Having read The Dragon in the Bookshop in April (you can read my review here ), I am delighted to be part of the blog tour and even more thrilled to be welcoming Ewa to my blog today.
Top five books that give the villain a new narrative
The Dragon in the Bookshop features a Polish legend about the Wawel dragon of Kraków. He lived in a cave below the castle, had an insatiable appetite and terrorised the locals. Nobody knew how to get rid of him! As a child I often wondered whether he was really as bad as everyone made out. Perhaps the legend could be read in a different way? Maybe there was an important piece of context that we were missing? Without giving too much away, this context forms a key part of the story.
I love the idea of a villain who has been misunderstood. Here are my top stories featuring these brilliant characters:
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - Severus Snape
Perhaps the best known misunderstood villain, Severus Snape has baffled readers all over the world. Initially portrayed as a cruel bully of a teacher, we see many more dimensions to him as the series progresses. I personally found myself doing a complete U-turn on my opinion of him, and he remains one of my favourite characters in children’s literature.
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman - Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel
Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel are the parents of the book's protagonist, Lyra, and I still haven’t quite made up my mind on what I think about them. They certainly deviate between being true evil villains and protective parents, which leaves you as a reader, unsure of how to interpret their actions – and this is perhaps the beauty of Philip Pullman’s writing.
Twitch by M.G. Leonard - Robber Ryan
Without giving too much away, the notorious Robber Ryan, who young birdwatcher Twitch tries to track down in Aves Wood, is not even close to the person that everyone believes him to be. This is a brilliant story of one boy’s search to uncover the truth about the mysterious events that have been happening around his village.
Fledgling by Lucy Hope - Frau Crunch and Frau Grind
This is a recent favourite of mine which reminds me of the brilliant Skellig by David Almond. All the characters are wonderfully drawn. The nurses, known as Frau Crunch and Frau Grind, are both humorous and terrifying in equal measure, as they tend to Cassie’s ailing grandmother. We learn a lot more about them at the end of the story, and needless to say, they are not who they seem…
The Dragon in the Bookshop by Ewa Jozefkowicz (front cover illustration by Katy Riddell) is out on 7th July 2022 and will help promote Grief Encounter (www.griefencounter.org.uk) a wonderful charity that works with children who have lost someone they love.
Grief Encounter have a message for children and young people like Kon. As a charity they work closely with individuals, families, schools and professionals to offer a way through the anxiety, fear and isolation so often caused by the grief of losing someone close.
Grief Encounter provide immediate support with a FREEPHONE Grieftalk helpline 0808 802 0111 open Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, a live chat via their website or support by emailing grieftalk@
griefencounter.org.uk.
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