I'm number one on the list to get it from the library and am impatiently waiting for the library to call and tell me it's ready. I've read some rave reviews from the critics, so I hope it's as wonderful as they say.

What did you think about it? Is it overrated or is it as good as the critics claim? Since you're urging us to read it, it must be fantastic.

I read it in one day. The premise is intriquing, the main characterizations are very deep and detailed, the secondary characters are well-drawn, and he captured the era of the 1950s. It can be read as a simple story, as an allegory-I liked it alot.

I just read the (extensive) blurbs on Amazon, it does sound very interesting and different. I'm going to see if my library has it.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Stolen Child

I read it in one day too. I really enjoyed it although I thought it bogged down some about 3/4's through.
The ending was satisfing for the most part. And I admit, I read the last page right away.
And there were parts that needing filling out. Like many reviews said, it was sparsely told.
I'll enjoy talking about it more after everyones's read it!

I'm number three on the list at the library to get it, and it currently says the title is "In Transit" so I should have it soon. I read an excerpt that intrigued me, and am hoping the rest of the book lives up to it.

it is sparsely told-I liked that about it-an economy of well-chosen words is a quality I admire.

The author was interviewed today on NPR-using the link below, you should be able to hear the interview starting around 1 p.m. EDT today-or if Weekend Edition Sunday hasn't aired on your npr station yet-tune in right now!

Here is a link that might be useful: Donohue Interview

Just read that Amazon, instead of waiting for the professional critics, sent advance copies to the readers who often review books on the site-all but 1 loved it, and Amazon used THOSE reviews to drive sales! Power to the People!

I read it over two nights, staying up until 2:00 this morning to finish it. I'm sure I'm going to have to read it a couple of more times to catch all of the nuances of it.

If you've ever read Kenneth Grahame's The Golden Age, you may find The Stolen Child to be a darker, but similar theme, albeit a different aspect of the loss of and often difficult struggle to recapture/regain the memories of our childhood.

This book is not for everyone though. It is very dark, and often disturbing. I agree with bumblebeez that it bogs down part way through, but then it does pick up again.

Beth
(btw- I'm most often found at the Kitchen Table, but I've haunted GW for years)

Hi Beth. I'm often found at the kitchen table too (my own), stuffing my face with a book propped in front of me. If you've haunted this site for years, you know how many of us love food as well as books.

Sorry, folks. Please continue. I have not even heard of this book, but the discussion is fascinating. Like I need to add yet another book to my TBR stack!

Paula

going up

SPOILERS SPOILERS FOLLOW
I posted a question on another thread (and should have posted it here) about why the father committed suicide and CeCe kindly answered that, basically that he thought he was going mad. I wish I had you around when I was reading it but that would have been at a campsite by a mountain lake! I got a headache trying to figure out if the father had been a changeling and then couldn't handle it when he realized that his son had been taken, too. I figured he committed suicide because of the guilt he felt taking another child to join the real world again. But then the genetics ruled that idea out. Odd how the mother knew the child was a changeling and loved him anyway. But perhaps he was an improvement over her real son. (I know, tsk tsk, I'm bad.) ;-)

I kept thinking of the changelings as street kids. This novel certainly took the romance out of the fairy world. It certainly wasn't Rivendell or the Shire.

WARNING - MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW

**********************

Janalyn, I had a slightly different (but similar) take on the dad's suicide. I didn't see it as a result of madness (or insanity) but rather one of grief. Once he saw Aniday he realized he'd lost his real son, and what was worse is he wasn't allowed to openly grieve for him. Unlike the mother (who knew and apparently didn't mind), the dad resented and disliked the replacement Henry. But I suppose the author left the question intentionally ambiguous so as to generate just such a discussion.

Coming up for Frieda.

I finally finished this and absolutely loved it. Such an unusual story and so well written. I will definitely want to re-read this one to pick up the details I missed.

Spoiler: my reaction to the father's suicide was that it was out of grief,loss and estrangement.

Hating to return it to the library today....

I read it months ago and loved it. It was worth keeping on through the slow part, too. I wish there were more books like this one!

I still think about this book-but I'm not sure I'll ever reread it.

Just bumping... I have this book now and just started reading on the train this morning. Will come back when I'm done.

I read it and enjoyed this unusual tale........however, I can't say that it "affected" me in any meaningful way.
It is, after all, just well crafted fiction!

Oh, I agree-it wasn't life-changing-but I do still remember things about the story, and the wordcraft. It is extremely well-written fiction-and the photo on the hardback cover is memorable as well. That towering, menacing tree.

I agree -- not life changing. As an exploration of identity and memory and as an expression of pathos we feel from growing up and moving on, I think it works well, but I'm not feeling the love for this book that others have expressed. What undermines it for me is that the voice of both narrators sound exactly the same. I'm glad I read it, but since I need book shelf space, I'll probably put this one in my to be given away pile.

Hmmm... when I posted earlier I still had about 40 pages left. Just finished. I do like the way he ended it. If you read this purely as allegory, I can understand why the author used one voice to represent two beings, with the child merging with the man, at the end. If you read this on a more literal level, I think there are a few problems with both voices sounding so much alike. I also had mixed feelings how he used the world of the changelings to express his theme (not the realism, but how memory and maturity was expressed in such childlike beings -- not sure I can adequately explain what bothered me about it, though). Anyway... just felt the need to clarify a bit more.

I enjoyed the book when I was reading it but have no desire to reread it at all. Overall I found it sad and depressing.