A Girl With a Sword

wandering through children's literature

I've actually been wandering through strange worlds of adult fantasy on my way to children's literature. One of the things I'm most pleased about right now, though, is the fact that I bought a hard cover E. Nesbit book that I've never read and it's sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me. I think I will wait until the school year to read it, it will make me happy when Pat Ralston starts getting me down. I have two classes with her next semester. I told myself I'd never do that again. I hate myself. The Nesbit is called The Magic City. I don't know anything about it, but I love her other stuff, except maybe The Wouldbegoods because it gets repititious, even though I really liked The Treasure Seekers (the book to which it is the sequel).

I read Tanith Lee last week, a book called White as Snow. It's a really interesting blending of Snow White and the myth of Persephone. It has interesting pagan and scriptural undertones--one part of the story has an almost re-enacting of the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. There was altogether too must sex-in-dark-corners for me, though.

This week I read Patricia A. McKillip's newest novel, Alphabet of Thorn. I love McKillip, and the best part is she seems to get better with every book. I loved this book because it was all about an amazing library, huge and hanging onto a cliff above the sea like a barnacle, and a girl who worked there. There should be more libraries in fantasy books. I love McKillip's magic because she emphasizes words and the power of words so much, and she has such a dreamy style of writing. I find it very engrossing. And she never seems to have a message, which I find intensely irritating in fantasy stories.

Now I'm reading The Golden Compass which I've been meaning to read for sometime because it's in the His Dark Materials series which seems to be quite influential on the modern children's fantasy scene and Philip Pullman (the author) seems so opposed to C. S. Lewis and his influence. I remember the third His Dark Materials book, The Amber Spyglass, being thoroughly condemned in World magazine, just as Harry Potter was, which of couse made me want to read it.