The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden - A Review

I remember watching this on tv in the mid 1970s and seem to think I read the book then two (but I could be mistaken about the reading - it's nearly 40 years ago and I've been to bed since then. Anyway, it came up in a conversation a few weeks ago and I looked on Amazon.....there it was!

The story is not a comfortable read at times, with the heroine Kizzy, the half gypsy 'diddakoi' of the title being bullied at school, losing her home when her Gran dies and so on. (There is more but I won't spoil your read). As a story it does a good job of showing the problems of being 'different' from both sides - some villagers want to help, some have different ideas and Kizzy herself is no angel, biting, fighting and throwing a strop at times.

I will say that this book is very much 'of it's time', dark and uncomfortable at times but also, there are times (plenty!) of heart warming joy to be had.

I sometimes worry that going back to a beloved story can ruin it by not being as good as you remember. That certainly wasn't the case here

4/5 stars