Recent Kids/YA Reading

[snurri]

All books lent to me by mrissa, who is to be much praised. Spoilers galore (for books y'all probably read many years ago).

The Hero and the Crown, Robin McKinley: Many people LOVE this book, and for the most part I get it. I loved the befriending of/learning to ride Talat, the try/fail/try again of the potion-making, the sneaky heroic dragon-hunting, the father-daughter relationship. All of that got me past my initial frustration of the pointless flashback device that started the book. (Seriously, rather than starting with two chapters in the middle of the story--and not at a particularly interesting point, either--before then flashing back all the way to the beginning, why not try starting at the beginning in the first place? I was a bit confused and very annoyed.) Didn't so much love the left turn into the Chosen One, immortal lover thing. Because I'm sorry, but Luthe is CREEPY. Despite my less-than-thrilled-ness with the latter part of the book, still want to read The Blue Sword.

The Dark Is Rising, Susan Cooper: Another Chosen One story, but I think the difference is that it's made clear from the beginning that's what's going on, so while I still have a gut-level dislike for such things (I am sometimes seized with cruel fantasies of walking into schools and telling children that they are Not Special), I was able to set it aside and enjoy the book. There's some great creepiness here, and mythic resonance, and lots of warm-and-fuzzy Christmassy family stuff which contrasts with the creepiness in such a way that both are magnified. Will seems to have it sort of easy--at times his role in the fight against the Dark is basically Plug 'n Play--but, still, an enjoyable read.

The Illyrian Adventure, Lloyd Alexander: I don't think I've ever seen or heard anyone say anything bad about Lloyd Alexander, and I'm not going to be the first. This is a pretty light book (although it manages to be rather political in 132 pages), but Vesper Holly is gloriously intrepid, and Professor Brinton Garrett is wonderfully clueless and incompetent.

So, three series books, all of which I'd like to read more of.

Comments

[tanaise.livejournal.com]

I HATED the Hero and the Crown. I read it years and years and years ago, to the point that I should probably re-read it and see why I hated it, except that I don't want to. On the other hand, The Blue Sword is still one of my favorites ever. To be fair, this may be directly related to better animals in it, but I'm shallow like that. Also, it was just better.

There's also a number of Damar stories in the collection "A Knot in the Grain." (possibly elsewhere as well, I never quite remember to read her as much as I want to. Even though her Vampire novel was one of the most awesome ever.)

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I didn't hate it; but it burned off a lot of the goodwill I had built up for it after a certain point.

Hannah has raved to me about Sunshine, and I think I have a copy somewhere.

[tanaise.livejournal.com]

As I read your review of it, I was thinking about it, and i think I may have had similar issues, at least to what I'd read your review as--a good build-up to a not very good ending on several levels. Since I was 12 at the time, this translates to 'It wasn't right, and thus I hated it."