The Doll Book of the Month Club: Behind the Attic Wall

   This month's Doll Book of the Month Club book is "Behind the Attic Wall", by Sylvia Cassedy, and originally published in 1983.

  This is a creepy book, I have to say. I started it once before, and gave up. It takes a bit of getting into. Some kids may get bored before the really interesting stuff comes up, but hang in there. It gets quite creepy.

  The book concerns a girl named Maggie. Maggie is around 11 or 12 years old. After her parents were killed in a car accident Maggie bounced from one foster home and boarding school to another. As the book opens she has been sent to live with her aunts, after being thrown out of yet another boarding school. It seems Maggie has been something of a problem at all the boarding schools she's been in. The aunts' house she's sent to was once a school too. In fact, the classroom is still there, unchanged.

  Her aunts don't make her feel welcome, and in fact are pretty open with the fact that they don't want her there. They, and Maggie's Uncle Morris, who lives elsewhere, are Maggie's only living relatives, so they don't have much choice. Maggie doesn't like it in the big house where she feels unwanted. Of course, Maggie is pretty unlikable herself. She's been kicked out of foster homes and boarding schools for stealing and generally being a mean, disagreeable character. Her aunts give her a closet full of used, drab clothes and outdated cotton stockings that are worn with a garter belt,as well as a brand new rubber baby doll, for which one aunt has handmade pretty clothes and lace trimmed underwear. Maggie pokes the doll in the face with her thumb and tells the aunts she doesn't play with dolls.

 When Uncle Morris shows up at the house Maggie feels a little better. But Uncle Morris is likeably weird. Everything he says sounds like it's being said by a character in "Alice in Wonderland". If you've read the 'Alice' books you might know what I'm talking about: the strange, over literal answers to everything, that don't really tell you anything. That sort of  backwards reason. At one point one of the aunts, tiring of his 'jokes', tells Uncle Morris, It's time for you to take your leave." Uncle Morris responds with, "Take my leave? Where is my leave? Maggie, have you seen my leave? It's a shame to lose one's leave. Leaves don't grow on trees you know." At one point he cryptically says that Maggie is 'the one'. But at least Uncle Morris is friendly.

  Then we get into the creepiness. Maggie, who has already been creeping me out by having conversations with imaginary girls she calls 'The Backwoods girls", (They're her imaginary...not friends, really. They're not even real and she treats them badly.), starts hearing voices. The voices are faint, and seem to come from another part of the house. Maggie tries to find the source of the voices, and she eventually does. They're coming from the attic. But when Maggie enters the attic, there's no one there, just a couple of old china dolls and a broken china dog.

  The dolls are named Timothy John and Miss Christabel. They tell Maggie she's 'the right one', and that 'it's time' for her to join them. The dolls also talk in an 'Alice' type way, like Uncle Morris. (It seems more understandable with them, because they're dolls who live in an attic. It's reasonable that they don't know what things mean or how the world works. It's a little weird that they talk like Uncle Morris though.) It's not clear if Maggie is pretending the dolls talk, the way she hangs out with the the Backwoods girls, or if maybe Maggie has gone over the edge. The dolls explain that they can't be seen by anyone other than Maggie, or something bad will happen.

  It's a pretty dark story. I left it feeling that Maggie was never going to be a happy person, and maybe she would end up being a bit dangerous. It's not your happy little doll story. That's for sure. It isn't going to appeal  to everybody. Opinions of this book online range from 'beautiful' to ''terrifying'. It's described as 'Unforgettable...a beautifully written and very touching story' by the New Yorker, and 'Intricately woven...at once satire, fantasy, and tragedy', by The New York Times Book review.

  The age range for this book is listed as 8-12, grades 3-6. Sylvia Cassedy also wrote "Lucie Babbidge's  House', another creepy book with dolls. Most opinions seem to find that one even more confusing than "Behind the Attic Wall', and not as good, although some people seem to love it.

  I hate to ruin the ending for anyone, but I feel like this one needs to be told. It seems some people have trouble understanding the ending. If you don't want spoilers, this is the end of the post for you. If you want to read the book and want to read my thoughts on the ending, come back later. If you're leaving me here, I'll see you again soon. If you can't fight the urge for spoilers, read on.

***********************************SPOILERS**************************************

  Maggie's aunts' house used to be a school, run by relatives of Maggie's, a couple who died long ago. Near the end of the book, Maggie and the dolls have a party they've had planned for ages. During a game of blind man's bluff with Timothy John and Miss Christabel, Maggie gets caught in the attic with the dolls, by her aunts. The dolls instantly drop and become only dolls. Maggie can't get any response from them, even when visiting them a week later. (She has to sneak back to see them because her aunts ban her from the attic.)

  Later that day, Maggie finds Uncle Morris visiting the graves of the couple who owned the school. The long planned day of the party happens to be the anniversary of their deaths. It seems they died in a fire. The dolls in the attic had one scrap of newspaper they read all the time. There was a headline in the paper about a fire. The rest of the story was missing though. Obviously it was the couple who ran the school who died in the fire. Maggie realizes Uncle Morris has something to do with the dolls being 'alive', and she begs Uncle Morris to 'bring them back'. Uncle Morris gives his usual 'Alice' type answers at first, but then he gets contemplative, and says he will, 'When it's time." Shortly afterward, Uncle Morris dies of a heart attack.

  Maggie  is adopted, and leaves the aunts' house. The last lines in the book are Maggie, in her new home, with two sisters, remembering the last moments before she left the aunts' house. She had gone to the attic one last time, and found the dolls 'alive' again. She tells them she will visit again one day, and it will once again be just the three of them and the china dog.. The dolls correct her, saying, "Four." Maggie looks around to see a small bowler hat and walking stick like the ones belonging to Uncle Morris, only doll sized.  Timothy John and Christabel are obviously the couple who died in the fire, and obviously, Uncle Morris' spirit will be inhabiting a doll too, and joining them and their china dog. 

    It's a creepy ending. Had Maggie had been hanging out with ghosts the whole time, in the form of haunted or possessed dolls? What did Uncle Morris have to do with the whole thing? Did he somehow put the spirits in the old dolls? Did he control them? (Why did they talk like him if they were the school couple?) Otherwise how did he 'bring them back' when he died? Why is he becoming a doll too? Some people have said that maybe anybody in the family who dies becomes a doll. But Maggie's parents never became dolls. Somebody online suggested that Maggie only imagined Uncle Morris had anything to do with the dolls being 'alive', and that she only imagined Uncle Morris 'becoming' a doll, so she wouldn't have to lose him completely. Maybe Maggie imagined the dolls being alive in the first place, the way she imagined the Backwoods Girls. Maybe Maggie is a little touched. Maybe we aren't meant to be able to explain everything.

 

  

What Else Can Happen?

    Well, my luck is holding out. That's sarcasm, by the way. First my computer died last year, and I was forced to use Ken's. Then last week Ken's computer died. We ordered new computers, but they won't be here until July. So, we were lucky enough to be able to borrow Emma's old computer. Then there was another problem. Emma's 'old computer' really is old. We bought it for her when she was about 18. She's about to turn 30. Her computer is so old that it won't except updates any more. When we got it from her, her browser wouldn't support Blogger. That helps! So she said we could download another browser. We did, leaving her original browser on the computer because it had all her stuff already on it. So I was ready to get the second part of the doll show post up. I had it ready except for loading the pictures. But when I tried to load the pictures onto the computer, the memory card didn't show up. Ken got it to show up, but the computer wouldn't take any pictures because it was now too full, thanks to the other browser we downloaded. Ken said I could load the pictures straight from the memory card. So he set that up for me. I was sure I had left the pictures on the memory card when I did part one. Well guess what! I didn't! The rest of the pictures are on Ken's computer! So now I can't post part 2 unless we find some way to get the pictures off Ken's computer! It's always something!

 

  "In other news", this month marks my 8th blogaversary. You can read my very first post, about why I collect dolls, and what else I collect...and collecting in general HERE. I was going to do a giveaway to celebrate, but with all the computer goings-on I didn't. So, to celebrate getting the new computer up and running, I'll be doing the give-away then. Stay tuned for more details as we wait for the computer.           

  Next up: The highway dolls. You may remember, a few posts back, reading about the dolls Ken and I rescued from the highway. Debbie from Black Doll Collecting did indeed adopt the little mask faced doll in pink and white gingham. Beth in WV, your Diane Durand doll awaits you. Just message me with your address for figuring postal costs. Other than those two, nobody has asked about any of the poor highway dolls. I really can't keep them, as I have too many dolls I do want already, and want more. And I don't want to donate them, because their...'injuries' will surely get them trashed. I'd rather give them to someone who would like to try and rehabilitate them. It seems especially a shame to throw away the handmade ones. Someone put a lot of work and artistry into them. Most of them will just need a stitch here and there and some clean up.  Some will require a bit more work than that. They'd make a nice project for a warm summer when you're relaxing, or a cold winter when it's too cold to do anything besides nestle down in front of the fire or the TV with a nice cozy doll project. So if anybody would like one, or more, of the highway dolls, just leave a comment letting me know which doll or dolls you want, your address, for figuring the postal cost, and your email address, so I can contact you. Comments aren't made visible until I do so, so I will make sure your information isn't published. 

  So I'll be back in a day or so with the Doll book of the Month. Eventually I hope to be able to show you some handmade dolls I saw at the doll show, especially since I took the artist's card and promised I'd publish her details in the post. I also have a great story to tell you. (And it will have pictures!)  So it won't stay quiet around here.      

This is Getting to be a Pain!

   Well finally! Here I am again. I know I promised that the doll show post was a 'part 1', which would insinuate that there are going to be more parts. Well there will be. The problem is that now, Ken's computer has died! Now we are down to borrowing Emma's old one, which took a while to sort out. Then there was another delay, because Emma's computer is a million years old and her browser wouldn't support Blogger! Ken tried to install the new browser about three times before it took, so I could actually do a post.

  So, here's where we are now. Ken ordered our new computers yesterday. They won't get here until July,(!), but when they do I will finally have my own computer again. In the meantime, Ken and I are scheduled to get our first vaccinations on Saturday. I got a new project, part two of the Doll Show post is coming up, it's only a couple of days or so to the new Doll Book of the Month Club post, and I have a great story to tell you. All that and more is coming. Stay with me people. New camera lens. New computer. I'm on the road to blog recovery!

Another Doll Show! Part One

   Yes, I went to another doll show. Ken actually went with me, in order to feed his bin store obsession, even though he had to go to work that evening.

  This one was the Spring equivalent of the show I went to last October. (I actually went to another show a month or so ago, but I didn't take any pictures, and I haven't gotten around to telling you about it yet.) This time I took loads of pictures for those of you whose shows haven't started up again yet. There was also a purpose to going to this show, which I will tell you about in an upcoming post. In the meantime, let's relive last week's show through the wonder of photography! I took so many pictures that this will take multiple posts.

The standing girl is so pretty. I love her face, her teeth, and her dress. 

I liked this sitting kid too.

Scary baby!

I really have a thing for coats, and this little winter set with the pants is wonderful.

Cute little red haired guy. He's a news boy. I saw another of these a couple of days later at an antique mall.

These dolls range from cute to constipated. I think you can tell which is which.

Yes, there is a game of some sort going on behind the dolls. The show was held at a sports center.

Lovely ladies. Except for me. That's my reflection, behind them.

I like the girl in the blue and stripes.

Wonderful faces on these two.

The dealers were very nice about letting me take pictures... all but one, that is. She said I couldn't take pictures because, "I don't want my dolls on Facebook!" I said, "It's not Facebook. It's a blog." I tried to explain that  'a lot of people who haven't been able to go to doll shows for a long time---and she cut me off. I told her I could put her card on the post if she wanted. She said, "I do my own posts!" Ok. Whatever. The last time I posted a doll show post someone contacted me and asked me if I could obtain for them some of the dolls I had posted pictures of. (You'll hear more about that coming soon.) I picked them up at this show, and the dealer made about $100. So whatever lady.  As it was, I only photographed one of her dolls, and I don't remember which it was. And a point here: why don't you want 'your' dolls on 'Facebook' anyway? Any advertisement may mean sales. And it's not like she made the dolls, or had any kind of copyright on them. They were old, had been seen for decades, they were in public, and loads of people were seeing them right then. If she's worried about theft, everybody knows she has them already. What do you think? Is it just me, or is that kind of behavior just weird? 

Newer Eloise on the left, old Eloise just to her right, Chatty Cathy in the back. And somehow, a singing Chatty Cathy got in there amongst the antiques. (In red, on the right.) Ok, so she's an antique now too, but not as old as the others she's next to. You can see my brunette Singing Chatty Cathy HERE, and my blonde Singing Chatty Cathy HERE. You can see my Chatty Cathy doll HERE, and Ivy's Chatty Cathy reproduction HERE.

There are some great faces here.

Aww!

Nice Baitz dolls. You can see mine HERE.

So much cuteness.

The dolls on the right are the same ones from above. I love the one in the red plaid skirt.

This 12" composition doll is so cute, and she was only $5! Guess where she lives now!

Does this little lady look familiar? She's Princess Elizabeth, who is now Queen Elizabeth II of Britain.

A red bunny girl.

That very pale kid seems to be imitating Fonzie: "Aaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy".

The reindeer was moving! Santa looked like he had a bad sunburn.

This shabby Barbie was one of the few Barbie and friends dolls there. I remember when Barbies were everywhere at doll shows. The prices have gone up, but the popularity has gone down.

Nice little Caco kid at the top.

I loved these, especially the one on the sheep...and the sheep.

Okaaaayyy. That's a bit disturbing.

This display caught my eye. I liked so many of them. 

Here's the lower shelf.

...And here are the shelves when I finished shopping them.

Love the girl in the flowered dress.

                 

Pretty Shirleys.

The red haired kid was handmade. She's a crab!

I have a soft spot for Raggedy Ann and Andy. You can see my childhood ones, and read the history of Raggedy Ann and Andy HERE,  the miniature ones I made HERE, my Andy Superflex doll HERE, and my Halloween Raggedy Ann HERE.

Lots of beautiful bisque babies and...Buckwheat? How'd he get in there?

I don't know why this is sideways. I loved the pair at the bottom. They were from Columbia I think.

My favourites are the possible Baps Jack and Jill at the top, and the lady with the flowered apron at the bottom.

No question who was my favourite here...

It's gotta be this guy. He's either a Roldan or a Klumpe.

A gaggle of Mary Englebreit dolls.

The red haired one is beautiful, and I also like the felt faced Brownie on the right.

My favourite is the girl on the right. The shaggy haired fellow on the left is a Golly doll. Ken, who is from England, grew up with Gollys on the Robertson's marmalade jars, and collected the metal badges when he was a kid. He maintains that Gollys aren't racist, because he only saw them as innocent characters on the marmalade, not as people. Uh, no Ken. But then, that is a debate for another, I'm sure very LONG and controversial post.

Love her!

This is an Old Cottage doll, like the one I posted on Easter.

And here's another Old Cottage doll. Why doesn't this dealer straighten her head up?! I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be this way.

Shirley Temple and...Deanna Durbin?

This little guy was about 4 or 5 inches tall, and very cute. And very expensive!

The girl at the bottom middle, with the carriage!

This beautiful pair.

The Patsy or Patsy type at the right is cute, but I love the two ladies in flowered dresses.

Awww!

Shirley hanging with Betsy McCall.

I love the felt faced dolls, but that bisque kid looks like Curly Howard.

"Hey Moe!" The dog is really good too.

This baby looks like he's saying, "Who, me?"

Patty Duke paper dolls and doll, (Who looks a lot like Tammy, or a blonde Mary Poppins), with a couple of 'Nancy's from the comic strip. Usually Nancy is hanging around with 'Sluggo'. 

On the left, a couple of versions of The Flying Nun, (You can see my childhood Flying Nun HERE.),

 and the second largest display of Barbie's at the show.

Girl riding a rabbit.

Girl riding a dog.

Baby with hair nubbins.

Child who overdid her eye makeup.

Tiny Town Alice in the middle, (I want! You can see my Tiny Town doll HERE.), Betsy McCall next to her, another Tiny Town on her shoulder, and Tutti in pink and white.

  That's it for part one. Join me again soon for part two.