Gypsy Rizka

by Lloyd Alexander

Living alone in her wagon on the outskirts of a small town while waiting for her father's return, Rizka, a Gypsy and a trickster, exposes the ridiculous foibles of some of the townspeople. High comedy as much as a celebration of Rizka's brains and brassiness, her flouting of conventions, and her own brand of magic, this book is infused with Alexander's recognition and respect for the rich and good heart of its main character and the human truth of accepting others' differences.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

195 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Lloyd Chudley Alexander was an influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books. His most famous contribution to the field of children's literature is the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. The concluding book of the series, The High King , was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969. Alexander's other books have also won the National Book Award and the American Book Award. He was also one of the creators of Cricket Magazine.

Reviews

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my introduction to Lloyd Alexander. It was the line "Rizka lived by her wits, but since they were quick wits she lived not too badly" on the second page that made me realize that I was a Lloyd Alexander devotee for life.

Reread: August 13 2016 I love love love this book.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty charming.

2017 challenge: a book with a cat on the cover

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lloyd Alexander is one of those authors who wrote many books, the more of which one reads, the more one fancies oneself to be on a mission to read them all. I have already read a lot of them, but I still have a long way to go. I am happy about that, especially after reading this book, which does nothing if it doesn't spread happiness.

Rizka is a clever, spirited gypsy girl whose mother died and whose father left her alone at an early age, promising someday to return. She lives in a caravan, or vardo, on the outskirts of the backwater town of Greater Dunitsa, where the main attractions are a town clock that doesn't run, a town square with a horse trough in the middle, a town council full of bickering fools, and a town hero who never really fought in a war - nobody believes he did, but they never let on even as "General" Hatvan promotes himself up the ranks and says "hup, hup" a lot.

Rizka lives by her wits, but because she has quick ones, she lives well. This book relates a whole series of her merry pranks, including the time she hoodwinked a gormless traveler into being happy the inn's bedding gave him fleas, the time she got her cat acquitted of stealing the chief councilor's chicken, and the time she tricked that same councilor - the nasty Sharpnack - into letting her stick feathers all over him. She leads the town clerk on a tour of Ali Baba's cave, where he falls head-first into a simmering pool of mud; she convinces the whole town the clock tower is haunted, then exorcises the ghost; she gives General Hatvan a hilarious cure for stupidity that results in all the village's dogs following him around; and at one point, she contrives to be appointed mayor.

Sometimes the hilarity is the result of Rizka's howlingly funny pranks. Sometimes she has to intervene in problems created by the silliness of the Greater Dunitsa town fathers. Sometimes she comes to the rescue of people who cry out for help, such as lovesick couples and a litter of adorable kittens. Often she is seconded by an "apprentice demon" who is actually one of the mayor's daughters, or by a gang of rowdy youths, or by the kindly blacksmith who has watched over her since she was very small. But her biggest dilemma will roll into town with the other gypsies, who propose to take her away from all this "gorgio" foolishness - and so, silly or not, from the only family she really has.

Everything about this book pleased me, from the lighthearted episodes to the emotionally touching payoff at the end. I especially appreciated, on behalf of clever young readers, the fact that its tone never talks down to them and how it continually challenges them to build vocabulary. It has a lot of tongue-in-cheek wordplay, such as when the town constable confused the words "obsequious" and "ubiquitous" - giving kids a chance to laugh, learn, and feel smart at the same time. And of course, Rizka herself is a heroine to cherish.

This was only the 16th book I have read by Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007), an American writer whose output ranged from a translation of Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea to the Newbery Medal-winning conclusion to the Prydain Chronicles, The High King. If I read just the Westmark trilogy and the six-book Vesper Holly series, that will make 25; but those aren't the only interesting titles of his that remain in store for me. For an author to keep surprising and giving pleasure after so many books, he must be onto something. Something like, maybe, a top-ten list of best American juvenile fiction writers of all time. I'm just saying.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious comedy of a story, Lloyd Alexander has outdone himself with Gypsy Rizka! This book had me laughing out loud and I couldn't put it down until I had finished. With an awesome, independent, and clever female protagonist like Rizka, Lloyd Alexander narrates incident after incident as Rizka helps to solve and create the problems in her town.

Gypsy Rizka begins simply enough telling you that Rizka is a half-gypsy whose mother died and whose father left with the gypsies. Rizka lives in the old wagon left by the gypsies and patiently waits for the day when her father will return for her. In the meantime, she is the town doctor as well as the town problem-solver. Although never asked, Rizka feels the need to know everyone's business and, through her clever wit, solve the problems of the bumbling townsfolk, who are completely ridiculous and hilarious. Although living technically as an outcast, Rizka never feels alone due to the company she keeps of her big cat Petzel, and the town blacksmith Big Franko who says he would have adopted her when her mother died had she not tried to bite him. While the book is mostly a series of different adventures, it ends with such a beautiful and cute note that pulls everything together. While many of Lloyd Alexander's books focus on how boys become men, Gypsy Rizka celebrates the cleverness and wit of girls, giving a great story to inspire young girls.

I absolutely loved Gypsy Rizka. It was so funny, so well written, and Rizka was such a bold and fun character. Lloyd Alexander's subtle humor of so perfectly describing ridiculous scenes had me crying tears when I tried to explain the situation to a friend later. There was nothing to dislike in Gypsy Rizka: it was fun, cute, written in Lloyd Alexander's amazing style, and had such a heartwarming message at the end. 5/5.

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cleverly written, fun little farce, featuring a lovable central character and a cast of charming other townspeople. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl in many respects, while retaining Lloyd Alexander's own typical mastery of language, humor, and story-telling. From 1999, this is one of his many books which I had not been aware of until recently, but I'm very glad to have discovered it.

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Gypsy Rizka is certainly the best of Lloyd Alexander's lighter books, and probably the best of his standalones that I've read so far. It has the charm of a fable with the dry humor of a satire, and the characters are great fun! Rizka especially is multifaceted and instantly engaging. Somehow the whole atmosphere of the book is warm and friendly, and the story is relaxed and rather episodic but still maintains just enough momentum to keep it from dragging. If you like Lloyd Alexander's humor and characters, Gypsy Rizka is not to be missed!

[Lillian McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

"At the end, it comes to the same. No one's as bad as they seem--or as good as they think they are."

I opened this book hoping for a lighthearted escape from the collegiate grind that wouldn't demand too much of me in return. And that's what I got - Rizka's witty schemes and how she revealed the arrogant folly of the adults around her were genuinely funny to read about. I felt immersed in the life of the town, as if I was another villager watching hijinks ensue. However, woven through the comedy were poignant themes of family, identity, and belonging. The more serious moments surprised me, but they added to the story and made its unrepentant joy feel more earned and satisfying. A great standalone by Lloyd Alexander.

[James Imelda · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This review contains no outright spoilers, but I do discuss the plot and themes in some detail.)

I nearly missed this book! I was at The Dusty Bookshelf looking for The Prydain Chronicles, and almost walked away without seeing that Lloyd Alexander’s books occupied another shelf! I had previously seen Gypsy Rizka listed among his works on Audible and it sounded interesting. I had no idea it would be so good! Its themes and audience appeal are similar to The Prydain Chronicles, yet the style is so different, it was wonderful to enjoy Lloyd Alexander’s wit and excellent story-telling again, but see how varied his writing style can be.

First, the story itself. It is episodic in structure, and one could almost read the chapters out of order (except for the last two or three) and be none the worse for it. Each chapter contains wit and humour and adventure, the tension being less ‘will Rizka get out of this?” and more ‘how will Rizka get out of this?’ Growing up, I always looked forward to serialised comic strips—the Calvin and Hobbes where Calvin makes a good version of himself, or the one where he duplicates himself—and I loved detective shows that were quirky as well as adventurous and at times dire—Matlock, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Monk. Rizka contains an echo of these heroes, misunderstood but content in being themselves, and not taking themselves too seriously. The realistically absurd characters, showcasing humans at their best and worst and silliest—particularly in relationships and politics—together with Rizka’s wonderful problem-solving capabilities reveal the wit, wisdom, and imagination of the author. The book, published in 1999, would serve as a great political manual for leaders nowadays—or for anyone who has a habit of taking themselves too seriously, or thinking they can control others. I don’t know what the political climate was like in the US in 1999—I know some folks were unreasonably worried about the end of the world as they knew it—but Lloyd’s satirical representation of the town leadership depicts an accurate portrait of ours today. And he shows that the best leaders are those who think more of others than themselves, and are oftentimes those who did not seek a high position, and renounce it as soon as possible once they’ve received it.

There is, however, a story arc, and Rizka has an arc as well, though till the end I was starting to wonder if she would have one. Was her father going to show up and she bid everyone farewell, as she seems to have always planned on? Or would he never come, and she just remain as she always had? I shan’t tell the ending, but Rizka’s is a story, like that in Prydain, of finding wonder in the world around us, especially in the ordinary—here think of Ali Baba’s cave; of growth and maturity through relationships with others; and of learning to receive love humbly—which Rizka has done all her life, though we see the real fruit only at the end.

Rizka’s greatest attribute, even above her mischief-making and natural leadership, is mercy. She is merciful towards others, and she is merciful toward herself, not beating herself up for her mistakes, yet seeking to remedy their effects on others. She is able to show mercy to herself and others because she knows her own worth and value, but does not take herself too seriously. Only because she knows her own worth is she able to remain constant in loving herself, which we see in her assertiveness without arrogance or bullying; and because she recognises her own goodness, she is able to see the goodness in others and appreciate their differences without envy or competitive pride. And because she knows her own goodness, she does not take herself too seriously (since her goodness doesn’t come from what she does, a lesson learned from Big Franko), and thus she can forgive without resentment.

As aforementioned, Alexander reveals both in this book and in The Prydain Chronicles the beauty and wonder in the ordinary, of coming to better know oneself and one’s desires through right relationship with oneself (humility) and with others. The writing itself, however, is quite different. I was re-listening to The Book of Three while reading Gypsy Rizka the same week. In the former, the narrator is primarily from Taran’s point of view (I don’t think there is a scene without him in the whole series), relating events objectively with little to no humour (the humour comes from the characters’ actions and dialogue), and expositing little (exposition comes through dialogue for the most part). But in Gypsy Rizka, the narrator is omniscient, exposits a fair amount (though at a good pace, not dumping it all in one spot on page two), and has a very British sense of humour in the casual descriptions of things ironical or absurd.* The following excerpt serves as an example of this last item:

‘Miss Letta, waving a lace handkerchief in one hand and a yardstick in the other, seemed undecided whether to swoon or use the measuring device as a weapon.
“He invaded my premises—and left only moments ago.” Miss Letta’s eyes flashed and her usually well-mannered bosom ventured to heave. “I have been importuned. Advances have been made. Yes, I have definitely been advanced upon.”’

On top of that, the general vibe of bestial insults, funny names (Sharpnack, Mayor Pumpa), and everyone’s—regardless of profession—usage of long words gave it that light-hearted tone of a children’s book written by someone who was writing for themselves more than anyone else. In this way, it had a nice reminiscence of books like A Series of Unfortunate Events—not the dark tone, but that of a fun and self-confident writer who writes the story he would like to read.

This book did exactly what it intended to do: tell a fun children’s story with good humour, realistically ridiculous characters, and simple but deep themes of mercy, love, and humility; a story that can make the reader laugh and just maybe cry. Between this and The Prydain Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander shows his versatility and skill as a children’s author.** I’ll definitely be picking up his other books, and rereading these!

*The author was American, but he lived in Wales for a time, and perhaps acquired it there, or else from what he read (or both).
**I would classify the fourth and fifth books of The Prydain Chronicles as young adult, which further shows his versatility.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gypsy Rizka was yet another book that I maybe-sort-of borrowed and never returned from one of my middle school teacher's libraries. I know, I feel bad about it, and I'm probably going to hell for it so let us move on. Somehow, it has managed to survive many of my book cleanouts. In fact, many of these "stolen" books have survived my book cleanouts. Why? Beats me. Moving on...

There's something very folksy about Gypsy Rizka. The format and the story-telling makes me think of the old quilt my mom brings out of the closet when I'm sick. It's frayed and patched together with many different fabrics. Gypsy Rizka is essentially a novel of small stories all tied together by Rizka. Everyone in town knows her. Some hate her. Some love her. Some, like Sharpnack, want her gone. My favorite character (other than our scrappy heroine) is Big Franco. He's just so nice, and he cares about her, and I know I have a soft spot for Hagrid types, okay?

Maybe Gyspy Rizka has kept its place on my shelves because it is a sweet, simple children's story I actually like. Or maybe I'm just a sentimentalist. Either way, I recommend it for younger readers. It's quick, easy to read, and fun.

[Della Tingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading children’s books. I am an elementary school teacher, so I like reading books that I can talk to my students about. This book was only so-so. It reminded me of Pippi Longstocking, but there were too many character names that were too confounding! Pumpa, Petzel, Deetle, Podskalny...the wacky names deterred from the book. In fact, even Rizka’s name is misprinted on page 133 and spelled Ritza. So, even the editor was confused by all the silly names! Fibich is a name I do not want my students saying aloud, and believe me they would!

I did manage to walk away with, what I believe to be, some useful advice! “...keep an open mind about lunatics and doomsayers; they could turn out to be right” (89). 🤪

[penelopewanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Checking to see if this would be useful for an EFL class with the Rom as the theme.
Not much in terms of the Rom, but a cute story.

[Bruja Ha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Alexander's Prydain series. I think I would have also enjoyed this book too when I was 12, but not so much now as an older adult in 2021. Gypsy Rizka is based on the classic humorous "village of fools" folk story motif; the clever outsider girl survives by outwitting everyone around her. The writer's age - the era he grew up in - shows here. I struggled with some racial stereotypes and kept feeling sad when considering how many 12-year-olds today will not be able to relate to the life depicted in this book: in a village with the communication hub being a horse trough at its center instead of the internet, where Rizka's tricks could be debunked in a heartbeat through Googling. All that aside, this book is clearly and cleverly written like all of Alexander's books, with humorous characters whose psychological motivations are subtly brought to the fore. And it's always enjoyable to have a strong-minded young woman with cat at the center, doing good all around her through trickstery means.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid and it's one that I remember again every so often. I see why I loved it. It appeals to me less now as an adult, but as a kid of course I would have loved a book about a trickster child who outwits all the adults. It's still very endearing. It does a good job of not being too dumbed down because it believes kids are dumb. The thing that didn't appeal as much as an adult - the village society was a little too nice, too flattened. That's how the adult world looks to a child, who has no concept of systemic problems and so on. But to me, I saw things like Sharpknack's racial prejudice towards Rizka as something much more insidious and dangerous than it was portrayed. It was laughed off as Sharpknack being an incompetent buffoon, but I've read too many stories about real world racism to believe that Rizka could truly be safe in this environment.

[Helen Pugsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

K. First off, I need to address this. Yes. It was racists. Alexander used the g-slur casually, there was a lot, in the way the town's people treated the CHILD Rizka that made me extremely uncomfortable. This book is 30 years old. Alexander perpetuated stereotypes about the Romani. We, as a society must and will do better.
Once you look at it through the lense of the 90s, it was cute! Rizka was a level of clever we all aspire to be. It was witty and fun.
Tbh, I found myself skipping over massive amounts of text. I had to read the last three chapters at the end over again because I missed it the first time. Eh.
I liked the lesson in the end. Home is where the heart is. Also, never wait on a man. Any man.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Gypsy Rizka blends comedy and poignancy seamlessly--it reads like a cross between the works of Lloyd Alexander and Roald Dahl. It features a delightful cast of characters: plucky heroine Rizka, conniving councilman Sharpnack, and fatherly Big Franko, to name a few. The plot consists of various events that happen in the town of Greater Dunitsa and how Rizka influences the lives of the town's citizens. Most of these anecdotes are humorous, but the last chapter contains some surprising emotions. Though not one of Alexander's well-known works, Gypsy Rizka is well worth anyone's time. It's lighthearted but also knows when to pull the heartstrings.

[Kaira Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book's charm and attitude. The characters were all so quirky and enjoyable that I found myself wishing that I could actually befriend them in real life. All of Rizka's tricks and jokes in the book only made it all the better! It might not be the most memorable of books or the longest, but this short read is very enchanting and will take you to a place where life can be solved through an intricate prank.

[Alli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun story! It didn't so much have a plot. Instead, it had a series of events back to back that seemed almost like individualized stories. The characters are so witty and colorful. You spend time with some of the townsfolk as they engage in Gypsy Rizka's pranks and shenanigans. Rizka is a loveable character who does good as equally as she is mischievous. This is a wonderful story of friendship and learning where your home is.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and entertaining! I had forgotten how people used to write - this is a book stringing together a bunch of little adventures, with a perfect end to wrap it up. Really enjoyable!

My only complaint is that since I listened to an audiobook version, the unusual names were a bit challenging to keep track of. But the narrator, Ron Keith, did an excellent job of differentiation with the various voices and accents.

[Vicotnic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tycker boken är stilistiskt underbar och karaktärerna är charmerande, även de enskilda äventyren och rackartygen Rizka hittar på är trevliga. Men känner tyvärr att helheten blir mindre än sina delar, det är en serie episoder som var och en är tilltalande men fram emot slutet känner jag mig nästan lite trött på dem. Hade också uppskattat om där fanns fler klyftiga karaktärer än Rizka i boken.

Men ja, tycker ändå om den och känns väl värd att läsa. Vill definitivt läsa mer av Alexander.

[Mh Weyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite reminiscent of his other books, but this one is a bit more predictable. There is very little adventure but lots of spunk and quick thinking on the part of the Gypsy girl Rizka. Lots of fun characters full of flaws but goodwilled. Alexander must have had a thing for cats too as there is another beloved beast in this story.

[Kate H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lloyd Alexander is an author I have always enjoyed. This is one of his lesser known books and while it is not my favorite of his it is still quite good. His writing style is such that it definitely stands up to the test of time.

[Mary MacKintosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore the Black Cauldron books, but didn’t enjoy this one. The smart girl is fun, but the village people she bamboozles are annoying, not endearing. Maybe I would have liked this book at 12 or 14 years of age.

[Evalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little romp - Lloyd Alexander wrote such a great little bit of fun where Gypsy Rizka dances circles around the town's folk and outsmarts them all.....but she isn't malicious (mostly) and she helps them as much as she can.

[Leilani Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. It is definitely meant for middle school audiences (5th-6th roughly) more than high school. My one issue with the book is that is has some harmful stereotypes that should be addressed before reading.

[Meredith Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun but predictable and forgettable.

[JL Salty · Rating 5 out of 5]

5th grade and up, girl
silly novel about a silly town and the sassy / wise girl who teaches everybody a lesson.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I read this as a child, I would have loved it. As is, I still liked it. Such a funny and sweet story about a Gypsy finding her forever home.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been on my to-read list for forever. Delightful read from a great author.

[Brigitte Cromey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, you need a ridiculous childhood favorite… and this is one of mine.

We all love tricksters, and Rizka just might be the perfect example.

[Lara Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little story in Alexander's usual (non-high fantasy) style.