TWIB-III 2:10/20-10/26

[akujunkan]

Late again. One of these days I'm going to stay on top of this...maybe when I have the Intranets at my rectangle. At any rate here's the book I read three weeks ago.

1) House of Many Ways – Diana Wynne Jones
I’m going to start by saying that I adore Howl’s Moving Castle. It’s been one of my top five favorite books for a decade, and this is probably why I still keep reading Jones’ books, few of which are bad, but many of which are frankly nothing special. House of Many Ways is a case in point: billed as the “chaotically magical sequel” to Howl, what it really does is demonstrate that Jones can write competent fanfic based on her own work.

From her Rowlings-ish name (Charmain) on, the main character reads exactly like a decently talented fanficcer trying to ape Jones’ style: in other words, Charmain is not straight-up Sue, but neither is she particularly likeable…or even well-developed beyond the obvious attempt to rehash the characteristics that made Sophie so compelling. The world of Many Ways also reads like a post-HP fanfic creation: sure, there’s lots of magic and strange doings, but it’s neither well-integrated into the novel’s world nor does much of it contribute meaningfully to the plot.

And then there’s the problem of Sophie, Howl, and (previous sequel tack-on) Baby. Frankly, Many Ways would have been much better off had they not made appearances, because here Jones reduces them to two-dimensional caricatures of their earlier incarnations. Heeere’s Sophie as the Exasperated Den Mother! Howl as the Bratty Charmer! And Baby as the Even Brattier Kid! Plus, there is just something monumentally squicky about making Sophie the caretaker of her infant husband. Think about that one, folks. Ew, ew, ew.

Or, to summarize: this book would have been kinda neat had a ficcer written it, but it says something about Jones’ work when the most likeable character in the novel is the mute, magic poodle.


That will be all.

Comments

Howl Fic by Jones?

[amasugiru.livejournal.com]

ME BORROW NOW

Re: Howl Fic by Jones?

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

YOU IS COME UP NOW?







Seriously, you're welcome to it when you make it up here, although I've gotta warn you there's a queue forming;-)

[darrylgoodridg.livejournal.com]

There is now a big queue forming. It is the "economic victims" queue.

[jamieknievel.livejournal.com]

You've got to queue up for hours, there are only two public phones, anyway he phoned up and his father died.

[mattrimmington.livejournal.com]

Stupid returns, after realizing his father has not died (apparently, he cannot die anyway, since he is also immortal) and it was most embarrassing funeral ever.

[joaquingreggs.livejournal.com]

I've got to tell you now, and I've got to tell you in the saloon bar of the Horse and Groom.

[shelbyshelburn.livejournal.com]

Com to tell you now, and I've got to tell you in the saloon bar of the Horse and Groom.

[sarapleisch.livejournal.com]

Now tell me if I've got it wrong, BUT, I thought that the purpose of a Riding Club was to organise club nights when I would be taken out to frolic with my friends, jump a few jumps, put the odd buck in when our riders least expected them.

[debbiehillborn.livejournal.com]

You've got to queue up for hours, there are only two public phones, anyway he phoned up and his father died.

[nokiirat.livejournal.com]

Wish they hadn't touted it as a sequel. It made me expect more. It was more like Castle in the air where Howl and them randomly show up, but I found Howl's lowered maturity level after marriage and a baby to be amusing.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Exactly: I think I would have liked it much better had Jones written it as a stand-alone and not tried to shoehorn the Howells (Howls?) in.

And I will never, never get over the gross-i-tude of Baby!Howl. They had sex at least once, and now Sophie is, like, changing his diapers. EW.

[archiepalazzo.livejournal.com]

1 comment Interjections March 16th, | Category: Distractions What would good dramatic movie lines be like if they had a fey-like comedic interjection, much like Stephen Stucker’s character, Johnny, from the movie Airplane.

[roycewenzler.livejournal.com]

1 comment Interjections March 16th, | Category: Distractions What would good dramatic movie lines be like if they had a fey-like comedic interjection, much like Stephen Stucker’s character, Johnny, from the movie Airplane.

[clementlemons.livejournal.com]

1 comment Interjections March 16th, | Category: Distractions What would good dramatic movie lines be like if they had a fey-like comedic interjection, much like Stephen Stucker’s character, Johnny, from the movie Airplane.

[judymimbs.livejournal.com]

1 comment Interjections March 16th, | Category: Distractions What would good dramatic movie lines be like if they had a fey-like comedic interjection, much like Stephen Stucker’s character, Johnny, from the movie Airplane.

[andersonemke.livejournal.com]

On "Castles Made of Sand," the subtle nuances stand out more now, but the hiss on the track is much worse.

[thanhsomervell.livejournal.com]

They looked more like children or young teenagers but whoever they were they were seriously angry about something, kicking vehemently at the fire, strewing sparking embers everywhere.

[lorenzomaer.livejournal.com]

They were becoming so angry, so very angry. They longed to carry out the ruthless will of Allah, yet men, mere men, made them, Holy Warriors, wait.