I'm putting off the last few pages of Outlander for this! Which, come to think of it, might be why I'm doing it; I have to wait until tomorrow afternoon at least before I can get my grubby hands on the copy of Dragonfly in Amber I requested from the library.
But my proximal excuse is that I just re-encountered the perfect quotation to complement the next book I'm due to review.
I had trouble getting into I, Coriander. I made a few false starts at the first chapter, and only really started reading at the last minute before the book was due at the library.
I had to check out another copy the same night I returned it. Here's one of the reasons why:
Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
-- G. K. Chesterton
Gardner's world of magic is weird and disturbing even when it's beautiful, and it's frequently ugly. The things that happen to Coriander outside the magical world are the same way. What I ended up loving about this book -- what had me, in my mind, standing up and cheering for Coriander -- was this: She begins as a little girl, shocked by a sudden swing in the course of her life, and terrified of very real threats to her safety. She grows, not just into herself, but into someone who confronts her life's demons face-to-face. (And she does it without breaking character!)
I can imagine this book working magic in the life of an abused child, not least because it's not syrupy medicine, but a story anyone can fall into.
1 comment:
I don't know how Coriander could stand living with Maud and Arise Fell. She must be a pretty tough child.
I enjoyed reading this book. It made me know more about England's historical background especially during the 17th century.
Here's my review of the book. :)
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