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Billy Buck
From the moment Mr Bogle alights in Cormundy, things begin to change. The horn tune and the horn dance rouse echoes of the past and village life suddenly turns in a sinister direction. For the people who own the decaying house on the edge of the village, known as Fury Wood, the old certainties of friends and enemies are soon to disappear. They expected their lives to change but not in the way they do.
118 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1972
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About the author
Josephine Poole
42 books18 followersJane Penelope Josephine Helyar known by her nom de plume Josephine Poole is the renowned author of several books for children and young adults. Her first book was published in 1961, and she has also written extensively for television. She lives in Somerset.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 6, 2020
I gave this one 3.5 stars
Been wanting this book for a while because of the theme and the fact that the author has the same surname as me.
It was a very short tale but reminded me a little of 'The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy', by Penelope Lively although less dramatic (and it's been a while since I read this one, so I need to re-read it again).
What both this and the Wild Hunt of Hagworthy do is treat a horn dance like something evil and that it indulges in devilry and old rites (fuck yeah!). But since I love this kind of stuff, do morris dancing and guising, pagan gatherings and revelries, I don't see any devilry in it, but then these writers from the 60s and 70s needed something to add to the mystery of a village tradition, so why not add in some sort of old rites where someone is in danger. He ain't no devil, just a genius loci returned...
I didn't like Mr Bogle's character, but I did not like Harry much either, he was a very boring character. Not sure I liked Margaret or Rupert either. I think the tale was too short to develop their characters and make them likeable, Margaret was in her own little world and I hated it when she said, like so many idiot, selfish people 'You've been reading too many thrillers' - who the fuck are you to judge, lady. You've not been reading enough!
I like the wild man that came into the tale, he had goat feet but a normal blokes name which spoiled the mystery a bit.
I thought it got interesting when Harry's legs had been healed, or had they - Harry never seemed to care it was happening. He was dead against anything, that kid. Although the only thing he cared about was his mice and he seemed to forget them when the house burned down.
An alright tale, loved the cover of the book more. And the title. Not a bad one to read in one sitting though.
And I learned a word : genuflection - to kneel in worship. Nice!
Been wanting this book for a while because of the theme and the fact that the author has the same surname as me.
It was a very short tale but reminded me a little of 'The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy', by Penelope Lively although less dramatic (and it's been a while since I read this one, so I need to re-read it again).
What both this and the Wild Hunt of Hagworthy do is treat a horn dance like something evil and that it indulges in devilry and old rites (fuck yeah!). But since I love this kind of stuff, do morris dancing and guising, pagan gatherings and revelries, I don't see any devilry in it, but then these writers from the 60s and 70s needed something to add to the mystery of a village tradition, so why not add in some sort of old rites where someone is in danger. He ain't no devil, just a genius loci returned...
I didn't like Mr Bogle's character, but I did not like Harry much either, he was a very boring character. Not sure I liked Margaret or Rupert either. I think the tale was too short to develop their characters and make them likeable, Margaret was in her own little world and I hated it when she said, like so many idiot, selfish people 'You've been reading too many thrillers' - who the fuck are you to judge, lady. You've not been reading enough!
I like the wild man that came into the tale, he had goat feet but a normal blokes name which spoiled the mystery a bit.
I thought it got interesting when Harry's legs had been healed, or had they - Harry never seemed to care it was happening. He was dead against anything, that kid. Although the only thing he cared about was his mice and he seemed to forget them when the house burned down.
An alright tale, loved the cover of the book more. And the title. Not a bad one to read in one sitting though.
And I learned a word : genuflection - to kneel in worship. Nice!
Displaying 1 of 1 review