My copies of Katherine Langrish's The Shadow Hunt and West of the Moon have arrived. They will be my first reads for Carl's annual Once Upon a Time challenge (he hasn't posted the info yet). Kelly (The Written World) will be reading The Shadow Hunt at the same time.
Other books under consideration:
Darling Jim by Christian Moerk (via Buttery Books) is a mixture of myth and modern mystery. Castle of Shadows by Ellen Renner and The Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra Golds, and many other great possibilities (via Seven Miles of Steel Thistles).
And since I loved Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder, both authors are on my list.
I could only wish that Megan Whalen Turner had a new installment, but will have to wait for the next in the The Queen's Thief series. I also love Shannon Hale's books and have Repunzel's Revenge on my list.
Most of the above are YA or children's lit, but I love them, and I have grandchildren who will also love them. Still, I need to have some that are adult fairy tale/ fantasy as well, including non-fiction.
Maybe a re-read of Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Women Writers Explore Their Favorite Fairy Tales -- which was excellent.
I have such a stack in my TBR pile, but some of them will just have to give way for fantasy and the Once Upon a Time challenge.
Once Upon by Jane Yolen © 2007
Once Upon A Timethere was a Wolf,but not a Wolf,an Other,whose motherand father were others,who looked not like us,Republican or Demin other words--Them.They were forest dwellers,child sellers,meat eaters,wife beaters,idol makersoath breakers—in other words, Wolf.So Happy Ever After meanswe kill the Wolf,spill his blood,knock him out,bury him in mud,make him dancein red hot shoes.For us to winThe Wolf must lose.
Are you planning to participate in the Once Upon a Time challenge? What titles do you suggest?
Do read Darling Jim! I can't recommend it enough!
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to this challenge! I also really want Mirror, Mirror on the Wall... This year my non-fiction fetish is history of a certain time, but maybe next year I will make it fairy tales and things. There are several books I have wanted to read for years and my library doesn't have them.
ReplyDeleteOr, well, maybe I could at least see how much that one costs... *ahem*
Looking forward to our read together!
Annie - I'm going to try the library first, then order it if I must! It will be a great fit for the challenge, and I put it on my list after seeing the Buttery Books review!
ReplyDeleteKailana - I'm really looking forward to the challenge as well, as I do every year! I'm still reading the WWII books, some really good ones this year. The Spitfire Girls of WWII is on that list.
Mirror, Mirror is such a good read; I loved seeing the influence of fairy tales on authors like Ursula Le Guin, Margaret Atwood, and Ann Sexton! It is a great reference book, as well.
I didn't realise that there was going to be another instalment from Megan Whalen Turner. Something to be looking out for!
ReplyDeleteI have a vague idea of what some of my reads might be for the challenge, but I haven't thought about it too hard just yet.
Marg - I'm assuming there will be more books in this series...maybe because I'm not ready to leave Attolia yet!
ReplyDeleteI'm eager to see what others are planning to read for this challenge, both fiction and nonfiction. That way, I get a better idea of what to add to my wish list.
I'll be checking in on your blog to see what you come up with!
I had said no challenges this year but I have to make an exception for Carl's challenges. They are the first reading challenges I ever took and I just can't say no to them!
ReplyDeleteI think Kailana and I are going to do a readalong of a new book that's gotten some great reviews so that should be fun! Enjoy your reads!
Iliana -- Carl's challenges are the first that I ever participated in, too. In addition, both of his challenges are for escape reading in two genres I love.
ReplyDeleteOh, what book are you and Kailana reading? We are going to be doing The Shadow Hunt, and I've never done a readalong before.
I'm challenge-free, this year (except for my personal challenge, which I can't say I'm failing because it's got no ending date, even though I haven't gotten far) but someday I'll dive into this one. Just not in 2011.
ReplyDeleteI've only read one of the books you mentioned, Darling Jim. I think you'll like it. It's creepy and horrifying but I really loved the writing.
Nancy -- The Once Upon a Time and the R.I.P challenges have been the only ones I've participated in for several years. It is stuff I read already, so they are not much of a challenge. I don't always post to Carl's linky, but I have no trouble with reading fairy tale/fantasy or gothic/mystery/supernatural, so the challenges are a great fit!
ReplyDeleteI'm really eager to read Darling Jim!
Wow, you've got plenty to choose from! I too am a big Shannon Hale fan but didn't add any of her books to my OUaT challenge list (although I have in the past)! Oh well, there is always OUaT 6!! :)
ReplyDeleteI always love a literary stretch, and the challenge sounds intriguing! Is there a lot of good discussion that goes with it, or is it more or less solitary? I'd enjoy participating in discussions.
ReplyDeleteWhat book is the Yolen's poem from? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRead the Book - I found the poem on Katherine's blog in an interview with Yolen. Here is the link.
ReplyDeleteAnne - The reading is pretty much solitary, but if you post with questions or suggestions, you can get a conversation in comments. Have you decided on any possible reads?
ReplyDeleteStephanie - I'm not sure if I'll read a Shannon Hale or not, depends on what the library has available. I gave several of her books (Goose Girl series) to my granddaughter although she isn't quite old enough yet, but I enjoyed them so much, and they will be waiting for her.
ReplyDeleteI read Shadow Hunt last year (it's published in the UK as Dark Angels) and I thought it was terrific! I've got Troll Fell )the first part of West of the Moon) on my list.
ReplyDelete