Items related to All the King's Men
Synopsis
Stories relate how courageous children rescue a lonely little girl from an enchanted island, make a dazzling discovery in a snowstorm, and witness the king's wedding
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up This collection is a real puz zler. It consists of three stories, differ ent in tone and style, and seemingly written for different age groups. The ti tle story is adult in tone, and most of the characters are adults. The narrator is a dwarf in the retinue of a Spanish king who describes events leading up to two marriages, those of the king and his queen, and of two dwarfs. The story has a stark power and pathos which should appeal to young adults. It is not a children's story. ``Boy to Island'' is more for middle grade readers. A boy visits a remote island to tend sheep, and unwittingly eating fairy food, must re main there for seven years. The protag onist of ``Stony Ray'' is a little girl who, becoming lost in a snowstorm, meets a woman whom she thinks is a witch. This story seems more suited for youn ger readers, although the sequence in the snow is complex and confusing. Mayne is a rewarding writer for those who can master his oblique style and frequent use of obscure speech pat terns. A story collection could serve as a good introduction to his work, but this particular one is not suitable be cause the stories are so different in tone and intended audience. Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Publishers Weekly
The mood of the three short stories in this volume swings from a dark, somber intensity in the title story to thought-provoking mysticism in "Boy to Island," and to light enchantment in "Stony Ray." "All the King's Men" is narrated by a dwarf at the court of a long-ago Spanish king, an account of the treatment of him and his fellow dwarves at the hands of king and courtiers that is made immediate by Mayne's (Drift, Earthfasts, etc.) evocative descriptions. The other two stories invoke themes of being lost and the power of imagination over the environment: "Boy to Island" involves two children who must search for a way off of the island of fairies, but their hunt is one that could span lifetimes; "Stony Ray" is the story of a girl's flight from home and her subsequent adventures, which may or may not exist only as suppositions in her mind. Difficult passages and references lay amidst the elegant prose, and the Arthur Rackham-inspired jacket painting indicates a much gentler, dreamier collection than this stirring, sophisticated fare. But these points do not detract from the vivid imagery and satisfying resolutions. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPuffin Books
- Publication date1984
- ISBN 10 0140316825
- ISBN 13 9780140316827
- BindingPaperback
- LanguageEnglish
- Number of pages182
- Rating
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