|
Post by Claire on Nov 30, 2011 13:39:51 GMT 1
As you may know we are having a double whammy of books for our reading circle over the Christmas period - one pony related, one non-pony Christmas themed book. Our non-pony book is The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. This is a fantasy type story set against a Christmas backdrop. If you saw the awful film version and don't think you'll bother reading the book on the strength of that, I have been assured that the book is far, far better than the film and is highly recommended, so please give it a try. Lots of cheap copies around, or you can try and scrounge a copy by posting here! Discussion can take place approximately 2 weeks from now and continue on thru the Christmas hols.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Nov 30, 2011 15:50:01 GMT 1
It would be more accurate to say that the film has NO CONNECTION to the book.
For starters, there are no Americans in the book. None, zip, not a whiff. Will and his family (his really big family....they lost about 8 brothers and sisters in the movie) are all English and have lived always in the Windsor area, as Susan Cooper herself did.
|
|
|
Post by foxglove on Dec 21, 2011 10:47:47 GMT 1
I started re-reading this on The Tube this morning, as it's Midwinter Day; I'd forgotten the story actually starts on Midwinter Eve. I'm looking for a copy of the edition I first remember reading, which had a genuinely sinister front cover. It's the first on the second row here: darkisrising.wikia.com/wiki/Book_Cover_Gallery Brrrrrrr. Hope everyone's tucked up warm inside when they start reading!
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Dec 21, 2011 11:30:15 GMT 1
That is a scary cover foxglove! Its nice that there's a horse on the front of most of the editions, it ties it in nicely with the forum, even tho its a non-horsy book. I'm hoping Santa will be popping a copy of this in my stocking so I can cracking with it over the Christmas hols!
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Dec 28, 2011 12:46:27 GMT 1
Santa came up trumps and i got a copy of this for Christmas. As luck would have it, its actually the 5 in 1 edition I was talking about earlier, but as its a paperback its not really that big or cumbersome. Just started it and enjoying it so far, and happy to note there are 2 horses in it already!
|
|
|
Post by foxglove on Jan 3, 2012 15:57:27 GMT 1
I had such a great time re-reading this. Surely the gold standard in childrens' fantasy/adventure writing. The magical scenes are so powerful, but intermingled with the banter of family life making it realistic.
As ever, I picked up something new this time around- love how Merriman describes the English as "splendid in adversity, tedious when safe", and that Will's dad picks up that he isn't English. That probably went over my head as a child. The magic seems very ancient, unfrivolous and totally emeshed in the British landscape. I wonder if JRR Tolkien ever commented on it?
Hope the first timers are enjoying it!
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Jan 3, 2012 18:15:11 GMT 1
Unfortunately the flippin thing got left behind at my parents when I was staying there over Christmas so I am stuck at the mo til I see them again! Has anyone else managed to try it?
|
|
|
Post by kunuma on Jan 3, 2012 18:25:42 GMT 1
Think I might have to hit ebay on this one, I deserve a present for surviving the move!
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Jan 3, 2012 19:36:24 GMT 1
I'm on the last few chapters of my re-read....I do like to stretch it out through the 12 Days of Christmas!
|
|
|
Post by foxglove on Jan 4, 2012 10:51:06 GMT 1
I'm on the last few chapters of my re-read....I do like to stretch it out through the 12 Days of Christmas! You have much more will power than me Susan! When it comes to reading I am like a greedy child cramming as many chocolates as possible into their mouth while nobody is looking. Luckily stuffing my face with books doesn't leave me feeling sick and ashamed!
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Jan 13, 2012 10:17:44 GMT 1
Some comments from me. Sorry its taken me so long been a bit under the weather lately and probably would have made even less sense than usual if I wrote anything in depth! I did enjoy the book a lot but for me it wouldn't quite make it on a list of favourite childrens books. I found it very well written and I loved the bits where Will and his family are interacting. In fact I like the down to earth bits far more than the fantasy bits, which weren't really to my taste. I suppose I like more down to earth fantasy (if thats not a contradiction in terms!) and to me the fantasy parts were just too self consciously fantastical. Hmm not sure sure if I'm explaining this very well, but whenever I got into a fantasy bit like when Will first met Merriman and The Lady, I actually felt as if I was suddenly reading something labelled 'fantasy part', whereas before I'd been immersed in Will's world. I also felt these bits were a little disjointed and a lot of stuff didnt seem properly explained. I guess I prefer the more literal to the esoteric, which prob explains why I never quite got to grips with Alan Garner's books. The parts where the fantasy and real world inter-mingled such as when the Rider comes to their house in the guise of Will's father's friend I enjoyed more. Before susan and foxglove do me a mischief let me say the criticisms are more of personal taste than of the quality of the writing, which was superb. I would certainly read the rest of the series, in fact I've started on the first one, which although susan said wasn't as good, am probably enjoying more! I do agree with foxglove that you got a sense of the magic as being very ancient and part of nature and the countryside, and very British. I enjoyed the snow element, and the way the dark magic was affecting the weather. It sounded just like our last winter with the freakishly early and deep snow - wonder if the dark was rising last Christmas! Does anyone know was the book first published in America? I read that Susan Cooper was born in England but went to live in America where I assume she wrote all her books. If it was first published in the USA could explain why I missed it when i was younger. Her being an ex-pat could explain the very British-ness of the book and the slightly nostalgic tone and rather old-fashioned view of village life.
|
|
|
Post by foxglove on Jan 18, 2012 14:24:52 GMT 1
Glad you generally enjoyed it Claire, and it's interesting how you describe your reaction to the fantastical parts. I do recall struggling slightly with the Book of Gramarye section when I first read it, as it's like a long prose poem, and wasn't like anything I'd encountered before as a young reader. The differences between real and magical worlds and how they are presented to the reader could make for an interesting discussion!
I don't know the publishing history of the book, but I'm sure it's always been widely available in the UK. I got it for my 9th birthday (1987) and the series was in my Middle School library. My Lord of the Rings geekmates all read it as children too, including my Norwegian friend.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Jan 24, 2012 15:34:40 GMT 1
As I mentioned on the War Horse film thread, it's award season here in the US....the American Library Association (the ALA) doled out the oldest and most prestigious awards in children's lit yesterday.....and Susan Cooper was again on the list, winning the Margaret A. Edwards award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: ala.org/news/pr?id=9108
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Jan 24, 2012 20:27:52 GMT 1
Thanks for that info susan - a well deserved award.
|
|
vera
Pony Clubber
Posts: 247
|
Post by vera on Jan 28, 2012 5:51:26 GMT 1
I read through the whole Dark is Riding series as I have it all in one book and can't read it except in order. I like it enough to read it several times. I do think this one is the weakest of them and the film was a big disappointment. I really want to know if Rufus the dog is an Irish Setter as he behaves so much like one...
|
|
vera
Pony Clubber
Posts: 247
|
Post by vera on Jan 28, 2012 5:55:13 GMT 1
not really a ps but I hope you are feeling better now Claire
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Jan 30, 2012 21:56:58 GMT 1
Oh thanks vera just noticed your post. Yes I enjoyed the first one in the series better, and will read the others. But book was still 100 x better than film.
BTW while I'm here does anyone have a copy of the book to lend kunuma, as I only have the heavy 5 in 1, bit cumbersome to send back n forth in post.
|
|