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Goldeline
In this gorgeously written middle grade debut reminiscent of the work of David Almond and The Thickety, a young girl embarks on an unforgettable journey through a Southern-infused fairy-tale forest filled with dark and wondrous magic.
In the wild, free woods of the Hinterlands, where magic is as real as stories are, there lives a girl named Goldeline. Goldeline has hair as white as summer snow and gold-flecked eyes, and she travels from camp to camp with Gruff and his bandits, getting by on the things they steal from carriages that pass through the woods.
But someone is after Goldeline. The Preacher—the man who wants to cleanse the Hinterlands of anyone who’s different, the man who turned the Townies against Goldeline’s momma for being a witch—thinks that Goldeline must be a witch, too.
Now Goldeline will have to summon all the courage and magic she got from her momma to escape the Preacher, save her friends, and, maybe, if she’s lucky, find a place to call home.
In the wild, free woods of the Hinterlands, where magic is as real as stories are, there lives a girl named Goldeline. Goldeline has hair as white as summer snow and gold-flecked eyes, and she travels from camp to camp with Gruff and his bandits, getting by on the things they steal from carriages that pass through the woods.
But someone is after Goldeline. The Preacher—the man who wants to cleanse the Hinterlands of anyone who’s different, the man who turned the Townies against Goldeline’s momma for being a witch—thinks that Goldeline must be a witch, too.
Now Goldeline will have to summon all the courage and magic she got from her momma to escape the Preacher, save her friends, and, maybe, if she’s lucky, find a place to call home.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 14, 2017
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3865 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 20, 2020
2019 Best Books of the Year [#03 of 11]
The Girl Who Drank the Moon meets The Scarlet Letter in this dark and lovely tale of Goldeline, an orphan girl with "hair as white as summer snow and gold-flecked eyes" who must survive in the woods among a rough and tumble group of bandits after accusations of being a witch force her to flee her home.
Brooding and lyrical, lush and wild. Goldeline is a must for fans of dappled woods and flickering campfires, hushed secrets and perilous encounters, tricksy witches and wondrous magic, fabled lands and moonlit nights.
Emphatically recommend!
The Girl Who Drank the Moon meets The Scarlet Letter in this dark and lovely tale of Goldeline, an orphan girl with "hair as white as summer snow and gold-flecked eyes" who must survive in the woods among a rough and tumble group of bandits after accusations of being a witch force her to flee her home.
Brooding and lyrical, lush and wild. Goldeline is a must for fans of dappled woods and flickering campfires, hushed secrets and perilous encounters, tricksy witches and wondrous magic, fabled lands and moonlit nights.
Emphatically recommend!
This is a bandit night at its best: the glow and the warmth of the camp in the dark woods, the light of the fire and us singing and dancing and hollering around it, the people songs and the nighttime songs and our laughter all mixing together into something new and hopeful, a kind of promise, or maybe a wish. An owl hushes us from the trees up where I can't see any owl but I know it's there watching me. I wonder what the owl thinks of us. I wonder what Momma would think of me, dancing and all dressed up, her own daughter a bandit?
July 3, 2017
So, SO good, one of the better middle grade novels I read this year, and then a very messy final chapter lowkey ruined it??
“It ain’t salvation if it means I have to belong to you.”
This is a story about prejudice and exclusion, all disguised as a middle grade magical realism novel. It's all metaphorical but it will be perfectly easy for children to consume.
There's an interesting thread here about how religion can be a cover for hate, complete with a preacher and a discriminated-against pair of dads. I thought this thread was very well-executed and I respected how deep it was.
Unfortunately, I do feel that the final chapter failed this book. Perhaps it was meant to mean something, but I personally found it messy and poorly explained. However, I still have to recommend this to any MG readers!!
“It ain’t salvation if it means I have to belong to you.”
This is a story about prejudice and exclusion, all disguised as a middle grade magical realism novel. It's all metaphorical but it will be perfectly easy for children to consume.
There's an interesting thread here about how religion can be a cover for hate, complete with a preacher and a discriminated-against pair of dads. I thought this thread was very well-executed and I respected how deep it was.
Unfortunately, I do feel that the final chapter failed this book. Perhaps it was meant to mean something, but I personally found it messy and poorly explained. However, I still have to recommend this to any MG readers!!
March 3, 2017
This is an odd book -- really more of a dark fairy tale for adults than a middle grade book. It strikes me as a cross between Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and the movie Night of the Hunter. The prose is eerie and bewitching, and I enjoyed it, but I have a hard time imagining the child I would recommend this book to.
October 19, 2017
This book is a stunner. Darkly moving, heart-ful and harrowing, it takes your breath away.
September 20, 2019
Goldeline remembers the day her mother died in excruciating detail and knows it is not something she will ever forget. She takes comfort in the life she has, thanks to Gruff, who decided to save her before the Preacher and townies got to her.
Goldeline travels with Gruff and his bandits from camp to camp in a forest that is said to be haunted by wicked spirits and while she has accepted the life they lead, she wishes she had a permanent place to call home.
But her life is uprooted when the Preacher starts hunting her down for having the same magic her mother had, and it will be up to Goldeline to save the people she loves and hopefully one day, find a home.
*
I will read anything that sounds remotely interesting: from adult to YA to middle grade fiction. I will never be ashamed of picking up a book that is not withing my age genre and I will never regret reading a story. Or that is what I thought until I picked this up. I am most definitely not ashamed I read it, but I regret it with a passion! Goldeline is a middle grade novel that is described as having magical undercurrents, a creepy forest where strange things happen, beautiful friendships and a happy ending for the main character, and the synopsis could not be more wrong about it. I was extremely disappointed to find out this is basically a story about hatred fueled by religious fanaticism; while I am not opposed to the idea of reading about this subject matter, I really was not expecting it since the description hinted to nothing of the sort (seriously, look it up on Goodreads) and was not expecting the trainwreck of ideas that ensued. I wanted magic! I wanted fantastical elements set in a whimsical background, but instead, I got to read about a delusional priest going around condemning people for being different (trigger warning for LGBT hate crimes) and an eleven year old girl who kept circling around the same thoughts over and over.
Goldeline is a short two hundred and forty-six pages and I kid you not when I say I actually put it off by watching a couple movies. Now, if you know me you know it's strange for me to do that, which means I was not really enjoying it.
I, however, loved Goldeline and her tough but loyal nature; her talk of magic and memories of her mother made the experience a little bit more bearable although I do wish the author had explained the magical element more.
Also, this is not something I would recommend to any child I know seeing as how I don't consider it a children's book; it's dark and sad and honestly, had my blood boiling with anger. And the ending? It was so anticlimactic.
I hope you enjoy this if you plan on reading it but please keep in mind everything I just mentioned. I am giving this 2/5 stars.
Goldeline travels with Gruff and his bandits from camp to camp in a forest that is said to be haunted by wicked spirits and while she has accepted the life they lead, she wishes she had a permanent place to call home.
But her life is uprooted when the Preacher starts hunting her down for having the same magic her mother had, and it will be up to Goldeline to save the people she loves and hopefully one day, find a home.
*
I will read anything that sounds remotely interesting: from adult to YA to middle grade fiction. I will never be ashamed of picking up a book that is not withing my age genre and I will never regret reading a story. Or that is what I thought until I picked this up. I am most definitely not ashamed I read it, but I regret it with a passion! Goldeline is a middle grade novel that is described as having magical undercurrents, a creepy forest where strange things happen, beautiful friendships and a happy ending for the main character, and the synopsis could not be more wrong about it. I was extremely disappointed to find out this is basically a story about hatred fueled by religious fanaticism; while I am not opposed to the idea of reading about this subject matter, I really was not expecting it since the description hinted to nothing of the sort (seriously, look it up on Goodreads) and was not expecting the trainwreck of ideas that ensued. I wanted magic! I wanted fantastical elements set in a whimsical background, but instead, I got to read about a delusional priest going around condemning people for being different (trigger warning for LGBT hate crimes) and an eleven year old girl who kept circling around the same thoughts over and over.
Goldeline is a short two hundred and forty-six pages and I kid you not when I say I actually put it off by watching a couple movies. Now, if you know me you know it's strange for me to do that, which means I was not really enjoying it.
I, however, loved Goldeline and her tough but loyal nature; her talk of magic and memories of her mother made the experience a little bit more bearable although I do wish the author had explained the magical element more.
Also, this is not something I would recommend to any child I know seeing as how I don't consider it a children's book; it's dark and sad and honestly, had my blood boiling with anger. And the ending? It was so anticlimactic.
I hope you enjoy this if you plan on reading it but please keep in mind everything I just mentioned. I am giving this 2/5 stars.
January 2, 2023
I was almost enjoying it, despite its choppy pacing and over-exagerated attempts to be magical. In the end, what made me angry, is this is a middle grad book not written for kids. The POV gives too little respect to kids, while the themes and topics were not meant for children but clearly as a preachy statement about politics and religion. I thought maybe he'd have a more nuanced approach, but in the end... nah: bible= nice words. Religion = hatred and violence and rape, freedom= doing as you want even if it causes harm to others. Seriously, this girl goes the whole way through the story talking about how evil a preacher is because he hurts others because he's torchured by his lust and desire to rape this witch, and then at the end she runs away from society because they dislike her using her magic to harm the kids around her.
And yeah, I get covering tough topics in middle grade, but taking a kids niavity to describe a parent who seems to be a prostitute, a man who proposes, then tries to rape her when she disagrees because he can't "love her in her way, it has to be in his", and talking about preachers roasting people at the stake, lynching them, and highwaymen using a little girl as bate to kill people... and all through put religion is slung in every witch way. And this is written for kids.
That just pissed me off. I guess that's what you get when you buy a dollar store book, though. This one went in the trash instead of goodwill. Pretty cover or no.
And yeah, I get covering tough topics in middle grade, but taking a kids niavity to describe a parent who seems to be a prostitute, a man who proposes, then tries to rape her when she disagrees because he can't "love her in her way, it has to be in his", and talking about preachers roasting people at the stake, lynching them, and highwaymen using a little girl as bate to kill people... and all through put religion is slung in every witch way. And this is written for kids.
That just pissed me off. I guess that's what you get when you buy a dollar store book, though. This one went in the trash instead of goodwill. Pretty cover or no.
January 11, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog.)
I’m not typically into Middle Grade books, but this was an exception for me. I don’t remember what drew me to this title, I believe I saw a review somewhere, but it could have just been featured on a TBR post. I picked it up not really knowing what to expect, but finding myself pleasantly surprised with what I found.
Goldeline is a quick read that’s easy to power through, but contains a lot of heavy content. I was really surprised to see the age range was 10+ considering the themes present. There was a decent amount of violence and death, as well as some spooky scenes. The MC, Goldeline, really went through a lot of traumatic stuff!
I find that it can be difficult to find books with young MCs that aren’t written in an infantile way, but the author pulls off Goldeline’s inner voice wonderfully. The narration is naive and childlike without becoming unreadable. The relationships between the characters were great, and there was even a M/M couple, which was nice to see.
Overall, I thought Goldeline was a nice read and would recommend it to anyone interested. It’s quick to get through and tells a unique story.
I’m not typically into Middle Grade books, but this was an exception for me. I don’t remember what drew me to this title, I believe I saw a review somewhere, but it could have just been featured on a TBR post. I picked it up not really knowing what to expect, but finding myself pleasantly surprised with what I found.
Goldeline is a quick read that’s easy to power through, but contains a lot of heavy content. I was really surprised to see the age range was 10+ considering the themes present. There was a decent amount of violence and death, as well as some spooky scenes. The MC, Goldeline, really went through a lot of traumatic stuff!
I find that it can be difficult to find books with young MCs that aren’t written in an infantile way, but the author pulls off Goldeline’s inner voice wonderfully. The narration is naive and childlike without becoming unreadable. The relationships between the characters were great, and there was even a M/M couple, which was nice to see.
Overall, I thought Goldeline was a nice read and would recommend it to anyone interested. It’s quick to get through and tells a unique story.
February 22, 2019
I am feeling an alarming amount of emotional distress over this sad, creepy little book. The ending hit me pretty hard. I feel like it is meant to be a bittersweet, almost hopeful send off for Goldeline, but all I feel is upset. My heart hurts for her. This one is going to stay with me for a long time...
October 20, 2020
I don't really know how to feel about this. This was interesting, I guess, and I did enjoy the "plot twists", and I adored little Tommy, but the ending kind of ruined it for me? Especially because of what it will do to Tommy....This was a quick read, perfect for the month of October, but I don't know if I would classify this as middle grade.
November 11, 2017
Goldeline has found a rag tag family with Gruff and his bandits. They live in the forest and steal food and supplies from travelers. However, life wasn’t always like that. She used to live with her mom…until a town lead by the Preacher attacked them for witchcraft. Goldeline managed to get away, but the Preacher is coming for her, and in order to save herself and her new friends, she will have to channel everything she learned from her beloved mother.
GOLDELINE is an unexpected, dark, magical read that I couldn’t put down. Jimmy Cajoleas writes with stunning prose that wraps you up in a blanket made of old fairy tales and spells. From the first chapter, I found myself getting more comfortable in my chair and settling in for a long reading session. This is exactly the kind of magical, fantasy middle grade story that I love to find.
What makes this story so wonderful, beyond the great writing, are the themes: finding your own family, learning to be a friend, connecting to your past, and discovering the everyday magic. Goldeline is an easily lovable character, and you hope for the best for her the entire journey. She has an incredible spirit that leaps off the page, and readers shouldn’t be surprised to feel more than a little sad when her story is concluded.
The Preacher makes a scary, if not surprising, villain. His rhetoric is frighteningly familiar, which is perhaps what is most scary about him. He is the kind of villain you can find in real life, not just in a story.
Overall, Jimmy Cajoleas has become an auto-buy author for me after reading GOLDELINE. This story is brimming with magic, excitement, and adventure.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
GOLDELINE is an unexpected, dark, magical read that I couldn’t put down. Jimmy Cajoleas writes with stunning prose that wraps you up in a blanket made of old fairy tales and spells. From the first chapter, I found myself getting more comfortable in my chair and settling in for a long reading session. This is exactly the kind of magical, fantasy middle grade story that I love to find.
What makes this story so wonderful, beyond the great writing, are the themes: finding your own family, learning to be a friend, connecting to your past, and discovering the everyday magic. Goldeline is an easily lovable character, and you hope for the best for her the entire journey. She has an incredible spirit that leaps off the page, and readers shouldn’t be surprised to feel more than a little sad when her story is concluded.
The Preacher makes a scary, if not surprising, villain. His rhetoric is frighteningly familiar, which is perhaps what is most scary about him. He is the kind of villain you can find in real life, not just in a story.
Overall, Jimmy Cajoleas has become an auto-buy author for me after reading GOLDELINE. This story is brimming with magic, excitement, and adventure.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
January 17, 2019
This book actually reminded me about Adolf Hitler, a notorious dictator. It was said that Hitler was very good with words and was one of the most talented orators in history. In the book Goldeline, the antagonist is The Preacher, a man who wants to cleanse anyone who's different, and accused Goldeline's mother of being a witch. He burned her mother, and now he wants to kill Goldeline too. The Preacher convinced and bewitched the Townies (people living in the town of Templeton) using his speeches and dark magic. His audience was blindly following a man who claimed that the Lord sent him to "rid the world of all the magic types, of the sinners and gamblers and outlaws, of anyone who didn't fit in this world." Hitler was so convincing that he led people to believe Jews were rats and parasites, and they should be wiped out. The traits of The Preacher and Adolf Hitler can be connected and related to easily. Goldeline had to learn to stop hiding and face The Preacher. This book also sends a message about courage.
December 3, 2018
3.5 stars. This was really quite good. Fast paced, inspired by various fairy tales, lots of overt, well intended religious messages (not hidden or disguised by author), and a strong, wild protagonist who never quite settles down into "ever after". Really beaitiful writing and imagery, strong moral message about standing up for friends, being brave, but also being safe.
July 18, 2021
"For so long it's just been one little girl against the dark..."
Slang and similes, a quick enjoyable read.
I haven't quite read a middle grade story yet with a voice like Goldeline's, but I did think of her as a Dickensian orphan, a mix of gruff and goodness. Think Oliver blended with Willa of the Wood, fighting against the Preacher, a type of Bill Sikes.
Slang and similes, a quick enjoyable read.
I haven't quite read a middle grade story yet with a voice like Goldeline's, but I did think of her as a Dickensian orphan, a mix of gruff and goodness. Think Oliver blended with Willa of the Wood, fighting against the Preacher, a type of Bill Sikes.
March 27, 2020
GOLDELINE by JIMMY CAJOLEAS
BOOK REVIEW
"I FINISHED A BOOK? IMPOSSIBLE."
This was a delightful little read (although it took me...5 months to finish). I liked not having to google the words every other page because it's a middle-grade book. Also, the cover of this book has me feeling some kind of way. It's so beautiful. It evokes some deep, sad emotion in me.
Tbh, this book isn't something I would expect children to read. It was so sad and emotional and deep and full of beautiful descriptions of nature and magic. I loved it.
I don't think this is a type of book I can write character reviews for, because it is too short and isn't exactly the type of book where you get attached to the characters like in a long book series. In a way the characters are just vessels for this beautiful story of friendship, nature, suffering and pain.
BOOK REVIEW
"Ever since Momma died, I've been looking for a home, some place where I belonged, where I was safe and happy and everybody loved me. Well, maybe that kind of a home just isn't in the cards for me yet. Maybe the only home I got right now is myself. I'm Goldeline. No one can take that away from me."
"I FINISHED A BOOK? IMPOSSIBLE."
This was a delightful little read (although it took me...5 months to finish). I liked not having to google the words every other page because it's a middle-grade book. Also, the cover of this book has me feeling some kind of way. It's so beautiful. It evokes some deep, sad emotion in me.
Tbh, this book isn't something I would expect children to read. It was so sad and emotional and deep and full of beautiful descriptions of nature and magic. I loved it.
I don't think this is a type of book I can write character reviews for, because it is too short and isn't exactly the type of book where you get attached to the characters like in a long book series. In a way the characters are just vessels for this beautiful story of friendship, nature, suffering and pain.
September 3, 2017
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas is a pleasant surprise I wasn't expecting. This is the first book I'm reading from this author and I'm hooked. From the beginning, it's very clear it's going to be an epic amazing story. It's now definitely one of my favorite middle grade books. Goldeline is a character that captured my interest from the very beginning. She lives with some bandits who are now like family to her in the forest. Goldeline is the one they use to set ambushes for unlucky sojourners, They've made her infamous as the ghost of the forest. With her white hair and creepy clothes, it's very easy to believe. But everything changes one day when Goldeline rescues a boy her age Tommy from an ambushed group and they bond. She sort of protects him and pretends to be his angel (He's fragile so it's not too hard to deceive him but at least she truly takes care of him).
Goldelines mother was executed because of the weird magic she wielded and Goldeline inherited this same strange power. Tragedy strikes when the religious fanatic who burned Goldeline's mother (The Preacher) finds their camp in the woods and capture her for unknown sinister reasons. Fortunately for her, She escapes due to a little help from Tommy and they run off deep into the woods. On the run from the Preacher and his unsavory goons, Goldeline and Tommy run into troubles, have adventures, bond deeper etc. Jimmy Cajoleas impressed me with his style of writing, His prose is lush and rich. The words flow together seamlessly and forms a vivid tale that will easily resonates with readers. Goldeline's story is amazing, she learnt exactly who and what she is, she realised who she could be and She became what she's always meant to be. It's really good character development. The ending was beautiful, awesome, inspiring and a darn good ending to an exceptional book. Goldeline is a combination of action, adventure, danger, friendship, magic and darkness.
It's definitely a MG book I can recommend but not as an entirely light read.
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas is a pleasant surprise I wasn't expecting. This is the first book I'm reading from this author and I'm hooked. From the beginning, it's very clear it's going to be an epic amazing story. It's now definitely one of my favorite middle grade books. Goldeline is a character that captured my interest from the very beginning. She lives with some bandits who are now like family to her in the forest. Goldeline is the one they use to set ambushes for unlucky sojourners, They've made her infamous as the ghost of the forest. With her white hair and creepy clothes, it's very easy to believe. But everything changes one day when Goldeline rescues a boy her age Tommy from an ambushed group and they bond. She sort of protects him and pretends to be his angel (He's fragile so it's not too hard to deceive him but at least she truly takes care of him).
Goldelines mother was executed because of the weird magic she wielded and Goldeline inherited this same strange power. Tragedy strikes when the religious fanatic who burned Goldeline's mother (The Preacher) finds their camp in the woods and capture her for unknown sinister reasons. Fortunately for her, She escapes due to a little help from Tommy and they run off deep into the woods. On the run from the Preacher and his unsavory goons, Goldeline and Tommy run into troubles, have adventures, bond deeper etc. Jimmy Cajoleas impressed me with his style of writing, His prose is lush and rich. The words flow together seamlessly and forms a vivid tale that will easily resonates with readers. Goldeline's story is amazing, she learnt exactly who and what she is, she realised who she could be and She became what she's always meant to be. It's really good character development. The ending was beautiful, awesome, inspiring and a darn good ending to an exceptional book. Goldeline is a combination of action, adventure, danger, friendship, magic and darkness.
It's definitely a MG book I can recommend but not as an entirely light read.
January 31, 2018
Before I throw my review into the more personal realm, I will say that this is a genuinely wonderful book no matter your age. I mean, a wild, ghostly witch bandit running through a dark, twisty fairytale-esque world telling her story with an unapologetic Southern drawl? Sign me up! (And I'm usually put off by a Southern drawl) It reads a bit like Neil Gaiman if Neil Gaiman had grown up in the American South and had been steeped in Grimm's fairy tales and puritanical notions rather than the UK's rich, untamed, fickle magic I love so much.
I'm not even sure I can put into words how I feel about this book. It's one of the most brilliant things I've read for its target age bracket, and perhaps the only Christian-influenced fiction that never felt like a thinly disguised sermon or a lukewarm justification. It seemed more like an honest look at the flaws (and strengths) of faith, and it was a stronger defense of it for its honesty. It was like all of the level-headed, compassionate Christians I know—the ones just trying to live good lives and do a little good in the world rather than set themselves up as judge, jury, and executioner for the rest of us—finally had a voice. I think it healed a little bit of something in me, and it's not every book that can do that.
I'm not even sure I can put into words how I feel about this book. It's one of the most brilliant things I've read for its target age bracket, and perhaps the only Christian-influenced fiction that never felt like a thinly disguised sermon or a lukewarm justification. It seemed more like an honest look at the flaws (and strengths) of faith, and it was a stronger defense of it for its honesty. It was like all of the level-headed, compassionate Christians I know—the ones just trying to live good lives and do a little good in the world rather than set themselves up as judge, jury, and executioner for the rest of us—finally had a voice. I think it healed a little bit of something in me, and it's not every book that can do that.
July 5, 2018
YA is not my go to genre even though I have taught middle school/junior high for decades. However, I know the author (was the student council sponsor for a group he presided over in ninth grade. #scoreboard), so I bought a copy.
This is an interesting tale; I read it in two nights. Maybe a bit dark to teach but an enjoyable read nonetheless. Made me think about religion and who is right, who is wrong. Any book that makes you think is good by me. Well done! Goldeline is a well done character as is the Preacher.
This is an interesting tale; I read it in two nights. Maybe a bit dark to teach but an enjoyable read nonetheless. Made me think about religion and who is right, who is wrong. Any book that makes you think is good by me. Well done! Goldeline is a well done character as is the Preacher.
January 23, 2018
This book enthralled me. Goldeline and her bandit friends filled the pages with an other-worldy, magical kind of charm. The Southern characters and their vernacular could only come from the mind of an author with deep southern roots. Excellent story - can't wait for the next one!
August 28, 2022
If you want witches, bandits, psycho preachers and children running for their lives than this is for you.
I was not expecting this to be so heavy on the preacher vs witch aspect, but it is, and by the end of the story I was completely engrossed.
Goldeline is the daughter of a woman who was burnt at the stake by the town preacher and now she is on the run with a group of bandits trying to survive in the world. Goldeline is a sweet wild child who wants a safe place to call home, where the preacher won't find her and she won't have to steal for food. In her tale she gets Tommy, an innocent little boy, all wrapped up in her life and both of them are on the run together trying to outwit the preacher. Along the way they run into so many adults who claim they want to help them but always end up hurting them instead. I have to say I thought I had the connection between Goldeline and the Preacher figured out but was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong, I was in the close proximity of it though.
The story handles heavy topics in a really easy manner, while still making it absolutely frightening. I wasn't expecting the main story line to be focused on religious fanaticism, while its a subject I have come across plenty of times in my adult fantasy books this is the first time I have come across it in a middle grade book. And while the book doesn't outright say that it's religious fanaticism as an adult I picked up on it very quickly, the themes of prejudice and bigotry are very prevalent in this, but handled in a manner that makes them not as noticeable by children. I feel most kids who read this might take away 'judging someone based on that they believe or how they live is wrong and they don't deserve death for it.'
I will say my only issue with this was the final chapter, it really felt like it completely ruined one of the main goals of Goldeline, which was to find a safe place to call home. I really don't understand the direction of the last chapter.
I was not expecting this to be so heavy on the preacher vs witch aspect, but it is, and by the end of the story I was completely engrossed.
Goldeline is the daughter of a woman who was burnt at the stake by the town preacher and now she is on the run with a group of bandits trying to survive in the world. Goldeline is a sweet wild child who wants a safe place to call home, where the preacher won't find her and she won't have to steal for food. In her tale she gets Tommy, an innocent little boy, all wrapped up in her life and both of them are on the run together trying to outwit the preacher. Along the way they run into so many adults who claim they want to help them but always end up hurting them instead. I have to say I thought I had the connection between Goldeline and the Preacher figured out but was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong, I was in the close proximity of it though.
The story handles heavy topics in a really easy manner, while still making it absolutely frightening. I wasn't expecting the main story line to be focused on religious fanaticism, while its a subject I have come across plenty of times in my adult fantasy books this is the first time I have come across it in a middle grade book. And while the book doesn't outright say that it's religious fanaticism as an adult I picked up on it very quickly, the themes of prejudice and bigotry are very prevalent in this, but handled in a manner that makes them not as noticeable by children. I feel most kids who read this might take away 'judging someone based on that they believe or how they live is wrong and they don't deserve death for it.'
I will say my only issue with this was the final chapter, it really felt like it completely ruined one of the main goals of Goldeline, which was to find a safe place to call home. I really don't understand the direction of the last chapter.
July 9, 2023
another book that was just okay for me.
this had WAY more religion than i was expecting and while i do occasionally enjoy a religious zealot, this one wasn't my favorite example of that. i'm also not sure what age/audience this was written for because it is DARK and has some serious triggers. i'm always here for a creepy wood, though. characters fight and are attacked, and there's a decent amount of gruesome death referenced and seen on-page that i'd be careful exactly which kid i handed this to. it's also written the way goldeline speaks, mostly, which doesn't always work for me. i WILL say though, i think the ending was perfect for the story. i know a lot of people want to see dark stories wrapped up with sunshine and happiness for all, but i always appreciate when an ending makes sense for the story as a whole. this one did!
i got what this was trying to do, but there were a few too many things that bothered me specifically; of course it all comes down to my personal preference. i'd also read another book by this author, as i don't think 3 star ratings are bad!
also, i'll keep it incredibly vague so it doesn't spoil anything, but skip this if you're not sure...
we meet two characters toward the end who are absolutely wonderful, and unless i missed it, i don't think goldeline checks in with them again. i want to know if they're okay!! maybe i just missed it within the book and there was a line about it. maybe i read too fast or something. if i'm wrong and it is mentioned, please leave me a comment!!
this had WAY more religion than i was expecting and while i do occasionally enjoy a religious zealot, this one wasn't my favorite example of that. i'm also not sure what age/audience this was written for because it is DARK and has some serious triggers. i'm always here for a creepy wood, though. characters fight and are attacked, and there's a decent amount of gruesome death referenced and seen on-page that i'd be careful exactly which kid i handed this to. it's also written the way goldeline speaks, mostly, which doesn't always work for me. i WILL say though, i think the ending was perfect for the story. i know a lot of people want to see dark stories wrapped up with sunshine and happiness for all, but i always appreciate when an ending makes sense for the story as a whole. this one did!
i got what this was trying to do, but there were a few too many things that bothered me specifically; of course it all comes down to my personal preference. i'd also read another book by this author, as i don't think 3 star ratings are bad!
also, i'll keep it incredibly vague so it doesn't spoil anything, but skip this if you're not sure...
we meet two characters toward the end who are absolutely wonderful, and unless i missed it, i don't think goldeline checks in with them again. i want to know if they're okay!! maybe i just missed it within the book and there was a line about it. maybe i read too fast or something. if i'm wrong and it is mentioned, please leave me a comment!!
April 6, 2019
Actual Rating: 4.5 ish?
I got this book from a Goodreads Giveaway! My first one!
Anyways, I actually really liked it? The writing was soo good and darkly atmospheric, which I loved. Goldeline was a great character, and I really felt for her. The plot was well-paced, and I loved how the book dealt with the theme of how religion can be used by the wrong people as an excuse for hatred and discrimination.
And the magic. Gotta love the magic.
I have mixed feelings about the ending. There was something about it I didn't love that I can't quite put my finger on. Overall, though, it was really good.
Also just saying, the older gay couple who live in a house full of books in the middle of the woods so they don't have to deal with people are SUCH a mood. Me at all times.
I got this book from a Goodreads Giveaway! My first one!
Anyways, I actually really liked it? The writing was soo good and darkly atmospheric, which I loved. Goldeline was a great character, and I really felt for her. The plot was well-paced, and I loved how the book dealt with the theme of how religion can be used by the wrong people as an excuse for hatred and discrimination.
And the magic. Gotta love the magic.
I have mixed feelings about the ending. There was something about it I didn't love that I can't quite put my finger on. Overall, though, it was really good.
Also just saying, the older gay couple who live in a house full of books in the middle of the woods so they don't have to deal with people are SUCH a mood. Me at all times.
Read
April 26, 2019Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book with my husband! Jimmy Cajoleas was his high school classmate and our dear friend. Because of my bias, I don’t feel that I am qualified to give it a rating, but have loved journeying through this magical story! We are so proud of you, Jimmy! 💙💙💙
July 31, 2022
A little girl full of magic.
Bandits in the woods.
A preacher that ain’t so good.
It was dark, but it wasn’t so dark that it was disturbing. It was one of those stories that is strangely relevant to what’s going on in the world now. Dark but allows you to use your imagination to fill in some heavy blanks.
Definitely worth a read!
Bandits in the woods.
A preacher that ain’t so good.
It was dark, but it wasn’t so dark that it was disturbing. It was one of those stories that is strangely relevant to what’s going on in the world now. Dark but allows you to use your imagination to fill in some heavy blanks.
Definitely worth a read!
January 30, 2018
I would have liked this a bit better if not for the use of deformity as a signal to evil or unkind character. That's a tired and hurtful trope that needs to end.
January 3, 2019
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas is a story of found family, magic, and memory. It is a middle grade novel I would have adored as a child, and one I devoured as an adult. If you’ve been sitting on this, I urge you to read it immediately.
Our protagonist is Goldeline, a girl who lives with a group of bandits hiding in the woods that surround a small town. When Goldeline finds a young boy hiding fear during a raid, she helps him, hiding him in the woods. This is dangerous, a bad idea to be sure, and one with extensive repercussions. Now she is being hunted by the same man who killed her mother, a witch and healer. But the magic The Preacher is so determined to stamp out may be the very thing that will save her.
This is a book about a lot of things – magic, family, revenge, good versus evil, and the murky space in between. But mostly it is a book about Goldeline, a girl who has watched her mother’s murder and who is still running, hiding, from a man who will never stop hunting her. It is told from Goldeline’s point of view in first person present tense narration that brings a sense of urgency and immediacy to the narrative.
The magic in this book isn’t the sort of all powerful wizardry of high fantasy. It is a slow, creeping thing, the sort of magic that is caught out of the corner of your eye or found in woods that are too deep and too old. This is fairy tale magic in the truest of senses. Moreover, it is seen through the eyes of a child. Magic is something unexplained, a thing that was never quite taught to Goldeline, but something which surrounds Goldeline and is a very important part of her being.
Yet, magic is also the very thing that haunts her. It is because of her mother, her mother’s magic, and her own magic that she is being hunted by The Preacher. This is an important concept at the core of this novel. The dual nature of thing and the way the same thing can be viewed so incredibly differently through different eyes or at different points in one’s life is at the very heart of this story. Magic can both be a saving, healing force and something that is feared and despised. The inn Gruff tells Goldeline stories about is both a fantastical, wonderful place where she will always be fed, warm, and happy, but also is just another inn. The forest is a safe place that provides both food and shelter, but it is also a place filled with potential hazards, unfriendly magic, and people harboring selfish motives.
There is much discussion here about family and good versus evil. Unlike many other middle grade stories, this isn’t always a black versus white issue. The lines aren’t clear cut, instead being a murky gray mess. The Preacher, of course, is a dark, evil man. The bandits, on the other hand, are people on whom we must cast our own judgement. To Goldeline, they are her family, her saviors – the only ones who bothered to care for her and take her in when her entire world was shattered. To Tommy, they are cold, cruel, and villainous – the people who attacked him and left those he was traveling with for dead. Both of these views are true. So what are they? Good? Evil? Simply human?
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas is at once a story perfect for middle grade readers, and one that isn’t afraid to question and make a reader think. It’s a story people of all ages can enjoy. And it is one I wholeheartedly encourage you to read.
This review and more can be found at Looking Glass Reads.
Our protagonist is Goldeline, a girl who lives with a group of bandits hiding in the woods that surround a small town. When Goldeline finds a young boy hiding fear during a raid, she helps him, hiding him in the woods. This is dangerous, a bad idea to be sure, and one with extensive repercussions. Now she is being hunted by the same man who killed her mother, a witch and healer. But the magic The Preacher is so determined to stamp out may be the very thing that will save her.
This is a book about a lot of things – magic, family, revenge, good versus evil, and the murky space in between. But mostly it is a book about Goldeline, a girl who has watched her mother’s murder and who is still running, hiding, from a man who will never stop hunting her. It is told from Goldeline’s point of view in first person present tense narration that brings a sense of urgency and immediacy to the narrative.
The magic in this book isn’t the sort of all powerful wizardry of high fantasy. It is a slow, creeping thing, the sort of magic that is caught out of the corner of your eye or found in woods that are too deep and too old. This is fairy tale magic in the truest of senses. Moreover, it is seen through the eyes of a child. Magic is something unexplained, a thing that was never quite taught to Goldeline, but something which surrounds Goldeline and is a very important part of her being.
Yet, magic is also the very thing that haunts her. It is because of her mother, her mother’s magic, and her own magic that she is being hunted by The Preacher. This is an important concept at the core of this novel. The dual nature of thing and the way the same thing can be viewed so incredibly differently through different eyes or at different points in one’s life is at the very heart of this story. Magic can both be a saving, healing force and something that is feared and despised. The inn Gruff tells Goldeline stories about is both a fantastical, wonderful place where she will always be fed, warm, and happy, but also is just another inn. The forest is a safe place that provides both food and shelter, but it is also a place filled with potential hazards, unfriendly magic, and people harboring selfish motives.
There is much discussion here about family and good versus evil. Unlike many other middle grade stories, this isn’t always a black versus white issue. The lines aren’t clear cut, instead being a murky gray mess. The Preacher, of course, is a dark, evil man. The bandits, on the other hand, are people on whom we must cast our own judgement. To Goldeline, they are her family, her saviors – the only ones who bothered to care for her and take her in when her entire world was shattered. To Tommy, they are cold, cruel, and villainous – the people who attacked him and left those he was traveling with for dead. Both of these views are true. So what are they? Good? Evil? Simply human?
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas is at once a story perfect for middle grade readers, and one that isn’t afraid to question and make a reader think. It’s a story people of all ages can enjoy. And it is one I wholeheartedly encourage you to read.
This review and more can be found at Looking Glass Reads.
August 14, 2018
The Ghost Girl of the Woods. That's who Goldeline pretends to be to make her way in the world. Not like she had any choice. What's a young girl to do when a Preacher shows up and burns you mother as a witch but take up with bandits? Except the Preacher isn't satisfied with one witch--he won't stop hunting until he captures Goldeline as well. She lives her life on the run. And ghost girls aren't the only things dangerous in the woods. Not by a long shot. Who knows what other evils she might encounter while trying to avoid the biggest evil of all? Who knows if she'll ever find a way to be safe?
This is an excellently atmospheric tale of a lost girl on the run. Just the right amount of dark and creepy, balanced by just enough bravery, self-reliance, and community. Goldeline's perspective is limited in just the right ways to shepherd readers along on her journey of discovery, her unforeseen effort to find her place in a big, scary world.
This is an excellently atmospheric tale of a lost girl on the run. Just the right amount of dark and creepy, balanced by just enough bravery, self-reliance, and community. Goldeline's perspective is limited in just the right ways to shepherd readers along on her journey of discovery, her unforeseen effort to find her place in a big, scary world.
I open my mouth and taste the wild free drops of the rain. They splash on my nose and I laugh and hum one of Momma's songs, the nothingsong, just me and the owls and bats and all the hidden creatures in the night. I know there's a road outside of town, and past that some woods, dark and lovely, and I don't know but maybe there is a light for me to follow, a candle stuck in a window somewhere, calling me home.
March 8, 2018
Goldeline is called ghost girl because of her long, flowing white hair, making her a frightening distraction for the robbing bandits she helps in the magical Hinterlands, and who are the only "family" she has known since her momma was accused by the Preacher of being a witch and burned at the stake. However, during one of their jobs she discovers a young boy, Tommy, hidden under a blanket on the floor of the carriage and in a split second decides to hide him, knowing that this is a risky move that could change her life. Soon Goldeline and Tommy are on a run for their lives from the despicable Preacher who hates everyone who is different, especially Goldeline since he was spurned by her mother. The Preacher declares that Goldeline is a witch like her mother and should be burned at the stake too. This action-packed, adventurous, tween fantasy novel, is an exciting, breath-stopping read.
Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
February 24, 2019
Goldeline has lived and worked with Gruff and his troupe of bandits since the Preacher killed her mother. Her mother was killed after being accused of being a witch, but there is more to that story as Goldeline finds out. This is a tale of adventure, loss, love, and finding one's way in an imperfect world. Cajoleas has created a strong character in Goldeline, and his descriptions of the natural world are at times stunning. Recommended to readers who like adventure, magic, and a little bit of sadness in their tales. Gr. 4-7
June 9, 2018
An American-feeling fairy tale that was pretty compelling. I felt that the protagonists' stated age was much younger than how they were written (they were written as youngish teens, but said to be 10-11 years old), and the weird sort of romance between them was off-putting, especially due to their stated ages. (Why couldn't you just stick with one of those sweet Studio Ghibli kinds of friendship between boys and girls? Why did it have to be weirdly romantic??)
Other than that, the book was enjoyable. Goldeline makes some bad choices, and sometimes they don't work out for the better, and she has to deal with that fallout. Tommy makes some bad choices, but he comes around eventually. Some loose threads never get tied neatly, and that's okay. Some threads were tied in ways I didn't expect, and that's okay too. The Preacher's motive was 100% what I expected it to be, I never expected the book to explicitly give that as his motive! Well done, Jimmy Cajoleas! Spoiler alert: it's
Other than that, the book was enjoyable. Goldeline makes some bad choices, and sometimes they don't work out for the better, and she has to deal with that fallout. Tommy makes some bad choices, but he comes around eventually. Some loose threads never get tied neatly, and that's okay. Some threads were tied in ways I didn't expect, and that's okay too. The Preacher's motive was 100% what I expected it to be, I never expected the book to explicitly give that as his motive! Well done, Jimmy Cajoleas! Spoiler alert: it's
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