Rebel Folklore by Icy Sedgwick

Book Review

Icy Sedgwick has long been a trusted source of folklore knowledge for me and her podcast ‘Fabulous Folklore’ is excellent. So, when I discovered she had written a book for Dorling and Kindersley, I had to have it in my collection. With some truly terrifying folklore within its pages, it’s the perfect read for those who like to lean into the spooky season that has become October.

Here’s the blurb:

‘Rebel Folklore gathers 50 of the darkest and most complicated folktale characters from around the world, showing readers why we should care about the rebels and misfits of ancient stories.

Folktales were humble stories, passed down generations by those on the fringes of society: women, peasants, outcast groups. Across the world, these ancient stories are filled with strange characters, complicated figures who hold up a mirror to the world that dreamt them up. From outspoken women cast as witches to anti-authority figures denounced as criminals, flawed heroes to relatable villains, Rebel Folklore celebrates 50 of these misfits and what they mean for us today.

Whether it's Muma Padurii, the Romanian forest witch who terrorizes trespassers to protect the environment, the Churel, who stalks unfaithful men on her backwards feet, or Robin Hood, everyone's favourite lawless activist, we can learn a lot from the rebels of days gone by: how to speak out, embrace our flaws, and be unashamedly ourselves - even if that means being a cannibalistic swamp witch.’

This is a coffee table style hardback that is reminiscent of the folklore greats, by which I mean books such as the famed Reader’s Digest, ‘Folklore, Myths & Legends of Britain’. Split into continents, Sedgwick highlights some of the characters that live on the edges of lore, from the UK to Oceania and back again.

Sometimes terrifying, sometimes deeply tragic, all have a tale to tell and Sedgwick does this expertly, with plenty of evidence and research. She is respectful when talking about indigenous cultures and at pains to ensure their voices are heard with authenticity. In the back you will find further resources in the bibliogrpahy and a list of podcasts.

The illustrations by Melissa Jarram, bring a modern interpretation to the characters with a pop art style that also has echoes of ancient Egyptian and Greek art forms. It’s a delight just to look through the illustrations, explore the detail in the pictures and how they connect to the lore of that character.

All in all this is an excellent compendium of folklore from around the world focusing on otherworldly, human-like beings and is a valuable addition to my library. You can find more of Icy’s work here and listen to her fabulous podcast.

You can buy Icy Sedgwick’s , ‘Rebel Folklore’ in all good bookshops. If you would like to buy a copy online, please consider visiting my page on Bookshop.org where I have gathered some of the books I read and recommend. Here you will find a plethora of myth, legend, folktale and more!

And don’t forget to support your local library too. See if they have a copy to borrow.