| Product: |
Fire, Bed & Bone - Henrietta Branford |
| Date: |
24/03/07 (474 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Powerful, well written and interesting read
Disadvantages: Subject matter may put some children off
I was scanning the bookshelves down in the Children’s Library the other day for something a bit different to read. I am currently reading “As Meat Loves Salt” by Maria McCann and am finding it a little heavy. Looking for a bit of less involved reading I thought I would pick a children’s book.
Finally deciding on “Fire, Bed and Bone” by Henrietta Branford I set off home (after issuing it to myself ~ I DON’T steal books of the shelves) to read. I found myself hooked instantly! I hadn’t settled on a bit of light reading, in fact I had found something that really got its hooks into me and wouldn’t let me go until I’d finished!
~~~THE AUTHOR.
Henrietta Branford was born in India in 1946. She lived in various places and had lots of different jobs before becoming a writer in her 40s. She thought she now had plenty of time to dedicate to producing books ~ but time was not on Henrietta’s side! In the December of 1997 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Three operations and chemotherapy followed, but the cancer had spread and turned out to be untreatable.
Henrietta Branford died on 23rd April 1999; she was just 53! When I read this book it was strange to think that, while she was writing it, and while she was promoting it at awards ceremonies she was very ill.
Henrietta Branford is survived by her husband Paul Carter, three children and some wonderful books. The tragedy is that she had so much more to give and so much more talent to discover!
~~~THE AWARDS.
As well as being a judge for the 1998 Smarties and 1999 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prizes, Henrietta Branford also won awards herself. Fire, Bed and Bone was commended for the Carnegie Medal and won the Smarties Prize and the Guardian Award in 1998. Not bad, eh?
~~~THE BACKGROUND.
Fire, Bed and Bone is set in 1381. The historically minded among you will now conjure up a time of Wat Tyler, John Ball and the rebellion known as The Peasants Revolt. This was a time when the peasants of England were being stirred up into revolution against the harsh rule of the nobility.
It is a time when Britain was operating under the Feudal system and tenants on a Landlord’s property were treated as no more than slaves. During this harsh time it isn’t surprising that some people wanted more and were prepared to fight to get a better life, especially when they are urged on by preachers and eloquent speakers.
~~~THE PLOT.
The Peasants Revolt is bringing change to the lives of the main characters of Fire, Bed and Bone. They are Rufus, Comfort, their children and an old hunting dog ~ the narrator of this story! To begin with the dog has everything she could want ~ Fire (to sleep by), a Bed (to sleep on) and a Bone (to eat). As the rebellion escalates life begins to change for everyone.
When Rufus and Comfort are arrested for attending a revolutionary rally, life is not as pleasant for them or for the animals who live on their land. This brilliant novel shows how this change affects everyone, but from the unusual viewpoint of an old dog.
~~~WHAT I THOUGHT.
After reading Blitzcat by Robert Westall I knew that books written from the perspective of an animal (in that case a cat) CAN work. Fire, Bed and Bone is an unusual idea but certainly one that makes for interesting reading. What is strange is that we are never told the name of the dog (she is described either as an “old hunting hound” or an “old bitch”) but this isn’t really a problem when reading. The dog is old but is able to relate the events happening around her with great attention to detail; avoiding any over sentimentality, making the story both powerful and intriguing.
Fire, Bed and Bone is dramatic and exciting! It is a shame that the unusual subject matter may mean that some children may never read it ~ if you have a child aged from about ten years upwards, encourage them to read it! Look beyond the historical period and you are left with a really good story in its own right. The language used is easy to understand, the sentences are sharp and punchy and the book as a whole is full of atmosphere. Some of the descriptions used are poetic, yet the writing style is packed full of realism.
The backdrop is harsh and the lives of the characters (both human and animal) are awful. Rufus and Comfort struggle to make their small holding keep the family going, but they are still humane and provide a relatively stable home for their children and animals. Despite the harsh reality of the lives of the peasants of Britain the book shows their dignity and power.
Fire, Bed and Bone is also a very sad story. It is really easy to forget that the narrator is a dog. She becomes a hero when her owners are taken to prison. During the story she finds a home for her owner’s family and manages to bring one of the children’s hats to Rufus and Comfort to tell them that they don’t have to worry about their safety.
Branford’s writing evokes sympathy and creates a story that is as powerful as it is touching! Ordinary details mingle with extraordinary events ~ the dog does “normal” things like hunt for food, but tinged with this are the tragic events forming around her.
"We slipped away under the trees to look for wood mice. But there was a bad smell under the trees, a smell of sickness and sorrow and secrets"
You will find this book to be not only a good read but also an excellent historical resource. Branford has done her research well and ably gives us a picture of the suppressive world of 14th century Britain, albeit through the eyes of a farm dog. School children may find it really useful if they want to learn more about living conditions and politics in the medieval world. It can turn a potentially dry subject into a talking point! Fire, Bed and Bone can also be read as a gripping story in its own right ~ you can get as involved in the politics of the day as the want!
Branford has successfully produced a children’s book that makes you think! Because it is told through the eyes of an animal she is able to describe events that she may not have normally tackled in a children’s story ~ the executions, evil human behaviour, etc. She does this with subtlety and not just with a view to shocking the audience ~ the dog is almost detached as an observer. We learn that there is more going on in the mind of a dog than where the next bone is coming from!
Fire, Bed and Bone is a fresh and fascinating story for older children, teenagers and interested adults alike. It is an action tale full of tears, tragedy, hope and change. Extremely recommended!
Book details~~~~
Hardback, £8.99, ISBN 0 7445 4150-6, Walker Books, 1997
Original Paperback, £3.99, ISBN 0-7445-5484-5, Walker Books, 1997
New Paperback, £4.99, ISBN 0-7445-9049-3, Walker Books, 2002
Audiotape read by Eve Karpf, ISBN 0 7540 5047 5, Chivers Press Ltd, 1998
Audiotape (Cavalcade edition), £7.99, ISBN 0 7540 7027 1, Chivers Press Ltd,1998
Summary: An excellent and unusal story for children.
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