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The Folk Keeper

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 1,206 ratings · 164 reviews

She is never cold, she always knows exactly what time it is, and her hair grows two inches while she sleeps. Fifteen-year-old Corinna Stonewall--the only Folk Keeper in the city of Rhysbridge--sits hour after hour with the Folk in the dark, chilly cellar, "drawing off their anger as a lightning rod draws off lightning." The Folk are the fierce, wet-mouthed, cave-dwelling g...more

Paperback, 176 pages

Published September 1st 2001 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published October 1st 1999)

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Mar 27, 2013 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Folk Keeper is like a prototype for Chime. Something about the narration, the tone, the characters. I still liked it, though, even if not as much as Chime -- it's shorter, lighter, and it does have details all its own: Corinna has her own lovely-strange powers, her own story.

If you liked Chime, The Folk Keeper may seem like an easier, shorter version, but it's still very good. I read it all in one go, and apparently my train stopped in Cheltenham without me even noticing...

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Sep 12, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Hmmmm. I'm still compiling my thoughts on this one, mainly wondering if I would be more impressed if I'd read The Folk Keeper before the superior Chime. This book feels like the precursor to Chime, the I'm-still-working-things-out on the author's part - things like mood and the delicate balance of eerie and fey, like better-integrated descriptions and language. I realize that some might think Chime to be overly long or endlessly narrated, but its language was so nuanced and lovely that the The F...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Folk Keeper is set sometime in the past when we travelled by horse and coach and villages grew and raised their own food … and people had to worry about controlling ‘The Folk’. Corinna, the main character, cuts off her beautiful long hair, wears trousers and masquerades as male adolescent, Corin. Only males can be Folk Keepers and this is what Corinna, now known as Corin, wants to do with her life. She’s secretly listened into the conversations of other Folk Keepers, bribed secret lessons fr...more The Folk Keeper is set sometime in the past when we travelled by horse and coach and villages grew and raised their own food … and people had to worry about controlling ‘The Folk’. Corinna, the main character, cuts off her beautiful long hair, wears trousers and masquerades as male adolescent, Corin. Only males can be Folk Keepers and this is what Corinna, now known as Corin, wants to do with her life. She’s secretly listened into the conversations of other Folk Keepers, bribed secret lessons from some of the boys at the orphanage where she lives and taught herself everything she knows. I found Corin to be a smart and amusing character who wasn’t about to let anyone get the better of her and I was totally under her spell after just a couple of chapters.

The Folk Keeper is written as journal entries Corin makes in her Folk Record. The writing is very whimsical and the sentence structure is a little different from usual and can be quite difficult to take in at some points, with a lot of the writing as short, stunted sentences. I did occasionally get a little confused, especially if I’d been interrupted for any reason and I had to go back a page or two and read it again, but all in all, this was a fascinating little book.

I was desperate to find out what exactly The Folk were and I loved reading the Folklore and picking up bits of information Corin noted in her journal. What kind of creatures were these ‘Folk’ and how come they ate so much and caused mayhem to the animals and crops, especially on feast days? Why did the posh family want to adopt her? Why did she feel so ‘at home’ near the sea? I had so many questions almost immediately I started reading and it was a fun and enchanting journey finding out the answers as little snippets of information were given up here and there allowing the tale to come together.

When I picked up The Folk Keeper I thought that at 162 pages I’d have it read in no time. I was wrong! This book takes a fair bit of concentration and will probably take you twice as long as you think to read. Don’t let this put you off though - the story is totally enchanting and definitely worth every minute of your reading time!

Would I recommend this book? Yes, it’s a beautiful and enchanting story very reminiscent of an old fashioned fairytale.(less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It was a bit strange, but a good sort of strange. A fantasy world where the Folk are beings that need to be appeased otehrwise they ruin and cause havoc on the town's crops, food, and/or animals. This story is mainly about Corin/Corinna - a Folk Keeper that Lord Merton has been searching for before his demise. Corinna moves from her first town to be the Folk Keeper at Marblehaugh Park. She unravels secrets about herself and the lives of others at this new place as she comes across her hidden pow...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Alpa Dedhia rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is a day of yellow fog, and the Folk are hungry. They ate the lamb I brought them, picking the bones clean and leaving them outside the Folk Door.

writes Corin(na), The Folk Keeper of Rhysbridge in his journal, Folk Record (this novel).Dear readers, The Folk Keeper as a book, as a novel, is a personal journal of Corin Stonewall.So please bear with me as i refer to the book, this story, as the Folk Record henceforth in this review.

Corinna Stonewall is a 15 year old orphan who changes herself to...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Lainy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Blurb from the back cover

Corinna Stonewall is fifteen years old and an orphan. She is also Rhysbridge Foundling Home's Folk Keeper - a difficult and dangerous job which consists of looking after and controlling 'the Folk' - spiteful, maverick, savage creatures who live in the cellar and will only be prevented from spoiling the milk, terrifying the livestock and other disruptions by gifts of cream, salt pork and similar luxuries. But there are many questions about Corinna. Who are her parents? Wh...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, own, ya

Corinna is a survivor. Not only was she able to transform herself into a boy named Corin to escape the drudgery of life as a female orphan but taught herself to become a Folk Keeper in the process. As a Folk Keeper, Corinna is responsible for watching over the elusive and sometimes dangerous Folk that live underground. Relatively happy with the control she now has over her life, Corinna suddenly finds herself at a loss after she is whisked off to Marblehaugh Park, a wealthy family's seaside mano...more Corinna is a survivor. Not only was she able to transform herself into a boy named Corin to escape the drudgery of life as a female orphan but taught herself to become a Folk Keeper in the process. As a Folk Keeper, Corinna is responsible for watching over the elusive and sometimes dangerous Folk that live underground. Relatively happy with the control she now has over her life, Corinna suddenly finds herself at a loss after she is whisked off to Marblehaugh Park, a wealthy family's seaside manor, where whispers of her own dark past await. Always Corinna has been able to appease the Folk, but in this wild new manor house by the ocean, she is staggered to discover how ineffectual her powers have become. That is, until Corinna discovers new, startling abilities of her own which begin to manifest themselves in response to new dangers.

The Folk Keeper is one of those uniquely atmospheric books that I am clueless as to how to classify; so I will simply say this book squarely resides in a class all its own. Written as a series of journal entries, Corinna details her dealings with the temperamental Folk - her successes and failures - and later, her dealings with the Lord Merton's family. At the outset of her Record, Corinna is sharp, vengeful, and truth be told, almost a little scary in her intensity. But her self-awareness is utterly compelling and the imagery of her new life living close to the sea... utterly stunning. This is perhaps where the author, Franny Billingsley shines - in the crafting of such a tangible, natural (albeit fictional) world where the sea crashes, storms rage, and the land swells with secrets. As the secrets surrounding Corinna's connection to Marblehaugh Park begin to unravel, I found myself wishing there was another 100 pages of Corinna's story to discover.

I've read that fans of Neil Gaiman would probably find themselves a home in Franny Billingsley's books and after finishing The Folk Keeper, I agree. Just enough darkness and excellent world-building based on folk tales to keep you flipping the pages. And occasionally even looking over your shoulder.(less)

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Mar 25, 2011 Minli rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, mythic

I read this because I loved Chime so much and raved about it to everyone. A friend said she had no idea Chime was coming out, but she had read The Folk Keeper many moons ago and enjoyed it, and did I want to borrow her copy?

The answer was obviously yes. Reading The Folk Keeper illuminates my reading of Chime a bit more--the similarities are striking, both in tone and plotting. But as I collect more people's reactions of Chime, I have to acknowledge that it does maybe start slowly. Billingsley's...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Sarah BT rated it 4 of 5 stars

Franny Billingsley has a new book coming out this month called Chime, which has everyone raving and already has six starred reviews. The kidlit world was buzzing with news of a new book by this author and I felt very out of loop-I had never heard of Franny Billingsley before! But then I realized it's been 11 years since her last book and I was in high school when it was released, so I felt a bit better about not knowing anything about it. While The Folk Keeper was critically acclaimed, it didn't...more Franny Billingsley has a new book coming out this month called Chime, which has everyone raving and already has six starred reviews. The kidlit world was buzzing with news of a new book by this author and I felt very out of loop-I had never heard of Franny Billingsley before! But then I realized it's been 11 years since her last book and I was in high school when it was released, so I felt a bit better about not knowing anything about it. While The Folk Keeper was critically acclaimed, it didn't generate a lot of buzz outside of the book world. So I decided to catch up and see what all the buzz was about.

The Folk Keeper is a strange little book. The story is told in journal entries and it has the feel of an old folktale or a gothic tale. It took me a bit to get into it because we're thrown right into the story and we're never really told what or who the Folk are (I imagined them to be like Fey or Fairies). The Folk Keeper's job remains a bit of a mystery throughout the book as well, with only little details revealed here and there.

But once you get going, the story picks up-the author doesn't waste a lot of time setting up the story, and Corin is whisked off to Cliffsend very quickly. Once at Cliffsend I found myself engaged in this odd little tale. Corinna tries to come off as a strong and in charge girl (or boy at times, as she's hiding her identity) but deep down you see her fears and her struggles. She also has a sharp wit which I appreciated-it made her a more interesting character and I found I liked her a lot more.

There are a lot of fantasy elements to the book, but I don't think non-fantasy readers would be turned off by that because they are lighter fantasy. There's also a bit of a romance, but again, it's fairly light. Mostly, this is Corinna's story about discovering who she is and choosing her path.

It reminded me a bit a Neil Gaiman, so I would recommend to this Gaiman fans or readers who enjoy folk tales and gothic stories. It seems like it would be a tween novel, but I think it's a higher middle grade/young teen novel and would be great for advanced readers. After reading The Folk Keeper, I understand the excitement of a new book from this author and I'm looking forward to reading Chime.

Book Pairings: Pair with Neil Gaiman's Coraline (they just had a similar feel to me) and Joan Aiken's Wolves of Willoughby Chase for another middle grade gothic tale.

Full Disclosure: Reviewed from copy I borrowed from my local public library
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Dec 12, 2010 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 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 se...more 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 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. (less)

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Sep 14, 2010 AM rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the story an orphan girl who learned real early that boys get the better end of the stick. So she cut her hair, changes her name, and passes her self off as a boy. She also, through a mix of natural talent, gossip, and bribery won herself the position of The Folk Keeper. The one person who is in charge of keeping THE FOLK (faeries, brownies, hobgoblins, and the ilk) at bay down in the dark cellar. Suddenly, she is summoned to a strange old man who wants to adopt her. Still insisting she'...more This is the story an orphan girl who learned real early that boys get the better end of the stick. So she cut her hair, changes her name, and passes her self off as a boy. She also, through a mix of natural talent, gossip, and bribery won herself the position of The Folk Keeper. The one person who is in charge of keeping THE FOLK (faeries, brownies, hobgoblins, and the ilk) at bay down in the dark cellar. Suddenly, she is summoned to a strange old man who wants to adopt her. Still insisting she's a boy, she agrees if she can be the new Folk Keeper of the manor. Looking to hold on to her vision of power by being the Folk Keeper at such a large estate aspects of herself and her secret powers begin to change. Secrets to her past begin to unfold. It is interesting the way she comes into to her own. The whole story is told in a collection of diary entries.

I really liked this story. This novel takes place in a historical setting where the old magic was alive. The boy we meet at the beginning has quiet a ruthless in his out look on life and very defensive of his position as Folk Keeper. But, pride of position made and a chance to increase the power he has creative for himself leads him to accept a dying man’s offer. We soon learn that he is a she, hiding in a world that she has created. The boy is a cloak, the hardness a mask. I love the way this book was written. The diary entries serve as a place for Corin/Corinna to tell us about her the hard shell and illuminate the cracks as they appear for us to see and for her to discover.

“I tried to speak, but the furniture of my mind had all been rearranged, my words neatly folded and stored out of site.” P36

I really liked the language that Billingsley uses to build her world. Corinna’s got a really great voice and manner of writing for someone who had to bribe a fellow orphan to teach her to read and write.

“Like pieces of a Kaleidoscope, the ladies and gentlemen fell into patterns of color on the Ballroom floor.” P77

This is a great book and one I would recommend.

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Oct 08, 2009 jo mo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2009, tough-heroine, reviews, 3-stars, oddities, mermaids-and-sea-creatures

Very, very unusual book. It would have been a great advantage being more fluent in English, because I'm not sure I understood all of it. Don't get me wrong, the story as a whole was easy enough to understand, but being doomed to failure, because of the little things? I have this feeling, I could have enjoyed it a little more, without this hindrance.

Corin/na is brave, vengeful, patient, stubborn and very, very smart. She's afraid that people will constrain her freedom, take away her rights once t...more

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Apr 14, 2009 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I grabbed this off of the shelf of new books at my elementary school library. (Thanks Alice!) While it seems from the outside to be a young adult fantasy based on folk legends, the first few lines tell us immediately that this is another thing altogether. "It is a day of yellow fog, and the Folk are hungry. They ate the lamb I brought them, picking the bones clean and leaving them outside the /folk Door." These are not your everyday sprites, trolls, tree spirits, or mermaids from the fairy tales...more

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Aug 14, 2011 Brandy Painter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, young-adult

Review originally posted here.

Corinna is a fascinating heroine. She has disguised herself as a boy so she might be a Folk Keeper. Everyone knows only boys can be successful Folk Keepers. It is her job to keep the mysterious Folk fed and content, to draw their anger so that they do not sour the milk, ruin the crops, or plague the livestock. It is a job she covets and protects for Corinna is hungry for power and has learned ways to gain it, to ensure it, and to make the most of it. "Here in the ce...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Nandakishore Varma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

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 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 beg...more 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 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.(less)

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Apr 20, 2011 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 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...more 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 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!(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Maxx rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a book that I listened to on disc. I happened to pick it out at the library because the cover art was pretty cool. The description of the book won out over a few others, and I wasn't totally disappointed by my "off the shelf" pick for my car listening book.

There were some good things and bad things about this book for me. I didn't love the reader, which can often times kill a story for me, but she wasn't as horrible as other readers I have listened to. I realize I enjoy male voice story...more

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May 04, 2012 Ron Christiansen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-lit, fantasy

This book took me a bit to get into. 86 pages I emailed my young friend who had recommended it:

"But I must quickly ask for help with The Folk Keeper. I’m 86 pages in and…not that engaged. So what am I not seeing? What do you see? I do see the that Billingsley has worked hard to create a believable setting in that time period. And I do see the evolving tensions and parallels between Corrina and Finnian. And I enjoy the little surprises like her desire to eat raw fish. Overall I like the idea of...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Middle grade readers (and their moms.)

Shelves: children-s-lit

Corin is the Folk Keeper. He keeps the Folk at bay, invisible angry creatures who sour the milk, make the hens stop laying, ruin the crops. Through the Folk Door, into the caverns, via the cellar, Corin brings the food offerings and spends hours in the dark, keeping the Folk Record.

But Corin is really Corinna, an orphan who has learned to protect herself from drudgery and humiliation. Now she is being fetched by a wealthy family from Cliffsend in the Northern Isles. Some mysterious past has come...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Sarah Mayor Cox rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read many books over the course of a year, some for pleasure, some for work, some to review and share with others. Some of the books I start out reading for work or to review I end up enjoying more than I had initially predicted. Very, very few however, of these books make it onto my all time favourite list. So in a year when I have read some of the finest books yet, it is with great excitement that I add The Folk Keeper to my list of all time favourites.

The Folk Keeper sits within a genre of...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Kristen Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book--just the kind of story one wants to read. Nothing earth-shattering. Just a story to get lost in and to learn about/re-imagine old ways. The writing was lovely and the descriptions of powers simple and intuitive. It was along the lines of "The Perilous Gard" but not as thick and not quite as good, but just because it could have been thicker and the characters weren't as well-fleshed out. The journal-style was fine. It kind-of got dropped half-way in, but a good writer knows when her r...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Desirée rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-gave-away

I loved about this book:
- The world, which seemed to be huge and complex and intriguing and of which I was only shown a glimpse.
- Franny Billingsley's confidence: She doesn't even try an elegant exposition, she just throws us right into her world, trusting that we're going to get the hang of it after a while. And she makes a heroine work that is, in the beginning, difficult to stomach.
- The subtle romance and the very charming and good-hearted romantic hero.
- Corinna's voice and her evolution in...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, young-adult

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 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...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Larissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

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 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...more

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Jun 03, 2009 Emmy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood-favorites, fantasy, favorites

Once I started reading I couldn't put this book down. It was storming outside my window and I was huddled by my lamp devouring Billingsley's words. I stayed up the entire night reading and when I finished I was left wishing for more. I can probably credit this book for making me realize that writing doesn't have to be a boring and daunting activity. If I could find the right words I could make the exciting stories in my head come to life on paper for other people to enjoy.

I still get a little t...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Malin rated it 4 of 5 stars

orinna Stonewall is prickly, aloof, stubborn and vindictive, her hair grows two inches every night, and she has many secrets. Raised in an unkind environment in a children's home, she cut off her hair, pretended to be a boy and learned the skill of the Folk Keeper, someone who keeps the cave-dwelling, fierce and destructive goblin like creatures from souring the milk, harming farm animals and making food rot. Only boys can be Folk Keepers, so Corinna has to pretend to be Corin to gain the power...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Meagan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, children-s_lit

The dark tone and violent subtext of this book makes me feel like it's the teeniest bit older than its intended middle grades audience. But then again, I don't really know kids that well and I read some stuff that was way past my "appropriate" age level back in the day. And I turned out fine! Really!

What I really appreciated about this book was that I could never tell for sure what the author was going to do. I knew what traditional fairy tale rules would do, but I wasn't sure that Billingsley w...more

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Sep 20, 2009 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

In this interpretation of an Irish(?) folktale she creates a world of 'Folk'- a rather undefined fairy creature described as 'mostly mouth'. I love how these mythic elements in the book just 'are'.

Franny Billingsley has a beautiful writing style, very poetic but not ostentatiously so ("a scatter of rocks"). She also has a lovely, subtle use of symbolism.

The story starts slow but unspools well although it is dependent upon almost gothic-style revelations keeping you curious. The book is not wha...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is fascinating, as it follows the story of Corinna (pretending to be Corin), who is a keepr of the Folk (something like the Fey). It is her job to keep them happy, so that they won't work mischief. She doesn't know it, but she is the daughter of (view spoiler). It is this tension that is shown in the book, as Corinna learns who she is and tries to find her place. I wish the ending had been resolved a little further, as Corinna makes it clear...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Janet Frost rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This was a little book I picked up at Half-Price Books and later saw it on several reviewer's lists. It was a quick read but I felt that the book had a bit of an identity crisis. Maybe it was just me missing the point. It was a fantasy or folk-tale with "folk" and "sealies" etc from early Celtic/Anglican tales. But it seemed to explain away much of the fantasy with reality and then suddenly lapse into fantasy again.
I think a young reader would have difficulty following this story. I would have...more

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About Franny Billingsley

While Billingsley's first novel, Well Wished (1997), was warmly received by critics, a year ago she was a virtual unknown within a publishing climate that regarded fantasy as a specialty genre. Today, her name is on the lips of booksellers and reviewers throughout the country.

Franny Billingsley was not always a writer. She graduated from Boston University law-school in 1979, and worked for 5 years...more

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Quotes from The Folk Keeper

“It is true that I can trip over anything and nothing – a speck of dust, a patch of sunlight, an idea. I move through life like a person with one eye, through a landscape that looks flat, but is really tricked out with hidden depths and shallows. It didn’t use to be so, but no matter. I navigate the world well enough in my own way.” — 14 people liked it

“Imagine a world without shadows. You cannot touch a shadow, but a world without them is a hard world, and flat.” — 9 people liked it

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