Master Cornhill by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Master Cornhill Reviews

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  Josiah

  What a career Eloise Jarvis McGraw had in juvenile literature. She won three Newbery Honors, her first (for Moccasin Trail) in 1953 and her last (The Moorchild) in 1997, proving herself an effective storyteller over multiple generations. Even the most gifted authors can fall out of step with contemporary culture as the decades pass, failing to connect with readers as they used to, but Ms. McGraw retained her magic touch all the way to the end. Her books are about fairies and sorcery, ancient and newer history, magical realism, mysteries, and contemporary fiction, and they shine as a beacon of excellence over the seas of children's literature. In 1973, Master Cornhill took readers back to a tumultuous time in English history, the aftermath of 1665's Great Plague of London. For eleven-year-old Michael Cornhill, the disease caused the structure of his life to collapse. Abandoned as an infant at St. Michael Archangel Church, Michael was adopted by the Trueblood family. The Great Plague killed them all, and he was sent elsewhere as the pestilence hit its peak. Now he's headed back to London, hoping someone will claim guardianship of him, but uncertainty reigns as he enters the dreary, decimated city.
  
  Riding as passengers in a turnip cart, Michael meets Susanna Peach. Now in her late teens, she was once a foundling just as he was. Michael clings to her as he would a long-lost sister, but after arriving in the city she goes off on her own, inviting him to visit sometime if he's able to track her down. He resolves to do that, but first must find room and board. In a city still reeling from the 100,000 deaths and economic devastation of the Great Plague, no one is eager to assume responsibility for a freckle-faced waif with no marketable skills, but Michael's fortunes shift when he stops to listen to a balladeer in the streets, a tall man whose personal charisma and ear for story draw an attentive audience. Michael would gladly donate a penny or two had he any to spare; the cheeky, good-humored songs ease his worry for the morrow. When he seeks someone to apprentice under, Michael finds that he's too young for most professionals to bother with. No work means no food, and a street urchin won't last long in post-plague London. Then the ballad-man reappears, and he remembers Michael from the recent show he attended. Thomas Godfrey has no luxurious home, nor money saved against hardship, but he suggests Michael would be a good assistant to his musical act. A youngster who giggles as Michael did at the songs, projecting pure delight, pulls in listeners like a magnet. If that youngster also sold sheet music after the show, the two might earn a comfortable wage. Tom promises a salary, along with room and board at his modest quarters on Dolittle Lane. The arrangement is temporary, until Michael finds a better job, but this "boy of eleven-and-a-half" couldn't be more relieved to be in a family again...even if just for a few days.
  
  Michael is a natural as Tom's performance partner, but he often thinks of Susanna. He pretends she's his sister—after all, they were both foundlings, with no connection to their biological families—and he longs to see her again. Susanna left him with something of a riddle as to where she was headed, but once Michael cracks the code and tracks her down, she's pleased to see him. She works at the Golden Buckle, a shop beyond London Bridge run by an old Dutchman named Master Haas and his grandson, Philip. A mapmaker by trade, Master Haas produces full-color artwork on the premises, and Susanna and Philip manage the store. She voices concern that Michael has thrown in with a balladeer—street performers are known for being uncouth, immoral, and potentially dangerous–but Michael is hurt by her insinuations. Why, Tom is a fun, interesting friend with endless stories of his adventurous childhood and years in show business. Michael does his best to convince her he's in good hands with Tom, and promises to come back and see her at the Golden Buckle as time permits. Maybe she isn't his sister, but Michael feels that Susanna cares a bit for him anyway.
  
  Selling ballad sheets won't make him rich, though Michael would be happy if life continued this way forever, teaming up with Tom most mornings to put on a show, and crossing London Bridge a few times per week to visit Susanna. But England is locked in a naval war with the Dutch, and wildly varying rumors of triumph and ruin for London's fleet of ships keep everyone tense. When confirmation of a massive victory for the Dutch sweeps London, bringing despair to a city not yet recovered from the Great Plague, gangs patrol the streets to force every man into military duty. No adult male—not even a balladeer like Tom—will be spared. At least Michael is small enough that the gangs won't harass him, but Tom must go into hiding, and Michael has to find new living arrangements until Tom can resurface. Michael is grieved to lose his companion, but he knows Susanna won't turn him away from her door. Master Haas's grandson Philip, never a diligent shopkeeper, has left home for parts unknown, and his grandfather is heartbroken. Shy as Michael is around the old man, he finds a degree of friendship with Master Haas, asking questions about the artistic process he uses for his maps. Susanna scolds Michael for bothering the Dutchman, but Master Haas is willing to hear his queries and provide thoughtful answers. He dismisses the notion of Michael apprenticing to him as an artist—what business does an old man have taking on an apprentice, he asks?—but doesn't object to him living at the Golden Buckle for now. As weeks pass, Michael feels safe in this new family. If only it weren't yet another temporary stop along the way.
  
  These are times that try the souls of men. Military fanaticism in London reaches a fever pitch, but Michael is shielded from it inside the Golden Buckle, where Susanna puts him to harder work than ever he had selling sheet music. Michael is tempted to grumble, but not every child has the privilege of a home these days. He worries about Tom, but the ballad-man survived before making Michael's acquaintance and can do so again. A new set of adjustments will come when Tom shows up to claim him, now that Michael is used to a large home and working as a shopkeep. Can he still be happy at Dolittle Lane, coping with poverty and an ill-tempered landlady? He might be more fulfilled at the Golden Buckle, learning the fine points of Master Haas's art. London is beginning to recuperate from the Great Plague, but another terror is on the horizon. The year is 1666, a period of extreme drought, and the Great Fire of London is poised to strike. It will raze grand, glorious buildings that have proudly stood for centuries. How many people will perish, at a faster pace even than the pandemic? The city Michael calls home is about to be rendered ash, but what will befall Tom, Susanna, and Master Haas? Is the blaze destined to consume any hope for Michael's future? The coming days blend into one long nightmare as he and his "family" desperately attempt to salvage the life they have made. Will Michael ever find what he's looking for, or drift aimlessly all the days of his life?
  
  Master Cornhill is a goldmine of narrative unpredictability, characters who are easy to love, and organic wisdom. Michael is mesmerized by Master Haas's artistic skill. When the Dutchman invites him to do some coloring on one of his maps, Michael is alarmed: what if he ruins the painstaking work Master Haas has already done? The old man assures him this fear is normal. "A beautiful, fresh, white paper—it frightens, ja? 'I am pure and virgin, I am perfect already,' it says. 'Who dares to mar this so-perfect white?' Only the artist says, 'I dare. You exist only to receive my thought, my image, my stroke of blue!'" An artist must have courage to soil the blank page with his impressions, knowing errors will be made but that this is part of creating beauty. Michael harbors the same fear in life, of sullying the canvas so it can never be pristine again. But if you refuse to take risks, you'll never do anything worthwhile, and will have wasted the most precious gift of all. Master Haas's lesson is a crucial one to internalize.
  
  Conveying the scope of a tragedy like the Great Fire of London is a tall order, but Eloise Jarvis McGraw performs splendidly. Seven out of eight Londoners lost their homes, and landmarks that seemed certain to stand forever were blasted apart by the raging wall of flame. The event would have defined a generation had the Great Plague not preceded it by a single year. Helping to evacuate people, Michael hardly sleeps for days, laboring in numb disbelief. How could one foresee an end to such a conflagration? "The difficulty was in imagining it stopped. Fire now seemed a condition of life, something that had been going on always and would continue forever. Yesterday seemed the dream now, and this windy, crackling, blazing destruction the only reality." In the heart of crisis, the torment feels eternal. It has been your life since day one; all you've ever done is fend off the monster, and escaping this Sisyphean reality seems impossible. Yet all trials, however severe, eventually end, and normal life resumes even if the definition of "normal" is altered. Having faith in this truth will help you stay sane.
  
  Events in 1665-66 London are radically stressful, but Michael's heart is heavy for other reasons. He wants a family he can care about and who will return the sentiment. He wishes Susanna were his sister; then she'd be more invested in his well-being. But without blood ties, what affair is it of hers? "He found himself wishing earnestly that it were her affair, or that at least she could feel it so. He wished his welfare and his future were somebody's affair besides his own. And not just temporarily, either." Michael lacks a sense of belonging, security, and direction; can he find them with the unorthodox "family" that has sprouted up around him? When opportunity arises to live with Susanna and study art under Master Haas, Michael frets that the arrangement will somehow go wrong, but he's determined to appreciate it here and now. "He refused to think of Philip and the fleet's return or to question how long this chance would last or what good it would do him in the end. He merely seized each day, hungrily, while he could." When a deep longing is fulfilled, it's time to mute the chatter in your head and live in the moment, cherishing it. Don't dwell on whether you'll be happy in a month, or a year, or ten years; rest in the gladness that is yours now. It will insulate you against future dark days. Embrace the good times and brace for the bad, understanding that both are fundamental to the human condition. This is how Michael finds peace amid uncertainty. "Always there was change, there was no preventing it and no undoing it, either—and all arrangements were temporary. Everything changed except one's courage. But as long as that remained, a person—or even a city—could look ahead." The years to come are a blank slate, but Michael has reasons for hope. Happiness will return to London eventually, and he will have his portion in it.
  
  I can easily imagine Master Cornhill having won Eloise Jarvis McGraw a fourth Newbery Honor; the setting, characters, and themes are that rich. 1666 London rises to epic life, a task most children's authors wouldn't attempt and fewer could accomplish. Enrico Arno's cover art for the original hardcover is a terrific period piece, evoking the aesthetic of seventeenth century London. I might rate Master Cornhill three and a half stars, and if I wasn't convinced of the author's greatness before, I am now. Eloise Jarvis McGraw has a gift for entertaining and enlightening.
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  Caitlin

  Normally, I would not have bought, on impulse, a book with the boring title of "Master Cornhill." However, Eloise Jarvis McGraw just so happens to be a favorite author of mine. I am so glad that I "didn't judge a book by it's cover" and gave this novel a chance. Master Cornhill was beautifully written, with wonderful descriptions that made you feel as if you had really visited London, realistic characters that could have jumped off the page, and a great story. The novel dragged a bit in the beginning, but I'm glad I kept reading! Highly recommend!
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  Julia

  I've just finished reading this to my 10-year-old daughter - it must have taken us two months as it's rather long and detailed. But we both enjoyed it so much. The sense of foreboding gathers pace, and by the time the Great Fire breaks out, you are living the drama with the characters. We both cared immensely about their wellbeing. My daughter commented "I love Master Haas. He's so philosophical!". At the end of the book she asked if she could have a book all about the Great Fire of London, because this story really brought it to life for her. As an English girl living in France, it has ignited a passion in British history. This is wonderful because she won't learn this at school. A great book to read aloud to your kids, but hard going for them to read to themselves unless they're really confident, independent readers.
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  Katt Hansen

  Whew! I read and read wondering when the fire would start, and found myself pulled into the story regardless. I found myself really caring what would happen to each of the characters and worrying, knowing the disaster looming. The author has a really amazing ability to make you feel like you're right there, and so the cluttered, dirty city became very real, and I sorrowed when at last the first flames ignited. Wonderful book!
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  Jenna Leigh

  Loved, loved, loved historical fiction when I was younger. This is one of the books that I read and reread several times. Eloise Jarvis McGraw wrote great books for young adults, and a couple of my favourite novels as a kid were written by her. This was one of the books that inspired my fascination for English history, and although it's set in the later 1600s, it inspired an interest in the Elizabethan era and the culture of that time period. Highly recommended!
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  Ann

  Good historical fiction for kids on the year 1666 in London.
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  Todd Luallen

  The book was excellent in that I think it gave a great sense of actually being in London during the time. I think the author went to great lengths to make sure to describe accurately the buildings and places that were in London at the time . However the rather verbose descriptions of where things were tended to lose my interest quickly. In addition, the print version of the book had really small type and the spacing was also quite tight. It made for a difficult read.
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  Siobhain

  This book charmed me. I was totally engaged while reading it to my son and went on to research the London Fire further. I found that all of the information in the book about the fire was accurate. I found the characters to be engaging and believable and appreciate that this brought 17th century London alive for me. Highly recommended.
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  Hannah

  Imagen being called Cornhill....wow...sad
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  Dorcas

  Love love love this book. There's a lot of excitement, the characters are well drawn and the feel is authentic. Quite a few scenes centered on the old London bridge. Great read.
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  Linette

  I really enjoyed this book. What was truly special was how Mrs McGraw helped you see London. Having been there I felt like I coud see St Paul's on Ludgate Hill. It also gave me a better perception of the growth outwards of the city.
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  Chloe

  I loved this book. It tells in detail about medieval London and the fires that often ravaged through, also about the plague and a bit about a rather undiscovered trade: map colouring. Also, it has a nice, satisfying ending where everyone can be content.
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  Lisa

  Historical novel for young children about the Great Plague that hit London in 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666 that destroyed much of the city at the time, including St. Paul's church. Rich in historical detail.
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  Tammy Bertelsen

  This is what I'm reading to my kids right now. It takes place directly before and during the Great Fire of London in 1665. It is an interesting way to learn about life in England in days gone by.
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  Dave

  The most recent book I am reading to Clara. I don't remember reading this one before.
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  Emily

  Loved this story!! Am going to be reading it to my little sister ASAP :)
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  Skye

  Exciting, interesting. I learned about history I didn't know.
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  Charity U

  Fun story for pre-teens! Centers are the Great Fire of London (is that what it's called?).
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  Michaela

  really good. its about a little boy during the great plague in london around the 1800's.
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  Abigail Rasmussen

  I read this book when I was 11 years old. It's a good book to read when learning/studying about the time period of the Black Plague.
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  Karen

  This book was about a boy returning to London after the plague to only watch it be destroyed by fire. Good historical fiction.
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  Kyrie

  I learned so much about the plague, orphans, the Great London Fire and really enjoyed this story.
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  Jackie

  I had to read this for school and it's the sole reason I know and care about the London fire in 1666. It's excellent.
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  Tessa

  I love Eloise Jarvis McGraw!
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  Tammy

  Riveting read. I enjoyed the characters a lot. Great way to learn history!