Treacle Walker

In sparse prose, in which an English country dialect is interlaced, this is about what happened to Joseph Coppock when itinerant peddler Treacle Walker shows up with his trunk of goods. Absolutely delightful!

Garner prefaces the book with a quote from the quantum physicist Carlo Rovelli on the mystery of time, and this short novel is just as bewildering. A boy meets a rag and bone man and they… well, it’s not altogether clear what they do. Adventures ensue, and the conventional world fades away.The spare writing can be wonderfully evocative and the plot meandering. It’s been over 50 years since I read The Owl Service as a boy not much older than the hero of this book, and I enjoyed revisiting Garner’s world again. But be warned- this is not a straightforward story, and the opacity of the plot can be frustrating.

“Treacle Walker” by Alan Garner - (3.5 Stars) (Pub Date:11/17/2023) was a myth, inside of a folktale, inside of a dream all in what I assume is British vernacular which rendered the story a little less accessible to me as an American reader.Good Things: The sparseness of language lent itself to the folktale/legend feel of the story. Because I struggled to follow the vernacular speech patterns of the characters, I felt even more like a guest in a legendary place. Finally, to avoid spoilers, I will say that the metaphor about ideas and stories is as good as the literal story itself.Opportunities: Not to mention a third time, but I need to mention a third time…the spoken text was almost impossible for me to follow along with. I read very quickly, and trying to translate the idioms and characters' verbal interaction not only slowed me down, it took me out of the story entirely. When I had to pause every 2-3 sentences or sections to figure out what the character was saying by context clues and verbal read-aloud phonetics, my mind would wander. This feels like one of those works of art that I recognize and appreciate as a work of art, but fully acknowledge that it’s not my personal favorite style of art.Final Thoughts: Read this because it’s new but feels ancient. Read this to experience the narrative language. Read this to think and feel new thoughts in creative ways. Read this because it’s short and punchy. Read this to find yourself thinking little tiny new thoughts you’ve never thought before.I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to have an early read of this story by netgalley and Scribner. The opinions in this review are expressly those of ButIDigressBookClub .

This book should carry a health warning as it is written using language that is impossible to follow. Not sure what planet the author is from but this reader gave up after 20 pages.

Rating: ⭐⭐Genre: Literary Fiction + FantasyWhat was that? I honestly did not understand this novella. I don’t know what is the purpose of its story at all. It started as a charming fantasy, but then it kept going on and on with no goal or particular direction. It ended up going nowhere. This was supposed to be based on English folklore, but I couldn’t compare it with any I know.All I got from the story is that Treacle Walker is a man who meets a young man called Joe. The two make a trade. Joe ends up with a donkey stone, and then he uses this stone and more nonsense happens. The best thing about this book is that it was short, so it did not require much time invested in it. I don’t think I would have finished it if it was an entire novel. Not only the story, but I also don’t even understand the cover! What is that supposed to be on the cover? A pig? A chicken?

The book, Treacle Walker, arrived in new condition as advertised and arrived a bit earlier than projected. Great condition; great service.

If I hadn’t grown up in the British countryside half the dialogue would have flown over my head. Its short on description and exposition, but that’s what makes it unique. I read the book in one sitting and placed it down feeling that magic still exists.

An interesting and thought provoking read.I received a gifted copy.

If, like me, you loved Red Shift, you are into liminal or inner landscape fiction, you like wordplay, folklore and myth fascinate you, and you played marbles as a child :) this is for you,It's fairly short but it has some long words in it, don'lt be intimdated!

The book won't be everybody'd cup of tea, but I loved it.

This is the only Booker Prize listed book I have ever managed to finish, so far. It's a weird little piece - it is short. Short short. It is also plain - no close third person psychic distance writing techniques here - but also Roald-Dahl-esque. Playful language abounds. I'm not clever enough to know why it got long/short listed for the Booker, nor why it didn't get the top spot, but I do know if was nice to read. Recommended.

It is logical in its own world - the world of a boy who sees things out of a very different perspective. The book is a bit like a work of art, painting a strange picture. Very memorable.

This is the first of Alan Garner's books I have read and I loved it. It is totally different from anything I have read before and it might be helpful to read the reviews to gain an understanding of the narrative. It is unusual but it is one of those books that stays with you for a long time. I hope it wins the Booker prize.