August
sees the release of Alan Garner’s Boneland, described as the third part of the
trilogy that started some fifty years ago with Weirdstone of Brisingamen, and
later continued with Moon of Gomroth. Said to follow the story of Colin, now
grown, a Professor spending his time between Jodrell Bank and Alderley Edge as
he searches for his lost sister Susan, I can hardly wait.
I’ve previously described the wonder,
the importance of the books to me, the place they take in my life, the path
they set me on, that I’ll be there before the bookshop opens quite possibly in
a little folding chair prepared to beat back the Morthbrood (that I suspect
won’t even make an appearance). Alan Garner is a fine author, one that brings
us magic without whimsy, whose heroes die and where heroism isn’t a feather to
wear but something earned, in hindsight, and sad, and flawed. For children’s books they are dark,
for young minds they can be frightening – and all power to them because I can’t
abide the idea that there are books for ‘young adults’. Teenagers should
read what they wish, where they shouldn’t have some boil-in-the bag middle
ground between whimsy-wizards and terrifying rats. If more sprouts were shown a
little real fear (and a little real imagination) there’d be a few less
teenagers mooning over lovelorn vampires with nice hair.
That’s it. This is true. See you in
August.
now on pre order with Amazon. Thankyou. I might have missed it:}
ReplyDeleteHandily August is also Q's birthday (so that's one parcel taken care of).
ReplyDeleteWOW i read the first one when about 10 2nd later and now the young mind in me will be out for yet another extended trip.
ReplyDeleteJim! Crickey, good to hear from you. And absolutely, though I suspect it won't be quite so young, but we'll see,
ReplyDeleteWeird, I think. I somewhat thought you were making it up. Who'd have thought - just have to hope this isn't a F. Forsyth "pay for Polly Peck disaster" novel. Eager awaitedness, as long as Fenodyree hasn't got into hair products.
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