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The Faithless Lollybird and Other Stories
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Joan Aiken
333 books607 followersJoan Aiken was a much loved English writer who received the MBE for services to Children's Literature. She was known as a writer of wild fantasy, Gothic novels and short stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 9, 2019
Read one set of Joan Aiken short stories for older children, and you pretty much know what you’re going to get. That was why I was keen this book came into my hands, as I was keen to have that experience again.
I love the way strangeness and magic are contextualised in the stories as something that simply is. There was a very silly story about magpies trying to pass on a message but getting it wrong, which also included exploding puff-pastry and a Carpathian football team running away from a cloud the shape of a polar bear. But during the story itself, is seemed completely natural.
There was an offhanded reference to a wizard who can change spring onions into diamonds, another featuring the unlucky Armitage family where the youngest child became a wolf. It’s the innocence that leads to an anything-can-happen tone and it is delightful to spend some time with, especially on a summer’s day.
What’s more, Joan Aiken knows how to tell a story, with lots of little digressions and nods to the reader, it’s like having a space on a comfortable armchair to nestle down in.
My favourite story was probably the first, in which a girl with lots of toys who is always bored, learns how to do things for herself through her relationship with her granny. The central relationship was heart-warming, the way the child developed was encouraging - and the book was set in lots of places I’ve lived. The granny lived in York, bought postcards at the Minstergate Bookshop and sent them to her granddaughter in Putney.
I can’t think of much to say about these stories beyond saying that I found them an enjoyable read and look forward to looking at my favourites again some day.
I love the way strangeness and magic are contextualised in the stories as something that simply is. There was a very silly story about magpies trying to pass on a message but getting it wrong, which also included exploding puff-pastry and a Carpathian football team running away from a cloud the shape of a polar bear. But during the story itself, is seemed completely natural.
There was an offhanded reference to a wizard who can change spring onions into diamonds, another featuring the unlucky Armitage family where the youngest child became a wolf. It’s the innocence that leads to an anything-can-happen tone and it is delightful to spend some time with, especially on a summer’s day.
What’s more, Joan Aiken knows how to tell a story, with lots of little digressions and nods to the reader, it’s like having a space on a comfortable armchair to nestle down in.
My favourite story was probably the first, in which a girl with lots of toys who is always bored, learns how to do things for herself through her relationship with her granny. The central relationship was heart-warming, the way the child developed was encouraging - and the book was set in lots of places I’ve lived. The granny lived in York, bought postcards at the Minstergate Bookshop and sent them to her granddaughter in Putney.
I can’t think of much to say about these stories beyond saying that I found them an enjoyable read and look forward to looking at my favourites again some day.
September 1, 2019
I discovered Joan Aiken's horror and "weird tales" short story collections in my tweens/early teens and read a lot of her stuff. I don't know why she isn't better remembered. I really admire her tales.
May 18, 2024
Clearly an influencer of many modern authors of this genre: The quirky logic of Dahl and Silverstein, the heart-felt connection and appreciation of the natural world of DiCamillo and Pennypacker. Loved it!
October 29, 2008
The Faithless Lollybird
is a collection of short stories by Joan Aiken, most of them with a fantasy or magical theme.
I read Black Hearts in Battersea a long time ago, loved it, and read a lot of Joan Aiken after that. I was particularly fond of a humorous/adventurous regency romance she wrote, called The Five-Minute Marriage and I also like some of her Austen sequels. However, when I tried some of her independent adult work, I was deeply disappointed. All of her children's or YA books are clever and engaging, with a good sense of humor and plenty of slightly-off-the-wall adventure. But her adult books tend to be depressing and unlikeable with horrible, dreary characters who have horrible, dreary things happening to them.
I guess I never give up hope, though. This was another library booksale find and I picked it up despite my mixed experiences with Joan Aiken in the past.
I'm glad I did! The Faithless Lollybird is directed at children or youth, and true to form it's completely charming and lovely from cover to cover. The stories vary in tone. Some are fairy tales with the formal rhythm and phrasing of fairy tales. Some are funny, in a more colloquial voice with hilarious twists of phrase or silly similes. Some have a modern-day setting with a more subtle touch of supernatural or fantasy. But they're all pretty near perfect in their own context and purpose. While they borrow ideas or themes from classic fairy tales and fantasy, they're creatively unique in the way those themes are used.
Highly recommended for anyone, child or adult, who likes fantasy or fairy tales.
If only Aiken could write like this for adults.
I read Black Hearts in Battersea a long time ago, loved it, and read a lot of Joan Aiken after that. I was particularly fond of a humorous/adventurous regency romance she wrote, called The Five-Minute Marriage and I also like some of her Austen sequels. However, when I tried some of her independent adult work, I was deeply disappointed. All of her children's or YA books are clever and engaging, with a good sense of humor and plenty of slightly-off-the-wall adventure. But her adult books tend to be depressing and unlikeable with horrible, dreary characters who have horrible, dreary things happening to them.
I guess I never give up hope, though. This was another library booksale find and I picked it up despite my mixed experiences with Joan Aiken in the past.
I'm glad I did! The Faithless Lollybird is directed at children or youth, and true to form it's completely charming and lovely from cover to cover. The stories vary in tone. Some are fairy tales with the formal rhythm and phrasing of fairy tales. Some are funny, in a more colloquial voice with hilarious twists of phrase or silly similes. Some have a modern-day setting with a more subtle touch of supernatural or fantasy. But they're all pretty near perfect in their own context and purpose. While they borrow ideas or themes from classic fairy tales and fantasy, they're creatively unique in the way those themes are used.
Highly recommended for anyone, child or adult, who likes fantasy or fairy tales.
If only Aiken could write like this for adults.
February 19, 2008
Timnah said this was her all-time favorite book, and from the title, I knew I had to do a bit of investigating. Found an old copy on Amazon and was able to read a few excerpts...hooked from the first few sentences. I just started reading the book's title story and don't want to put it down...but am forcing myself to. I want to save this for a guaranteed distraction for when I'm in labor! It's a truly magical book: Thank you, Timnah!
September 16, 2008
This collection of odd, fantastic short stories was a favorite of mine for a while when I was in high school. Light and lyrical and dark and will lead you into treacherous places. I remember especially the one about Tomaso Albinoni, a favorite composer, and his cat. I don't have a copy anymore. :(
July 7, 2009
A delightful collection of very imaginative, whimsical, fable-esque, short stories. A light-hearted blend of fairy tale and fantasy. Personal favorites-"The Rain Child", "The Man Who Pinched God's Letter", and "Moonshine in the Muatard Pot".
August 4, 2008
When I was a kid, I remember checking this out every other time I went to the library. I could hardly stand not having it in my possession. Truly magical short stories.
January 30, 2008
Far and away the best short stories I ever read; creative, vivid, and original.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews