‘With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Woods’s latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.‘
– The Story Collector (Publisher Quote)
[ About The Story Collector ]
Thornwood Village, 1910
Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, translate ‘fairy stories’ from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens the future of her community and her very way of life…
New York, 2010
Captivated by the land of myth, folklore and superstition, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland and finds herself walking in the footsteps of Harold and Anna one hundred years later. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets – secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.
[ My Review ]
Evie Woods is a bestselling Irish writer who has had a tremendously successful year since the publication of The Lost Bookshop in 2023. It stormed the charts and is now an international bestseller, with over one million copies sold. You can read my review here where I described it as a joy to read, a seductive tale that sparks the imagination, a truly immersive and charismatic read of self-discovery and strength imbued with a sense of hope and passion.
Today I am delighted to bring you all my thoughts on The Story Collector by Evie Woods which publishes July 18th with One More Chapter and is described as ‘an evocative and charming novel full of secrets and mystery.’
The Story Collector revolves around Thornwood village in Co. Clare on the beautiful west coast of Ireland and was ‘inspired by an American anthropologist, WY Evans Wentz, who came to Ireland in the early 1900s to complete his thesis on the Celtic Fairy Faith’‘. Sarah Harper, on an impulsive whim, changes her flight destinations. It’s Christmas Day and her sister is expecting her to fly into Boston from her home in New York, but Sarah takes a flight to Shannon airport instead. Sarah’s life is at a halt, with her marriage on the edge and her personal life in tatters. Unsure of where she now fits in, this out-of-character trip to Ireland may be what Sarah needs. But what Sarah was not expecting was how caught up she was to get in the stories and lives of a local rural community.
Sarah discovers a diary of a young girl, Anna, a local girl who grew up in Thornwood, in the vicinity of the estate house of the same name. It’s 1910 and Ireland is a very different country, a place filled with mysticism and superstitions. Anna writes about the arrival of an American student, an anthropologist named Harold Griffin-Krauss, who is studying the folklore of many countries, including Ireland.
‘The American. You could tell even by the way that he walked, he wasn’t a local. He cut a tall, lean figure in a tweed suit, with his trousers tucked into his socks. He carried a satchel over his shoulder and walked with his head erect and open to adventure. For some reason, he looked to me like a man chasing butterflies and all he was missing was a net.’
Anna grew up surrounded by stories revolving around the divilment of the fairy folk. Many truly believed in their existence, many were afraid to speak of them. There were folk who claimed to have witnessed otherworldly events and there were also of course the cynics. Anna believed and with the arrival of ‘The American’, Anna jumped at the opportunity to be his assistant. They soon became a recognisable pair cycling around the village, gathering up stories and travelling to places where the fairy-folk have been witnessed. But, as Sarah continues to read Anna’s diary, she soon discovers a darker side to Anna’s story.
Sarah, in reading Anna’s words, becomes intrigued by the history of the village. She soon learns of the Irish fascination with the Seanchaí (Story Teller), the Piseogs (superstitions), the Fairies and The Other World. She becomes immersed in the lives of Anna and Harold, a tale that bewitches her completely. Will Sarah find the peace she is craving? Will Ireland whisper in her ear and bring her the tranquillity and hope that she has so far been denied?
Evie Woods has written an enthralling tale, filled with fabulous references to an Ireland of old, an Ireland that once held strong beliefs in the existence of The Good People, an Ireland that moved at a much slower pace, an Ireland that was filled with superstition and mysticism.
The Story Collector is a very charming and beguiling tale that will enchant you and capture your heart. I grew up always aware of Fairy Forts and such like and there are plenty of piseogs that I still believe in. Reading The Story Collector book has reopened my eyes to the magic of this very special country that I often take for granted.
The Story Collector is a captivating, intriguing and romantic tale. Pure magic!
The Story Collector ~ Preorder/Purchase Link
**This review was posted originally in 2018 and updated with the change to the author’s name and the addition of the new publisher and book cover image.
[ Bio ]
Evie Woods is the author of The Lost Bookshop, the #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon Kindle bestseller, which has now sold over a million copies.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, Evie escapes the inclement weather by writing her stories in a converted attic, where she dreams of underfloor heating. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
X ~ @evgaughan
I remember reading a previously publisher version of this book. I did enjoy all the Irish folklore parts.
Yes Rosie as it’s been republished in a new home & relaunching in July, I decided to repost with the updated details. Evie is such a lovely writer.
Loved this when it was first published, and it’s so exciting to see it doing so well with a new publisher! x
Evie is flying. A really lovely success story Nicki. x
This book certainly sounds intriguing, I may have to add it to my TBR to check out. I did try to read The Last Bookshop this year but couldn’t quite get into it, so hopefully I like this one better but I’m certainly willing to at least give it a try.
Sarah, I do hope you enjoy!