OK, we round off Diana Wynne Jones week with one last YA fantasy novel, Wild Robert. This one is quite a bit shorter than her usual works, and aimed at younger readers. THe main character is Heather, who lives in a castle that's a tourist attraction. And she hates tourists. So she asks the local ghost to take care of them and gets more than she bargained for.
Robert was buried 350 years ago and thinks the castle belongs to him now. And he can do lots of fun magical stuff like turn rowdy teenagers into nymphs and satyrs, and turn annoying tourists into sheep, and magic the portraits down from the walls. Heather spends a whole day trying to keep him away from her parents and then - and then that's the end of the book. Rather unsatisfying, really.
And there weren't any murderous relatives at all! Except for all of Robert's relatives, who tried to kill him, but they all stayed off-stage, so they don't really count.
Next week we'll deal with lots more murdering relatives - Anouilh's Antigone goes up against Sophocles' Antigone, with more! more! MORE! violence and suicide from the ruling family of Thebes!
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3 comments:
You must surely have DWJ burnout by now.
On a similar author (??) topic, my girls and I have just returned from seeing the movie of Theif Lord, based on the book by Cornelia Funke which they both like.
They really enjoyed the movie. It got a bit of a rough ride in the UK press when it opened last week, but I would say it is "old fashioned" fare that children liked. Not as big-budget as H Potter, but definitely connecting with the children in a way that all that Disney, Spielberg, Dreamworks commercial big-budget stuff cannot offer to do - even though a bit creaky at times.
Incidentally, changing the subject, have you been over to bibliophile recently and read her reading-challenge and archiving posts? Have just posted about it on Petrona myself. I can't remember if she has you in her list of reading challenge bloggers.
all the best
maxine.
Jeez, can't spell Thief, sorry!
I've been trying to get around to Funke for a while, but never have had the time.
And no, I will never, ever have DWJ burnout (she declared loyally).
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