Foulsham

Foulsham by Edward Carey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perhaps not quite as captivating as the first, the strange little world created in Heap House expands to the outside town of Foulsham. Once again, the importance of names, our relationship with things, and our tendency to place people in classes based on how many things they have and what they do is explored, while also digging into exploitation, poverty, and greed. Clod is now starts out as a gold coin, so that is unique perspective, and we get to meet Binadit, who may seem simple, but usually sees things how it is.

View all my reviews

Mistress Winthrop, but so thick with gin that she was ever more gin than human, more bottle than body.

Steam out of my mouth, like I was an engine.

‘I cannot help my name!’

Coaxing the person back had to be done carefully.

Whatever they were they weren’t it any longer.

With each part pulled off, he was growing smaller.

For Mrs Whiting, every object was proof of her living;

I’m your thing.

Well then, who’s to say who’s a person?

I’m not afraid to die. I was, was very much in truth, when I was a coin, when I couldn’t do anything, only just be moved about by other people, that was frightening because I was lost then, but I’m me again now,

Why will you not protect your things?

Our house itself seems to move as if it has the shivers, I hope it’s not going to catch the ague, our own dear house.