posted on 12 Nov 2024

King Alfred and the Ice Coffin by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Chris Riddell

What do you get when you bring together the evergreen storyteller, Kevin Crossley-Holland and the fabulous illustrative work of Chris Riddell? Something wonderful like King Alfred and the Ice Coffin is your answer.

Although it’s almost certain that this will be marketed and stocked on the children’s or young adult shelves, this book really highlights the limitations of categorising books in this way because it’s certain to appeal to plenty of adults who would love to have it in their collections.

Crossley-Holland has a substantial reputation for championing Old English and Anglo-Saxon literature and popularising and making accessible the stories of King Arthur, Beowulf and the like. Here he turns his attention and admiration to King Alfred - Alfred the Great - who was himself committed to democratising reading and story making. As the author himself says in his note at the ned of the book:

“Eager for people to be able to read and hear great books in their own language, and well aware how very few priests knew Latin, Alfred learned Latin himself and began to translate these works into English.”

Alfred himself added to the store of stories and this one about the ice coffin is one of his - slightly adapted by Crossley-Holland:

“I’ve taken the liberty of inventing the storm at there beginning of Wulfstan’s account and introducing an element of romance, but otherwise I’ve followed his own wonderful account.”

When trader, boat-builder and fisherman Wulfstan arrives at Alfred’s court with a tale to tell, Alfred can’t resist hearing a good story well told. Wulfstan’s narrative keeps all the court spellbound as he tells of a storm that wrecks their boat in an unknown land - a land where strange traditions bewilder and amaze the the crew. 

I don’t want to give away too many spoilers because you’ll certainly want to read this for yourselves but the ice coffin that holds the body of the dead headman of the town plays a key role:

“The headman of the town nearby

 - one of the kings I told you about - 

had just died of a burst bladder. 

All the women beat their breasts,

while his children wheeled a wagon

to an ice shed. Before long, they came back

with a hollowed ice log, as large as a coffin.”

What are the amazing events that follow this death? Just like Alfred, I expect you will be amazed too.

Chris Riddell’s artwork adds a whole other dimension to the book, making it an experience that will appeal to those who love illustrated books as well as for those who love a great story packed with history. His drawings wrap around the text - which is boxed for clear reading - and are predominantly tinted in an icy-cold blue and spread across two pages, bleeding off the edge of the page. Riddell’s style is so distinctive that if you’ve seen his work before you’ll know exactly what to expect and, if you haven’t, this will send you off to seek out more.

Available now from Walker Books, you will be able to get a copy of this from your local independent bookshop - who will be happy to order you a copy if they don’t have it on the shelves.

 

Terry Potter

October 2024