The Various Trilogy - Steve Augarde

[KindleWorm]

I wondered if anyone else here had read the following books by Steve Augarde, a children's author and illustrator;

 

The Various: The Touchstone Trilogy

• The Various (Book 1)
  
• Celandine (Book 2)
  
• Winter Wood (Book 3)
  

 

Wonderfully imaginative story of fairies, old magic and strange folk! The tales are juxtaposed beautifully with modern life, family strife and environmental concerns. The characters are believable and likeable and the evocative descriptions of the English countryside make me happily recall my own childhood.

 

If, like me, you adore Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, then I suspect you will be drawn into the world of 12 year old Midge, her family and the improbable new world she stumbles upon. Recommended for anyone looking for some simple old-fashioned escapism

[Nollaig]

I started reading the first book in this series, and I love it! I'm not usually fond of fairyish books because its rare I like the depictions of fairy folk in them - but so far this is proving to be quite good, and I really like Midge and her uncle. The setting is all very Enid Blyton, don't you think?

[KindleWorm]

Glad you're enjoying it, Nollaig - I thought they were very enjoyable too, and I really warmed to the character of Midge (and her uncle). I agree, there is a likeness to the Faraway Tree and Famous Five books of Enid Blyton - but more 21st Century!

 

The different tribes in the stories (the "Various" tribes) are not what you expect - it is definitely not a stereotypical fairy tale - but for me that makes them all the more believable!

[Nollaig]

I'm actually hoping the tribes have a touch of those in Holly Black's books - a little darker than the norm. I certainly found the description of Midge's discovery in the barn at the start of book 1 made me cringe a bit!

[KindleWorm]

Not heard of Holly Black (will have to do a bit of research!)... but the tribes most definitely have a dark side (without giving too much away). The story isn't twee, and touches on some adult themes here and there.

[Nollaig]

Excellent! That's what I like to hear! I have a thread on Holly Black's first two 'Modern Faerie Tale' books here. She's the author of the successful Spiderwick Chronicles, which I haven't read - but the MFT books I doubt are as good. The first one, Tithe, is a struggle, but to be honest in the end I found it worth reading just to get to the (largely unrelated) second book, which reads much like a b-movie plays out - you can't help but cringe at some parts but it's definitely a guilty pleasure if you like dark fairytales.

 

Don't get too excited though, she's one for a REALLY rainy day.

 

I'm really looking forward to getting further into the Various books now, I like the dark/adult thing.

[KindleWorm]

Thanks for the link... Sounds interesting - I've always like Angela Carter's modern fairy tales and magic realism in general, so these maybe right up my street! (More books to add to my list!)

 

As for books being labelled "teen" I think it's as much a marketing exercise as anything else, and often there is little difference between them and the so-called adult market (but not that sort of adult market, of course!!! Lol)