White Doe

by Richard Church

Juvenile fiction.

185 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Richard Thomas Church CBE (26 March 1893 – 4 March 1972) was an English writer, poet and critic; he also wrote novels and verse plays, and three volumes of autobiography.

He had a great love for the Kent countryside and this is reflected in much of his writing. He published an anthology of works on Kent.

He lived at The Priest's House at Sissinghurst Castle in Cranbrook.

Reviews

[Kalilah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book felt like a long walk in the countryside, passing through a different season of the year with each turn of the footpath. However the relationships between all the characters made it more than just a nature walk, and I thought the portrayal of the boys' friendship, as well as that of the interfering bully, was both vivid and insightful.
Alas, there were flaws: Character development didn't extend beyond one person; dialogue jumpy and confuzzling at times, conclusion too abrupt. Plus, I didn't like being left to wonder how the boys (and girl) came to terms with each other after everything that happened, especially as I'd devoted so much of my time to reading about their little problems.

Nonetheless, it would've been a four-star read for me if only the ending was just a little meatier.

[Jill Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is classed as teenage fiction, I did not find it at all childish. It takes place at the beginning of the 20th century on a landed estate near the coast. The main character, Tom Winter is the woodsman's son, and loves nature, especially the wildlife on the estate. The son of the Squire, Billy, has been Tom's lifelong friend, as they are the same age. However, Billy is about to go away to boarding school. Another problem is that new neighbours have recently shifted in, and the son, Harold, thinks that the animals are only for hunting and shooting, so immediately gets offside with Tom when he wounds a bird. The story explores Tom's emotions, from loneliness to jealousy to awe and wonder when he sees the white fawn. Inevitably, Harold wants to kill the fawn, with some tense moments, and a very dramatic climax.

[Marmacman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book every October...never gets old.