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Robin McKinley
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The Stone Fey Hardcover – Illustrated, September 1, 1998

by Robin McKinley (Author), John Clapp (Illustrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
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Maddy has been roaming the hills of Damar with her sheep since she was a girl. The Hills hold everything she desires: her family; her beloved dog, Aerlich - and soon, her fiancé, Donal, who has been away for a year. But one evening a lamb is lost. And when Maddy returns to the Hills to find it, she discovers something else the Hills possess - something that will change her forever...
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  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    64 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    10 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches
  6. Publisher
    HMH Books for Young Readers
  7. Publication date
    September 1, 1998
  8. ISBN-10
    0152000178
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0152000172
  10. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Maddy has lost her sheep and even her dog Aerlich doesn't know where to find him. "It would soon be too dark to see anything, but a succulent young lamb would not survive the night in the wild rocky scree beyond the farm; if a foltza didn't get him, a yerig would. Damn." Okay, so Newbery Medal winner Robin McKinley's magical story The Stone Fey is no Little Bo Peep tale, and Maddy, the conflicted, passionate shepherdess, is no Bo Peep. One wild night in the Hills of Damar, a stone fey--a magical creature of the wilds--greets Maddy with her lost lamb in his muscular arms--his skin was gray, with "a rose-quartz flush across his cheekbones." After that fateful night, she can't get him out of her head, despite her commitments to longtime sweetheart Damon, who is due to return from a year away. With all the mist and mystery of a Mary Stewart novel, The Stone Fey is sure to thrill young readers with wildness in their hearts. John Clapp's lovely watercolors perfectly capture the mood of this haunting, innocent exploration of the nature of romantic love. (Click to see a sample spread. Illustration from The Stone Fey by Robin McKinley, illustration © 1998 by John Clapp, reproduced by permission of Harcourt Brace & Company.) (Ages 10 and older) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

While staying true to her penchant for presenting strong female protagonists, Newbery winner McKinley strikes a softer note with this deeply romantic yet ultimately clear-eyed love story set in the fantasy kingdom of Damar. Maddy has always known who she is and exactly what she wants?to tend her flock of sheep; to marry her childhood friend, Donal; and to earn enough money to build her own farm close beside the "Hills [that] were her flesh and bone." But after she meets and falls in love with a Stone Fey, Maddy finds herself drifting further and further away from the people and things she truly cares for. Only when she accepts the fact that the Fey is unable to return her love (or to feel anything at all) is she free to rediscover her sense of self. Newcomer Clapp's incidental illustrations, dreamy watercolor and graphite paintings reminiscent of the work of Barry Moser, heighten the quiet drama of McKinley's prose. The best of his landscapes evoke the serene stillness of McKinley's writing; one portrait of Maddy, with its masterful play of light and shadow, particularly showcases his craft, as it glows with the power of burgeoning love. McKinley's sophisticated syntax, as well as the text's subtle concern with female sexuality, make the novella most appropriate for teens who can appreciate its empowering feminist message. The superb storytelling, however, will likely hold the rapt attention of readers whatever their politics or gender. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HMH Books for Young Readers; First Edition (September 1, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0152000178
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0152000172
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

About the author

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Robin McKinley

Robin McKinley

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Robin McKinley has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown and a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword. Her other books include Sunshine; the New York Times bestseller Spindle's End; two novel-length retellings of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and Rose Daughter; and a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood. She lives with her husband, the English writer Peter Dickinson.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
30 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Vicki
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, arrived swiftly
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
I was glad to get this book, The Stone Fey, by Robin McKinley. It arrived swiftly, and in good condition.
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Kristen Richardson
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely. Just lovely.
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2008
Verified Purchase
Probably sounds like a bit of a cop-out, review-wise, when I say that you can't go wrong with Robin McKinley, but seriously, you can't go wrong with Robin McKinley. Her stories don't always end up just where you think they might, but they always seem to end up in the right place, which is difficult enough to accomplish. 'The Stone Fey' is no exception; strong characters, beautiful scenery, and the most graceful prose make this story a small marvel.

And I mustn't forget the illustrations, which are pretty darn unforgettable. I won't waste a thousand words failing to describe them; let's just say that they are worth seeing, and that John Clapp's talent ranks up there with McKinley's.

This book is worth every penny I paid.
5 people found this helpful
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Hallaspinner
4.0 out of 5 stars Written for kids but enjoyable for an adult.
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2011
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I have been devouring everything this by author and could not find this locally. For
quite a while the only on-line offers were collectible editions at eye-popping, high prices. I was thrilled to find a reasonably-priced, reading copy at last. I guess I glossed over the page count because I was shocked when a thin picture book arrived. Then I read it. It is almost poetic in what it leaves out and preserves to pare itself down to the core essence of a good story. It stimulates the imagination and encourages you to pause and wonder. In that respect it is well worth reading more than once. Take a little time to savor the excellent illustrations as well. This is a keeper, which neatly explains the occasional difficulty in finding it.
5 people found this helpful
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Kim C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2015
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Everything Robin McKinley writes is great. I can't recommend her more.
One person found this helpful
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Christiane Reid
5.0 out of 5 stars extremely difficult to describe
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2005
Like Orson Scott Card (particularly in Ender's Game), Robin McKinley here made my perspective/attitude/understanding expand, as this story included elements that I didn't want and certainly didn't expect, but ended up appreciating. The cussing probly wasn't necessary, but it did make Maddy seem more real and less idealized. McKinley never quite explains what a fey is (or yerig or folstza) but readers familiar with her other books will understand at least vaguely, and the way she leaves so much to the imagination is a skill too many fantasy writers have forgotten. The fey's actions are surprising and yet believable, and Maddy's responses are unexpected yet extraordinarily real. The result is a story that avoids predictability but feels neither cheap nor deceptive (as the film The Village does). Because of the cussing and sensual undercurrent I wouldn't recommend this book for children despite its format and apparent fairy-tale appeal, but mature young people (especially girls) should both appreciate and benefit from McKinley's intelligent, personal treatment of the classic human-falls-in-love-with-otherworldly-being idea. As a young adult (age 21) fond of McKinley's other books despite a few criticisms, I found this story passionate, haunting, riveting, puzzling, beautiful, and immensely satisfying in an unsettling sort of way.
13 people found this helpful
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Sheherazade
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Written, Beautifully Illustrated
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2001
Really, they should have a separate scale for Robin McKinley. _The Stone Fey_ is vividly written and illustrated, capturing one's imagination in the first page. It's particularly well suited for reading aloud &/or for a "coffee table book" -- eye catching, ear enthralling, and a dang good story.
11 people found this helpful
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Deb
3.0 out of 5 stars NOT A NOVEL. This is a child's book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
Robin McKinley is one of my favprite authors. I buy anything new of hers. So I bought this book. Now I am extremely disappointed. This is NOT a novel. It is a child's picture book. I am sure it's a great kid's book, but I did not see anything obvious to indicate it was not a novel in the description. My rating is middling because of that, not the actual writing.
One person found this helpful
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Ruth in NM
4.0 out of 5 stars Fey, indeed
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
An otherworldly and mildly disturbing story, with a more lyrical style of writing than McKinley usually produces. Breathtakingly beautiful watercolor illustrations as well.
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