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Not the definitive post on subversiveness in kids' books - or even the long and rambling one that I may or may not get around to at some point - but just a cry of pain.
Those who know this LJ will know that I'm a huge admirer of Catherine Gilbert Murdock, who has written two YA novels I consider just about perfect - funny, intelligent, believable and deeply engaging. She's on my buy before it's published list, and as soon as I heard about Princess Ben, that's exactly what I did. When I read a bit about it, I thought it sounded as if it might be bog-standard fairy tale-with-a-twist fantasy in a lot of writers' hands, but I had complete faith in Murdock's ability to produce something fantastic. Into every reader's life a little Rain of Disillusionment must fall, I suppose, and it's all the more bitter for the growing feeling that everyone else is likely to heap praise on the book. (Though there is, at least, a third D.J. book in progress, and that, I'll snap up with all my previous CGM fervour.)
So, why am I not joining everyone else? ( The reasons, with a bit of a riff on fat characters too, if you care to read more )
I have one question remaining, only: this is getting a starred review in Horn Book, apparently, and Roger Sutton calls it 'slyly subversive'. For what values of subversive?
Those who know this LJ will know that I'm a huge admirer of Catherine Gilbert Murdock, who has written two YA novels I consider just about perfect - funny, intelligent, believable and deeply engaging. She's on my buy before it's published list, and as soon as I heard about Princess Ben, that's exactly what I did. When I read a bit about it, I thought it sounded as if it might be bog-standard fairy tale-with-a-twist fantasy in a lot of writers' hands, but I had complete faith in Murdock's ability to produce something fantastic. Into every reader's life a little Rain of Disillusionment must fall, I suppose, and it's all the more bitter for the growing feeling that everyone else is likely to heap praise on the book. (Though there is, at least, a third D.J. book in progress, and that, I'll snap up with all my previous CGM fervour.)
So, why am I not joining everyone else? ( The reasons, with a bit of a riff on fat characters too, if you care to read more )
I have one question remaining, only: this is getting a starred review in Horn Book, apparently, and Roger Sutton calls it 'slyly subversive'. For what values of subversive?
