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Title details for Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman - Available

Alchemy and Meggy Swann

by Karen Cushman
Katherine Kellgren
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Fans of Karen Cushman's witty, satisfying novels will welcome Meggy Swann, newly come to London with her only friend, a goose named Louise. Meggy's mother was glad to be rid of her; her father, who sent for her, doesn't want her after all. Meggy is appalled by London, dirty and noisy, full of rogues and thieves, and difficult to get around in—not that getting around is ever easy for someone who walks with the help of two sticks. Just as her alchemist father pursues his Great Work of transforming base metal into gold, Meggy finds herself pursuing her own transformation. Earthy and colorful, Elizabethan London has its dark side, but it also has gifts in store for Meggy Swann.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    April 13, 2010

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780307710253
      • File size: 126631 KB
      • Duration: 04:23:48

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • ATOS Level: 5.6
    • Lexile® Measure: 810
    • Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
    • Text Difficulty: 3-4

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Karen Cushman again shows her gift for merging flawless research and a winning heroine. Katherine Kellgren matches her skill with an enthusiastic and engaging portrayal. Kellgren's perfect timing and wide range of accents take listeners directly into the heart of Elizabethan England. Heroine Meggy Swann is lame in leg but certainly not in intellect. Kellgren's high-spirited narration allows listeners to imagine a chaotic London in which actors, balladeers, and printers struggle to make a living. Kellgren is at ease with everything from period curses to the sentiments of a friendless child. As she portrays the strong-willed, sharp-tongued Meggy, she convinces listeners that the heroine will prevail over the limitations of her life and her times. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      March 29, 2010
      Cushman's (Catherine, Called Birdy
      ) newest novel has all the elements that have made her earlier books so beloved. With flawless historical prose, Cushman introduces Meggy Swann, a feisty, sharp-tongued girl just arrived in gritty Elizabethan London, who has had more than her share of hard knocks. Unwanted by both her parents, she describes herself as “the ugglesome crookleg, the four-featured cripple, the fearful, misshapen creature,” dependent on two “sticks” to hobble about. When Meggy is sent to live with her father, he is horrified to have to house and care for her—he wanted a son and an assistant. Meggy is equally unhappy until she tries her hand at her father's work: alchemy. While Cushman's story revolves around the potential magic and disappointing fraud of alchemy (and Meggy's father) as well as a murder plot, at its heart are relationships. Meggy must learn to open up to others to turn her life from loneliness and anger toward friendship and even joy. There is no unequivocally happy ending for Meggy, but a better life awaits her, and readers will gladly accompany her on the journey. Ages 10–14.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.6
  • Lexile® Measure:810
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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