Wednesday 03 April 2002

As you may remember, some time last week I had a total brain-spasm and ordered a number of books and a CD off amazon.co.uk, and thought I'd better report on progress thus far. I haven't received the entire order yet, and of course I'm still reading (several simultaneously), but here goes ...

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Robin McKinley - The Blue Sword

I can't believe I'd never read this before! I'd read and loved a few of McKinley's other books - Beauty is a favourite (oh hush you, it's a a fantastic retelling of the popular fairy story; anyway I like the concept of having a "Beauty" who, well, isn't, but who loves books and horses, and eventually her Beast ), The Outlaws of Sherwood, and Imaginary Lands. I had heard loads about The Blue Sword from Lisa of Speaking Confidentially, The Usual Suspects, and all over the place. It seemed so much my thing - female hero, proactive and physically active, and gorgeous horses of course.

And oh wow. What a trip. No wonder it won the Newberry Honor Award. It's the most beautiful, evocative tale of a mythical land, with mysterious peoples and ways. Harry (short for Angharad) is a truly great hero, proud and flawed and unaware of her gift, and how she "fits" into this new land and life. Her growing awareness and strength in battle make for a great action story, and it's a love story too (with rather Austen-esque dialogue, but never mind). The characters (including the horses!) are beautifully imagined and drawn, so vivid I could almost feel the silky sheen of Sungold's coat.

As soon as I finished it, I turned back to the beginning and began reading. Now I just have to get hold of the prequel, The Hero and the Crown, and any other Damar stories going around.

Another retelling of a famous fairy tale I particularly enjoyed - that I was positive was by McKinley but on searching amazon.co.uk finally realised was by Jane Yolen, is Briar Rose. Definitely for the more adult reader - whether young or old - it is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty but with a darker twist, revolving around the Holocaust of WWII and the brutality of the Gestapo/SS.

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Madeleine L'Engle - The Time Quartet - A Wrinkle in Time; A Wind in the Door; A Swiftly Tilting Planet; Many Waters

An old favourite from primary school days, I've always loved A Wrinkle in Time, but couldn't really remember it fully, nor the rest of The Time Quartet. Again, I was reminded by Lisa (it's all her fault! blame her! blame her!) and of course then I had to satisfy my curiosity. I couldn't merely take it out of the library, oh no; like The Blue Sword L'Engle's Time series is a classic and obviously belongs on my bookshelf.

Am I glad I bought them too. I do love the stories, particularly the character of Meg, who reminds me so much of me in her awkwardness and self-consciousness, except I'm not a math genius, quite the reverse, and infant prodigy Charles Wallace who L'Engle somehow managed to make entirely credible. I particularly enjoyed the final two in the quartet; Charles Wallace as a teenager saves the world and changes history in A Swiftly Tilting Planet, with the help of a unicorn; and Many Waters features the comparatively "normal" twin brothers of Meg and CW, Sandy and Dennis, who accidentally send themselves back to Genesis' tale of Noah and the ark.

They're marvellous reads all, and raise some important questions and concepts about time, space, love, acceptance. I have certainly got more out of them this time around than as a child, and will certainly be going back for re-reads in the future.

I'm waiting on the follow-ups to the Time Quartet, which feature Meg's daughter Polly - A House Like a Lotus sounds rather more Sweet Valley High than Wrinkle in Time, but hey; the second An Acceptable Time is definitely more in the Wrinkle vein, with time travel and risking of life and love.  I may yet buy one of L'Engle's "adult" novels - most of her work for adults I've been overwhelmingly "eh" about - called Certain Women which is a comparative analysis cum retelling of the biblical King David and his wives, and the story of a dying actor and his many wives and children. I've read it a couple of times, courtesy of the South Perth library, and may yet add it in. It appeals to both my love of retellings and of the theatre..

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Yes, I have been for a few rides on my new bike (no it's not just mouldering away in the hall, so there). Yes, I have had a few spills. No bones broken but some truly lovely artistic and colourful bruises.

For my first attempt at cycling in approx. 20 years, Sam and I wheeled our bikes to the nearby park, so *if* (ha! I knew for sure I would, with my simply wondrous coordination) I fell off I could do so (a) with minimum embarrassment; (b) without falling under a passing car or similar; and (c) with any luck aim at a patch of grass or mud rather than concrete or gravel. 

Anyway my first take-off was exceedingly wobbly but once I got going I was fine - wheeeee! I circled around the park's bike path a few times, getting adventurous enough to play with the gearing a little (index gearing = fabulous invention), practicing braking, going around corners at controlled speeds, etc. When it came to stopping though ... well, basically I got incredibly confused as to what feet and hands and legs should all be doing and I executed a slow motion collapse sideways, bike and all. It *did* hurt, even though I wasn't going at any great speed, and that was my first lot of bruises, but I untangled myself and was ready to take-off again before Sam had even caught me up (he'd been following behind). I then practised starting and stopping until I was much smoother and more comfortable, and certainly less wobbly.

So yep, I'm now into this cycling thing, and have even ventured out onto the road! It's simply wonderful fun, and even though I haven't gone any great distance or challenged the old bod too much, I can feel muscles working away (and yes, the saddle is surprisingly comfortable; ditto the handgrips, definitely recommended).

Say, that's a nice bike. Yes, and it's mine.

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