Gatty's Tale (Hardcover)

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• This item: Gatty's Tale by Kevin Crossley-Holland

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BOOKTRUST BEST BOOK GUIDE 2007
'This exciting story is peppered with memorable characters and the parallels between the religious climate at the time of the crusades and today are particularly relevant.'

Review
'My top pick this month... Kevin Crossley-Holland's depiction of the medieval setting is meticulous, but ultimately this is a novel about heart and song, with the capacity to lift the spirits and move to tears.' (Nikki Gamble THE BOOKSELLER )

'[Gatty] rises from the pages, staunch, resolute, frank, sincere and so alive that you feel you could almost touch her... an epic, sweeping book, perfectly realised.' (Jill Murphy THEBOOKBAG.CO.UK )

'The fourth and final part of this remarkable series of books based on Arthurian legends. Gatty, the peasant girl full of courage and spirit sets off on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, hoping to meet Arthur who has gone on Crusade. All of medieval Europe is brought to life.' (UNDERCOVER (Heywood Hill Bookshop) )

'one of our most acclaimed and successful children's prose writers.' (Peter Stanford THE INDEPENDENT )

'Chapters are wonderfully crafted, short and accessible... Passages on Gatty's experiences in London, Venice and Jerusalem are startling in their beauty and musicality.' (Colin Mills BOOKS FOR KEEPS )

'Crossley-Holland's taut, gutsy, ever-inventive prose lifts the Middle Ages and all its sights, smells, privations and wonders off the page. This is a classic odyssey and a crossover novel that both adults and young people will cherish.' (Elaine Williams TES )

'As ever, Kevin Crossley-Holland writes with his special blend of the precise, the poetic adn the demotic, and imbues his tale with the colour, freshness and vigour of a Renaissance painting. And, again, his instinct for that characteristic medieval amalgam of the spiritual and th earthbound is unerring. But this is Gatty's book. Graceful, homely, profound, beautiful, strong, dignified, and Everywoman: a great liteary creation. Her presence lingers, like a perfume.' (Chris Stephenson CAROUSEL )

'a masterful celebration of the medieval world...Crossley-Holland stitches a tapestry of 13th-century art that will long adorn the wall of imaginative minds.' (Colin Gardiner OXFORD TIMES )

'It can't be long before the name Kevin Crossley-Holland is uttered in the same sentence as 'national institution'. His writing is evocative, lively and sharp; he brings history to life on the page so well that readers barely realise they are learning as well as enjoying fiction... There are moments when your eyes will brim with tears and when you feel inspired by such and audacious exercise to praise God. Throughout, you will be swept away.' (Jayne Howarth BIRMINGHAM POST )

'Gatty, the feisty farm girl, stars in her own adventure, Gatty's Tale. She is an engaging heroine, funny and self-reliant, as always. Rich in historical detail, this impressive book takes her to Jerusalem on a 13th-century pilgrimage. A very satisfying read.' (Georgia Metcalfe DAILY MAIL )

'Crossley-Holland is something of a wizard when it comes to evoking the texture of everyday medieval life... Gatty's Tale is a lovely addition to [his] magical re-imagining of the medieval world.' (Kathryn Hughes THE GUARDIAN )

'skilfully wrought and compelling... [Gatty's] transformation from ignorant peasant to accomplished and educated young lady is encapsulated exquisitely in the image of her gorgeous silk gown emerging from he cocoon fo the rough, grey material of her pilgrim's cloak as she is reunited with Arthur in the aisle of the church.' (Carole Redford INIS (Ireland) )

'The heroine of this novel belongs to a medieval world as luminously coloured, as closely linked to nature and as drenched in spirituality as the illuminations in a book of hours.... The medieval perception that the pattern of Christ's life is deeply imprinted on time and human life comes across beautifully.' (Julian Margaret Gibbs THE TABLET )

'The weight of research undertaken by Crossley-Holland is palpable... his descriptions of life on the Marches, across Europe and the Middle East resonate with grubby realism... However... the author infuses the saga with enchantment.' (Natalie Bushe THE HERALD (Glasgow) )

'written with exquisite simplicity and subtlety, and with an utterly satisfying finale. There is a Canterbury Tales feel about the range of characters as Gatty travels to the East. They illuminate an age which shared all our modern emotions but interpreted their surroundings differently. Read this one aloud: you'll enjoy the song in its writing every bit as much as your children do.' (Christina Hardyment THE INDEPENDENT )

'Readers will be enchanted by this rich and fascinating book. It will gladden their hearts, test their compassion, fuel their thinking and challenge their assumptions about faith, life and humanity.' (WRITE AWAY )

'Many features of the text intrigue me, including the faint but discernible echoes of earlier travellers' tales. The feeling of the long time the journey takes is in counterpoint with the speed of events. The onward thrust of the narrative is sustained by the continuous, interactive talk of the pilgrims.' (Margaret Meek SCHOOL LIBRARIAN )

'One of the joys of this book is its clear, poetic depection of this extraordinary journey.' (Ann Turnbull HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW )

'a really good adventure story... The setting is medieval Europe and the author gives a vivid picture of what life was like at that time.' (Hannah Jones TEEN TITLES )

'This exciting story is peppered with memorable characters and the parallels between the religious climate at the time of the crusades and today are particularly relevant.' (BOOKTRUST BEST BOOK GUIDE 2007 )

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10 Reviews 5 star:  (7) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 4.1 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   13 of 16 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A joyful, tear-jerking book, 23 Mar 2007 By  Chevening pupils "Y6 Cool Reads" (UK) - See all my reviews Incredible! Once more Kevin Crossly-Holland makes a superb creation! This book does not give you time to slump back in your seat, for once it's done with one tantalising moment it's on to another. Short, snappy sentences are perfect for this type of book. Again Holland is pure genius! In the year 1203 we meet Gatty (servant to Sir John) who has a voice of an untrained angel. One day Sir John hears her singing in the field and contacts his good friend Lady Gwyneth who states that she is in need of a second chamber maid and Gatty's voice may be just the thing she needs; because Lady Gwyneth and some associates are going on a dangerous and daring pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the holy land, but who knows whether they will make it... This is a story of plain field girl who faces thieves, murderous Saracens and ghastly men. But once she gets through all the tasks that await her there is a glorious prize to be had - that no one would ever have dreamt of! It amazes me how much Kevin Crossly's writing can touch someone so much compared to his other creations. Beautifully written, Gatty's Tale devours a medal for the tenderness but simplicity of story. While reading you totally get to know Gatty and the rest of the characters and begin to feel their worries and woes. All in all I would recommend this book to anyone! Robyn Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable, 30 Jan 2009 By  Hamstead (Midlands UK) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Gatty's Tale (Mass Market Paperback) Paraphrased from the back blurb on the paperback: 'In the year 1203, nine companions set out from Wales on a great pilgrimage across Europe to Jerusalem. Not all of them will come home. At the heart of this story is Gatty, the field-girl. Eager, bold and resolute, wide open to new experiences, she has an extraordinary journey of her own to make' Gatty - short for Gertrude - is a character who features in Kevin Crossley Holland's Arthur trilogy, about a 12th century boy with a link to the Arthurian legends. I have read the first one - The Seeing Stone - and enjoyed it, but not the other two. This one is a spin off about one of the characters in the trilogy, but it does stand completely alone. Gatty is an ignorant, but not unintelligent peasant girl who is having to fend for herself because all of her close relations are dead. She is taken as a female companion by Lady Gwyneth, who wants to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Gatty, who has only been as far as the next village in her short life, suddenly finds herself crossing oceans and land masses in the company of Lady Gwyneth and other members of the community. There's Lady Gwyneth's spoiled, petty attendant, Nest. Snout, who has a cleft palate and hopes for a cure in Jerusalem, Nakin the wily merchant, and several others, each with their idiosyncrasies. The pilgrimage takes them over the Alps and to Venice and Cyprus and for some of them, the Holy Land. After that, there's the matter of the journey home.... This is the story of Gatty's journey, the physical, the emotional, the spiritual. From being a delightful but somewhat thoughtless and foolish adolescent, she learns wisdom and grace, but without ever losing the shining quality of innocence she has about her. The novel is aimed at the Young Adult market. I would say that a good reader from age ten onwards would have no trouble with it, but it is written in such a way that it will appeal to adults too and it is certainly of an adult length. For readers wanting non explicit historicals this one will absolutely fit the bill. There's an accidental pregnancy and there are moments of violence, but everything of a graphic nature happens off screen and there is nothing in the content to frighten the horses so to speak. It's a companionable, page-turning narrative, although not edge of the seat. Having recently been mired in the vile and bizarre goings on in Ariana Franklin's The Death Maze, this novel felt like a sparkling, refreshing shower in comparison and was just what I needed. Kevin Crossley Holland is a poet and it shows in his descriptions and thinking processes. There are some beautiful moments of prose in the narrative and some lovely observations. Someone says that a pen drinks the darkness (ink) in order to create illumination on the page. Quibbles? The usual accuracy ones. I was pulled out of the story by the ship they used to cross the channel having cabins and a wheel house - ummm not in 1203 it wouldn't! Come to that, it wouldn't have a wheel to put in the wheel house! I don't understand how an author of this stature can make such a basic mistake! There's a scene in a livery stable where everyone is mounting up on horses of all different breeds - some of which would have been very expensive an Arab stallion for e.g. or an Andalusian. Somehow I think not. The interraction between the classes is also a little too fluid and modern. Gatty is accepted by her social superiors with far too much ease and familiarity. However the above are nit-picks. Most of the time the author makes a good stab at Medieval mindset and I thoroughly enjoyed travelling with Gatty and her companions and watching her grow and change. Four and a half stars and 8.5 out of 10. Very well worth the read. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   12 of 18 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars This is a lovely book..., 22 Nov 2006 By  Ethan Edwards "Ethan Edwards" (UK) - See all my reviews I have not read the Arthur trilogy (although they sit on my shelves) and now I am not sure I ever will. Because reading this beautiful and exciting story was enough - I am not sure I want to know more of Gatty than I learned from this. In my sixties as I am, it is not often I find my eyes filled with tears (of the right sort) at the end of a book. Do read it. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 10 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story! This has to be one of my favorite books! A beautifully thought out and written story, great characters and description. Simple but also with deep undertones. Read more Published 2 months ago by Lucy 5.0 out of 5 stars I Really Enjoyed It! Ok, so it may not be for everyone, but I loved it and couldn't put it down. We had to read it for English, and many people were groaning and grumbling about what a boring book it... Read more Published 5 months ago 1.0 out of 5 stars What a load of cobblers ! My god this book is dull. Maybe I'm thick (I'm not) but I just don't get it - everyone raves at this book but is nobody going to state the bl**ding obvious ? Read more Published 8 months ago by Hair Bear 1.0 out of 5 stars Boring! This is a terrible book and is not recomended for anyone, it was recomended for the carnegi award and I don't see why. Read more Published 9 months ago by Odo 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Amazing! I loved the arthur trilogy and was eager for more so I was thrilled to find out about "Gatty's Tale". Read more Published 9 months ago 5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best i loved this book and have read it more than once. it thrills you and surprises you till the very end. although i would recomend this to anyone it has two down points. Read more Published 14 months ago by P. A. Robbins 5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Beautiful.. I have read the Arthur trilogy, and while i don't think it's absolutely necessary to have read them before this book, you will most certainly get more from Gatty's Tale if you... Read more Published 14 months ago by C. Preece Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 10 customer reviews...

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