, but somehow, Thompson's writing makes it work).
In Rilka's village, nobody is allowed to go out after dark because of beguilers, which are mysterious, luminous ghosts that "lure you to your death." Kate Thompson writes without being overly ridiculous of "jubjub" fruits and the chuffies (which are very friendly, emotion-sensing dogs) that Rilka is allergic to. Being allergic to these lovable pets makes her fit in even less and she often dreams about life outside the village. So for her Great Intention in life Rilka decides to capture a beguiler.
She sets out on her journey as an awkward, outcast of a girl. After listening to the advice of an eccentric, elderly woman, setting off expecting to die, foraging her way through the wild and befriending a handsome young blind boy, she discovers the beguilers' secret. When this happens, the reader will understand what the beguiler stands for and why Rilka makes the choice that she does. The secret isn't even that important, but Rilka's journey is.
Readers will rejoice at her triumphs and be proud of the wise woman she becomes.
An great book
13 Jun 2006
Format:Hardcover
an exellent book, a bit short and rushed, but great nontheless. some parts i didn't understand, but that may just be me
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