The Tale of Gwyn by Cynthia Voigt
Tales of the Kingdom bk 1. Atheneum Books for Young Readers,
2015. ISBN 9781481421805
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. Fantasy. This reprint of Jackaroo
with a new title and cover is a boon for readers who enjoy fantasy,
especially one with a heroine in the vein of Robin Hood. Written in
beautiful language by award winning author, Voigt, the tale of a
kingdom ravaged by poverty is spell binding. There is little hope
for the common people who are starving and burdened by taxes and
wars until a masked outlaw called Jackaroo comes at night to leave
money and assistance for the helpless. Gwyn the daughter of the
innkeeper doesn't believe in fairy tales, but when she finds a mask,
cloak and sword in an abandoned cottage, she finds herself searching
for answers.
Gwyn is a fabulous character. She is practical and loyal, brave and
daring. Although the bones of the story lie in the tale of a masked
person giving to the poor, under Voigt's magical writing, the story
becomes much more than that. It is a vivid depiction of a medieval
type of society, with kings, earls, manors and common people, and a
beautiful rendition of a young woman's coming of age. The secondary
characters are fully realised and Burl the young servant at the inn
is a wonderful person, stalwart, calm and helpful.
Originally I read this as Jackaroo when it was first
published. I loved it then and it has stood up very well to the test
of time. An outstanding book by an outstanding author.
Pat Pledger