Plain Kate (novel)
Encyclopedia
Plain Kate is a Fantasy novel by author Erin Bow, published in 2010 by Arthur A. Levine Books
, an imprint of Scholastic. The story, which draws from Russian folktales
, focuses on an orphan girl nicknamed Plain Kate who is blamed for witchcraft
because of her ability to carve wood, and who must deal with a real witch and sell her shadow in order to stay alive.
Kate is too young and too poor to join the woodcarving guild, and is forced to live out of her father's market stall, eeking out a living from her carvings. One day, a stranger comes to market, selling trinkets and charms. The stranger, named Linay, asks Kate to carve him a bow for his fiddle, but also offers Kate her heart's wish in exchange for her shadow. This she refuses. However, Linay, a witch, turns the town against her by making darkly magical things happen around her. Her position in the town, precarious to begin with, becomes dangerous as the fearful populace believe she is engaging in witchcraft. Finally, Kate is forced to agree to Linay's demands, and sells her shadow in exchange for the supplies she needs to live while she flees Samilae to go elsewhere. However, magic in this world is an exchange of gifts, and in addition to a pack of supplies, Linay grants Kate her heart's wish, which turns out to be giving her cat Taggle the ability to talk, so that she would not be alone.
Kate leaves Samilae, knowing that her shadow will fade over time. Taking the advice of a friendly baker in town, Kate joins the Roamers, who themselves are no strangers to being accused of witchcraft. Taggle offers some comfort, though he finds the gift of speech to be odd, as he has to consider human-like terms and behaviours that don't sit well with his cat-like self.
While travelling with the Roamers, Plain Kate meets Drina, a girl with no mother but a living father. Drina tells Kate about an uncle who went mad once Drina's mother was burned as a witch. A few days later, Kate reveals to Drina that a witch took her shadow and that Taggle actually talks. Since Drina's mother was actually a witch, and Drina shares some of that power, Drina decides to help Kate. Drina repeats the one rule of magic: that for something to be granted, something must be given in return, but the spell backfires. Drina apologizes but says that they can still get help from someone who knew her mother in the markets of Toila.
Throughout their journey, a mysterious fog creeps up the river, bringing sickness to the towns it touches. The people of the countryside are more fearful than ever, ready to pounce on any mysterious stranger or Roamer with accusations of witchcraft. Kate and Drina barely escape from an angry mob in Toila, and the Roamers start to believe that Kate is more trouble than she is worth. Worse, the river sickness has started to affect the Roamers as well. Some Roamers accuse Kate of being responsible. The discovery that Kate now has no shadow, and that Taggle can talk, seals Kate's fate. The Roamers lock her in an old bear cage, and prepare to burn her themselves. Kate manages to escape with Taggle, but is badly burnt. She runs to the river and dive in.
Kate wakes up in a small boat, and discovers that Linay has saved her. Her hands are bandaged and she is in clean clothes. Linay reveals that he did not want Kate to drown. This was how his sister died, while running from an angry mob, and it is this that has transformed her into a Rusalka, a vampiric water creature that has been causing the river sickness. Kate realizes that Linay is Drina's uncle, and that the Rusalka is actually Drina's mother, Lenore. Linay promises to return Kate's shadow to her when they reach Lov, a big city downriver, but he needs her to exact his plan for revenge. He reveals that he has taken Kate's shadow so he could augment the power of the Rusalka and destroy the city of Lov, where Lenore died. He is leading his sister down the river and keeping her under control by offering her his blood, but he has no more blood to give. He asks Kate to offer some of her own blood. In spite of Taggle's advice not to agree to Linay's deal, Kate reluctantly starts to feed her blood to Lenore, every night. Soon, she discovers that her shadow is held in a box made of her stall's ruins.
After an attempt to free her shadow fails, Kate decides that she cannot allow Linay to destroy Lov, and she flees Linay's boat, trying to beat him to the stone city. On the way, she meets Drina in the red vardo with Behjet. Behjet has fallen into the "death" sleep. Drina says that the ghost has taken other Roamers as well. Together, the two arrive at Lov. There, they see Linay being captured by the city guards. He is calling for himself to be burned.
On the day of the burning, as Linay is to be burned at the stake, he calls Lenore, who comes. Combined with Kate's shadow, she begins to destroy Lov. Kate and Drina plead with Linay to stop, but he refuses. Taggle, remembering the rule of magic, gives back the gift of his speech by selflessly jumping onto Kate's knife, killing himself, and ending the Rusalka's attack on the city. The Rusalka transforms back into Lenore, in ghost form, who comforts the dying Linay, and her daughter Drina. Before she fades, crossing over completely into the afterlife, she grants Kate one last gift and uses her witchcraft to bring Taggle back to life, although without the ability to speak. She also gives Kate back her shadow. Those caught in the sleeping sickness, who are still alive, wake up at last.
Kate, Taggle and Drina leave Lov and find Behjet awake. Later, when it is almost dark, Plain Kate finds Linay's green boat. Inside, she finds the box which held her shadow. Inside there is a sack full of gold and silver, and a note on which Linay had written: Kate. I hope you live. Before the book ends, Plain Kate picks up Taggle and says: "I did. We both did. And we'll keep on living."
as the year's best work in Canadian children's literature.
Arthur A. Levine Books
Arthur A. Levine Books is an imprint of Scholastic Corporation which specializes in fiction and non-fiction books for young readers. The imprint was founded in 1996 by Arthur Levine in New York City. The first book published by Arthur A. Levine Books was "When She Was Good" by Norma Fox Mazer in...
, an imprint of Scholastic. The story, which draws from Russian folktales
Russian traditions and superstitions
Russian traditions, superstitions and beliefs include superstitions and customs of Russians. Many of them are now inseparable parts of every day life, or simply common social etiquette, though they often have their origins in superstition. The awareness of them, and their perceived importance,...
, focuses on an orphan girl nicknamed Plain Kate who is blamed for witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
because of her ability to carve wood, and who must deal with a real witch and sell her shadow in order to stay alive.
Plot
Katerina "Kate" Svetlana is an orphan who lived in the small eastern European market town of Samilae. She was called "Plain Kate" because her plain looks. Her mother died in childbirth and her father, a master woodcarver, took care of her until he died of a mysterious river sickness.Kate is too young and too poor to join the woodcarving guild, and is forced to live out of her father's market stall, eeking out a living from her carvings. One day, a stranger comes to market, selling trinkets and charms. The stranger, named Linay, asks Kate to carve him a bow for his fiddle, but also offers Kate her heart's wish in exchange for her shadow. This she refuses. However, Linay, a witch, turns the town against her by making darkly magical things happen around her. Her position in the town, precarious to begin with, becomes dangerous as the fearful populace believe she is engaging in witchcraft. Finally, Kate is forced to agree to Linay's demands, and sells her shadow in exchange for the supplies she needs to live while she flees Samilae to go elsewhere. However, magic in this world is an exchange of gifts, and in addition to a pack of supplies, Linay grants Kate her heart's wish, which turns out to be giving her cat Taggle the ability to talk, so that she would not be alone.
Kate leaves Samilae, knowing that her shadow will fade over time. Taking the advice of a friendly baker in town, Kate joins the Roamers, who themselves are no strangers to being accused of witchcraft. Taggle offers some comfort, though he finds the gift of speech to be odd, as he has to consider human-like terms and behaviours that don't sit well with his cat-like self.
While travelling with the Roamers, Plain Kate meets Drina, a girl with no mother but a living father. Drina tells Kate about an uncle who went mad once Drina's mother was burned as a witch. A few days later, Kate reveals to Drina that a witch took her shadow and that Taggle actually talks. Since Drina's mother was actually a witch, and Drina shares some of that power, Drina decides to help Kate. Drina repeats the one rule of magic: that for something to be granted, something must be given in return, but the spell backfires. Drina apologizes but says that they can still get help from someone who knew her mother in the markets of Toila.
Throughout their journey, a mysterious fog creeps up the river, bringing sickness to the towns it touches. The people of the countryside are more fearful than ever, ready to pounce on any mysterious stranger or Roamer with accusations of witchcraft. Kate and Drina barely escape from an angry mob in Toila, and the Roamers start to believe that Kate is more trouble than she is worth. Worse, the river sickness has started to affect the Roamers as well. Some Roamers accuse Kate of being responsible. The discovery that Kate now has no shadow, and that Taggle can talk, seals Kate's fate. The Roamers lock her in an old bear cage, and prepare to burn her themselves. Kate manages to escape with Taggle, but is badly burnt. She runs to the river and dive in.
Kate wakes up in a small boat, and discovers that Linay has saved her. Her hands are bandaged and she is in clean clothes. Linay reveals that he did not want Kate to drown. This was how his sister died, while running from an angry mob, and it is this that has transformed her into a Rusalka, a vampiric water creature that has been causing the river sickness. Kate realizes that Linay is Drina's uncle, and that the Rusalka is actually Drina's mother, Lenore. Linay promises to return Kate's shadow to her when they reach Lov, a big city downriver, but he needs her to exact his plan for revenge. He reveals that he has taken Kate's shadow so he could augment the power of the Rusalka and destroy the city of Lov, where Lenore died. He is leading his sister down the river and keeping her under control by offering her his blood, but he has no more blood to give. He asks Kate to offer some of her own blood. In spite of Taggle's advice not to agree to Linay's deal, Kate reluctantly starts to feed her blood to Lenore, every night. Soon, she discovers that her shadow is held in a box made of her stall's ruins.
After an attempt to free her shadow fails, Kate decides that she cannot allow Linay to destroy Lov, and she flees Linay's boat, trying to beat him to the stone city. On the way, she meets Drina in the red vardo with Behjet. Behjet has fallen into the "death" sleep. Drina says that the ghost has taken other Roamers as well. Together, the two arrive at Lov. There, they see Linay being captured by the city guards. He is calling for himself to be burned.
On the day of the burning, as Linay is to be burned at the stake, he calls Lenore, who comes. Combined with Kate's shadow, she begins to destroy Lov. Kate and Drina plead with Linay to stop, but he refuses. Taggle, remembering the rule of magic, gives back the gift of his speech by selflessly jumping onto Kate's knife, killing himself, and ending the Rusalka's attack on the city. The Rusalka transforms back into Lenore, in ghost form, who comforts the dying Linay, and her daughter Drina. Before she fades, crossing over completely into the afterlife, she grants Kate one last gift and uses her witchcraft to bring Taggle back to life, although without the ability to speak. She also gives Kate back her shadow. Those caught in the sleeping sickness, who are still alive, wake up at last.
Kate, Taggle and Drina leave Lov and find Behjet awake. Later, when it is almost dark, Plain Kate finds Linay's green boat. Inside, she finds the box which held her shadow. Inside there is a sack full of gold and silver, and a note on which Linay had written: Kate. I hope you live. Before the book ends, Plain Kate picks up Taggle and says: "I did. We both did. And we'll keep on living."
Critical Response
Plain Kate was well received by many critics. The New York Times Sunday Book Review praised the book, saying, "The plot unfolds with the swiftness and dramatic urgency of an adventure tale, yet each event has a measured gravity. Ambiguity and complexity shade the characterizations and the story line.". The Toronto Star called Plain Kate "a beauty of a book". The book was also nominated for, and won the English version of the 2011 TD Canadian Children's Literature AwardTD Canadian Children's Literature Award
The TD Canadian Children's Literature Award is an annual Canadian literary award, presented to the year's best work of children's literature. Sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group and the Canadian Children's Book Centre, the award carries a monetary prize of $25,000.Two awards are presented...
as the year's best work in Canadian children's literature.