This was beautiful from start to finish. Neil Gaiman thanked in his afterword Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirlees, James Branch Caball and C. S. Lewis. I rereaThis was beautiful from start to finish. Neil Gaiman thanked in his afterword Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirlees, James Branch Caball and C. S. Lewis. I reread the Chronicles of Narnia a couple of years ago but I have old copies of The Charwoman’s Shadow and The King of Elfland’s Daughter. I remember those books made me feel the way this one has. I think I need to reread them. ...more
Couldn’t finish this one even though I loved it as a teenager. Sigh. Mellonia is so fucking boring and tragic I can’t take it. I’m leaving this as reaCouldn’t finish this one even though I loved it as a teenager. Sigh. Mellonia is so fucking boring and tragic I can’t take it. I’m leaving this as read though, I did finish it a long time ago. I just can’t now....more
I actually finished this a few days ago. When I was young I read The Head of the House of Coombe so many times. I really loved it. This is really saccI actually finished this a few days ago. When I was young I read The Head of the House of Coombe so many times. I really loved it. This is really saccharine, but it was nice to find out what happened to Robin and Donal. ...more
Just finished listening to this. Jeremy Northam is a pretty good narrator, his Puddleglum was inspired and his Glimfeather was excellent as well. At tJust finished listening to this. Jeremy Northam is a pretty good narrator, his Puddleglum was inspired and his Glimfeather was excellent as well. At times Puddleglum made me laugh aloud. Some of his other voices weren’t as good, but on the whole I liked his narration. This book is another favourite from my childhood that I’ve read many times. I think of all of the Narnia books, this has the best representation of a young girl. Jill Pole is flawed but interesting, and I liked her growing friendship with Eustace. Eustace has changed quite a bit since the early days of The Voyage of the Dawntreader, he has grown a lot, and is no longer a self involved little prig. But my favourite character is definitely Puddleglum. Just lovely. ...more
So I did finish this. It was ok. I liked the author’s descriptions of the marsh, they were very beautiful. The poetry was tolerable. I was going to giSo I did finish this. It was ok. I liked the author’s descriptions of the marsh, they were very beautiful. The poetry was tolerable. I was going to give it three stars but the ending irritated me so much I took off a star. I found the characters to be clichéd, and the dialogue not great. Kya is not realistic in any way, she’s such a Mary Sue that she makes Miles Vorkosigan and Wesley Crusher look like imbeciles. ...more
I think this is still one of my favourite books in this series. I love that this is a pure adventure tale, some dicey situations but no big bad. A lovI think this is still one of my favourite books in this series. I love that this is a pure adventure tale, some dicey situations but no big bad. A lovely way to explore this world. I thought Derek Jacobi’s narration was ok but I preferred Vanessa Redgrave’s Reepicheep. ...more
Another Narnia book re-read, this time the audible book was narrated by Vanessa Redgrave. Her narration is wonderful, particularly her voicing of TrumAnother Narnia book re-read, this time the audible book was narrated by Vanessa Redgrave. Her narration is wonderful, particularly her voicing of Trumpkin the Dwarf.
After I read this as a child ( maybe I was eight), I kept a little bag packed next to my bed, so that if I was suddenly pulled into Narnia I could take it with me. That way I would have a snack and clean underwear. I don’t know why I thought this would only happen when I was home, and in my room. Sadly it never did happen....more
This time it was the audio version of this book read by Alex Jennings. The narration wasn’t as engaging as Kenneth Branagh and Michael York’s in the eThis time it was the audio version of this book read by Alex Jennings. The narration wasn’t as engaging as Kenneth Branagh and Michael York’s in the earlier books but it was ok.
This is another book I’ve read about 150 times and as I was listening I often would remember each line as it came up. It’s wonderful listening to something I’m so familiar with, even though I’ve not read any of these books for over thirty years. I’ve not been a huge fan of audiobooks until now. Listening to the Rivers of London books by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith changed my mind. I’m not sure but for me it seems that a really well-trained British actor makes the best narrator. Or maybe it’s just nostalgia because I’ve loved this series since I was a child. Anyhow I’m really enjoying these books. I purchased the entire series on Audible for one credit and I have to say it’s been worth it.
This is one of my favourite books in the series. It takes you out of Narnia into Calormen, and yes I was bothered by the casual racism directed towards the Calormen (Arab?) people. I didn’t like it. It wasn’t something I thought of as a child but I do think of it now. What I did like was Shasta and Aravis and Hwin and Bree. I found Bree funny, I thought Shasta was brave. Aravis is arrogant and privileged but grows as a person and is probably my favourite character. Hwin is lovely. Of course I love Aslan. I grew up Catholic. I think that is relevant because at age seven when I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I was immediately aware that Aslan was Christ. I get why that would bother some, but it delighted me. Here was a Jesus who I could feel loved me but allowed me to make mistakes and would let me find redemption. In this book Aslan appears briefly, but helps draw Shasta and Aravis together, protects Shasta as he sleeps and punishes Aravis for causing her slave-girl to be whipped after she ran away from her father’s home. But he forgives her too. As a child everything is black and white, but now everything is grey (not slavery though). Anyhow, these fleeting contacts with the divine still make me happy, even though I am an atheist now. I can’t go to church after all of the evil things it has been party to, I don’t believe in God or Jesus., I don’t believe in Heaven. As an adult I can’t allow myself easy answers. But I still miss them.
I first read this when I was seven years old. It was my first “chapter book” as I called them and I was so proud of myself. I loved it so much I read I first read this when I was seven years old. It was my first “chapter book” as I called them and I was so proud of myself. I loved it so much I read it over and over again. I still love it. My father bought me my first copy of this. He was a reader and taught me to love books as well. He passed away two years ago and I miss him. As a child there was no problem so great that a book couldn’t take me away from it. I wish that was true now but listening to this audiobook narrated by Michael York helped bring some magic back into my life. ...more
**spoiler alert** I think this was just what I needed. My friend Laur picked this for our book club and while it wasn’t something I would choose on my**spoiler alert** I think this was just what I needed. My friend Laur picked this for our book club and while it wasn’t something I would choose on my own I really enjoyed it.
At first I found Cath and her crippling anxiety annoying. I’m old so I was baffled by her refusal to write a ten thousand word short story so she could keep her scholarship while writing thousands of words of Simon Snow fanfic. Clearly I am not eighteen. But she grew on me. I loved how the reasons for her anxiety became more and more clear to me. I despised her mother and felt impatient with her father, even though I could understand why Laura left her husband I thought she was horrible for abandoning her children. I loved how Cath and Wren lost each other and then found each other again. I loved grouchy Reagan and how she and Levi take her under their wings and gradually open up her world. I loved how in the end she stood up to Nick after he was a total douchebag. Mostly I really loved Levi and the way he was with Cath. Adorable. This was really great. It made me remember being eighteen again and reminded me why I’m glad I’m not eighteen any more. ...more
This I loved. It left the bleakness of the second book in the series behind. While the first book focussed on Lilith and the second focussed on LilithThis I loved. It left the bleakness of the second book in the series behind. While the first book focussed on Lilith and the second focussed on Lilith’s half human half Oankali son Akin, this one focussed on Lilith’s half human, half Oankali Ooloi child and it’s maturation process. Jodah’s narration is very enjoyable. This third instalment of the trilogy was filled with hope and love, much more than the other two books. while the sex remained strange it seemed less coercive and more consensual. one sensed genuine love between Jodah, Tomas and Jesusa. ...more
3 1/2 stars. Very good again. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first but I think that is because it is much bleaker than the first and sin3 1/2 stars. Very good again. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first but I think that is because it is much bleaker than the first and since these are bleak times I struggled with it. ...more
Three and a half stars. This was also lovely, a tale of a girl brought up as a boy and her best friend, the disabled boy she meets in school who growsThree and a half stars. This was also lovely, a tale of a girl brought up as a boy and her best friend, the disabled boy she meets in school who grows up to become the Dream-maker. This is YA, the romantic elements in it are very muted and while I liked Kellen and Gryffin, I couldn’t help but feel that this story would have been better if it were more adult. That being said I found it had a certain wistful charm that was very appealing. ...more
A quest. An adventure story. A warning for the future. Beautifully written. Just wonderful. I remember the first and only other time I read this. I waA quest. An adventure story. A warning for the future. Beautifully written. Just wonderful. I remember the first and only other time I read this. I was 19, on a geology field trip to Manitoulin island on a summer day. It was hot and sunny. Today I’m in Ottawa. It is January. It is -20 degrees Celsius this morning and a storm is coming. The ache in my heart right now is the same. ...more
These books are so beautiful. This one I hadn’t read since I was very young and it was better than I remembered. Will is sent to Wales to recover fromThese books are so beautiful. This one I hadn’t read since I was very young and it was better than I remembered. Will is sent to Wales to recover from a long illness. The setting in the Welsh countryside is rigged and beautiful. Here Will meets a boy, Bran and his dog Cafall, they become friends and the two boys fulfill Will’s quest to find the harp of gold and waken the sleepers. I just finished this and I am left haunted by the ending both glorious and tragic. Just wonderful. ...more
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