A Worm Called Rover
Originally published at tansyrr.com. You can comment here or there.
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
I planned to talk here about Arthur Ransome or Enid Blyton or even my slightly insane addiction to vintage Grange Hill novels, but then I had another thought.
Eva Ibbotson now writes the most beautiful historical YA novels, about German cakes and war and lost aristocrats and all that sort of thing. Beautiful, beautiful books. A new one is always a pleasure, the kind of save for a treat and read while drinking hot chocolate on cold winter nights.
Before that, though, she did a good line in surreal, funny and dark children’s novels. Which Witch is a book I read so many times that, while I haven’t touched it in years, I think there’s a layer of it somewhere under my skin. The premise is that Arriman, the baddest and wickedest wizard in all of England, has grown tired of being Big and Bad and wants to retire from his position, but he can’t until he has an heir. His advisors devise a plan to find the most appropriate mother for Arriman’s baby, in order to make the evilest possible baby wizard: they stage a contest to find the wickedest witch in the land. First prize: Arriman’s hand in marriage.
It sounds like a novel you could publish now, with a reality tv angle - this was 1979, long before the Bachelorette or Beauty and the Geek. One of the best sources of both worldbuilding and humour in the book comes from that old reversey-tastes thing that used to fascinate me as a child. You know, the paradox about how Oscar likes being unhappy cos he’s a grouch, but unhappiness makes him happy? The “wickedness” of the witches and wizards in this book is much the same. They revel in a cartoon kind of nastiness that would put the Addams Family to shame.
Belladonna is the underdog in the competition. Everyone knows she’s just a little bit… well. The term white witch comes to mind. She’s just a bit blonde and soppy, and bluebirds do tend to sneak in and do her washing for her when she looks the other way. But she falls hard for Arriman, and the only way to get his attention is to perform the darkest, wickedest piece of magic she can, and win the contest.
Even now I can remember bits and pieces of the story that make me smile like crazy. The old lady witch who turned into a swam of flies! The baby kraken in the bucket! Ultimately, though, it’s one of those rare stories in which a comic series of misunderstandings drives the plot, and it WORKS without being stupid. Arriman and Belladonna actually both want the same thing, which means that their romance and the obstacles in its path has a little seed of potential even under the huge weight of amusing and elaborate reasons against it.
Oh. I just remembered the ghost of Sir Simon, plashing his hand against his forehead to make woeface. Oh. I love this book SO HARD. Might have to read it again right now.
Other Days of the Book Meme:
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you’ve read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve read more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your “comfort” book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your “to be read” stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?