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inulro17. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
For no reason that I am able to articulate, this is my favourite of the series so far.
18. The Owl Service by Alan Garner
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cavalorn raved about this on Facebook recently, and it was conveniently in stock at the library that's on my way to the gym.
When I had my meltdown before I left Manchester I spent a week re-reading Garner's stuff, but somehow omitted The Owl Service. I'm not even 100% sure I read it as a child, although I definitely remember it being in our public library.
cavalorn is right. This book is amazing. Don't be put off by the fact it's a children's book - it works really well on an adult level too. The supernatural bit is really creepy and scary, right from the first page. The sense of place (a valley not too far from Aberystwyth) is palpable. But the heartbreaking, tragic element is entirely to do with the "real life" characters - two upper-class English step-siblings, one of whom is an awful snob, and the aspirational Welsh boy whose mum is the housekeeper at the house - and their being trapped in their respective situations. Yet this isn't done with a sledgehammer.
I can't emphasize enough how awesome this book is. Go read it right now, it won't take long.
For no reason that I am able to articulate, this is my favourite of the series so far.
18. The Owl Service by Alan Garner
cavalorn raved about this on Facebook recently, and it was conveniently in stock at the library that's on my way to the gym.When I had my meltdown before I left Manchester I spent a week re-reading Garner's stuff, but somehow omitted The Owl Service. I'm not even 100% sure I read it as a child, although I definitely remember it being in our public library.
cavalorn is right. This book is amazing. Don't be put off by the fact it's a children's book - it works really well on an adult level too. The supernatural bit is really creepy and scary, right from the first page. The sense of place (a valley not too far from Aberystwyth) is palpable. But the heartbreaking, tragic element is entirely to do with the "real life" characters - two upper-class English step-siblings, one of whom is an awful snob, and the aspirational Welsh boy whose mum is the housekeeper at the house - and their being trapped in their respective situations. Yet this isn't done with a sledgehammer.I can't emphasize enough how awesome this book is. Go read it right now, it won't take long.
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Date: 2011-03-27 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-27 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-28 06:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-28 06:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-28 11:26 am (UTC)Years later, I happened to re-read them, including the Owl Service. This time I got it. It's largely about teenage crushes and jealousy, so how was a kid at junior school even supposed to understand it?
Still not a fan of Garner. It's OK, but others do the same thing so much better. I read "Red Shift" recently and that's like '70s BBC kids TV drama - a great clumping wooden horse of a thing.
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Date: 2011-03-29 05:50 pm (UTC)I can't imagine having been made to read Garner at school. All we got was prairie literature.
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Date: 2011-03-28 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-29 05:51 pm (UTC)She wants to be flowers....
Date: 2011-03-29 07:08 am (UTC)Owl Service
Date: 2011-03-29 03:09 pm (UTC)