Edith Nesbit's Harding's Luck
In unrelated news my post about Harding's Luck just popped up at Tor.com.
I don't think this is one of my better analyses, largely because it took me awhile to pinpoint just why I was struggling to read through this book. Even the adult novels, which I've enjoyed less than the children's ones, were generally at the least readable and in the case of Daphne of Fitzroy Street even fascinating. And I've whipped through most of the children's books in an hour or so, tops.
But this book was a slog, and it was only after thinking about something generally unrelated that I realized why: the entire book had the air of "I am writing a literary production and examining morality here," from all of the stock characters -- the little lame boy who is so awfully good, the thief who can be converted to goodness through the love of a child, the inspiring women....not to mention the overly careful prose. It's a deliberate performance, not something enjoyed, something written for critics and reputation.
So I didn't like it. But Gore Vidal did. Read into that what you like.
In unrelated news, both Twitter and Tumbler want you to know that A Lannister always spays his pets. Read down to the fine print, although I do have to note that my thoroughly spayed Grey One has rarely achieved the status of "calm" and has been known to gaze thoughtfully at people's throats.
I don't think this is one of my better analyses, largely because it took me awhile to pinpoint just why I was struggling to read through this book. Even the adult novels, which I've enjoyed less than the children's ones, were generally at the least readable and in the case of Daphne of Fitzroy Street even fascinating. And I've whipped through most of the children's books in an hour or so, tops.
But this book was a slog, and it was only after thinking about something generally unrelated that I realized why: the entire book had the air of "I am writing a literary production and examining morality here," from all of the stock characters -- the little lame boy who is so awfully good, the thief who can be converted to goodness through the love of a child, the inspiring women....not to mention the overly careful prose. It's a deliberate performance, not something enjoyed, something written for critics and reputation.
So I didn't like it. But Gore Vidal did. Read into that what you like.
In unrelated news, both Twitter and Tumbler want you to know that A Lannister always spays his pets. Read down to the fine print, although I do have to note that my thoroughly spayed Grey One has rarely achieved the status of "calm" and has been known to gaze thoughtfully at people's throats.