loved first: with an intro like "As for Theo, he loved virtue, despised injustice, and was always slightly hungry. Apart from that, he was reasonably happy," how can you NOT fall in love with Theo from page one? Those two sentences are ridiculously elegant. So much information conveyed, so much pith & brevity, rhythmic and funny. Gah.
love more now: these books. I read the complete works of Lloyd Alexander as a little kid, and bounced off of these at the time. I had the same relationship to them that I would eventually develop to Dune and Brave New World and Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, where I could tell that there was something weird and important and maybe grown up going on but couldn't put my finger on it, and so read them again and again without relaxed pleasure, with a sort of watchful puzzlement. They were too significant for me to trust them enough to look away, but I just didn't understand. I was too little. Now, I know what it is that's so important - these books are about war and dreams.
don't get the love: Justin. I've never been able to figure out a narrative purpose for Justin - someone for Theo to be jealous of? That seems thin.
nobody else gets the love: AHAHA THERE ARE LIKE THREE PEOPLE IN THIS FANDOM, WE ALL GET THE LOVE.
love less now: Sparrow. I liked Sparrow really a lot as a kid, because I thought a girl water rat was a pretty groovy thing, but I find now that I really don't love the relationship she has with Keller, the degree to which she's subsumed in him.
kiss: Florian is the hottest revolutionary in the bunch - but it'd be extra fun if a girl could have him and Zara as well :)
slap: Lloyd Alexander, for not playing by the rules of children's literature this time, and giving me pain!
be: oh, Mickle, no question. Mickle might be the strongest Strong Female Character Alexander ever built - maybe Vesper Holly's better, but Mickle is so solid and powerful, she comes from such nothing to such badassitude, she holds it all together, she's got a CONSORT and he's cute and everything but she's the queen here, buster, don't get any big ideas.
pairing I love: I'm a sucker for Standard Alexander Male Lead/Standard Alexander Female Lead, so Theo/Mickle makes me mighty happy - but Theo/Florian also has its delights, and I refuse to pick just one of 'em.
pairing I don't: Sparrow/Keller and Justin/Florian.
no subject
love more now: these books. I read the complete works of Lloyd Alexander as a little kid, and bounced off of these at the time. I had the same relationship to them that I would eventually develop to Dune and Brave New World and Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, where I could tell that there was something weird and important and maybe grown up going on but couldn't put my finger on it, and so read them again and again without relaxed pleasure, with a sort of watchful puzzlement. They were too significant for me to trust them enough to look away, but I just didn't understand. I was too little. Now, I know what it is that's so important - these books are about war and dreams.
don't get the love: Justin. I've never been able to figure out a narrative purpose for Justin - someone for Theo to be jealous of? That seems thin.
nobody else gets the love: AHAHA THERE ARE LIKE THREE PEOPLE IN THIS FANDOM, WE ALL GET THE LOVE.
love less now: Sparrow. I liked Sparrow really a lot as a kid, because I thought a girl water rat was a pretty groovy thing, but I find now that I really don't love the relationship she has with Keller, the degree to which she's subsumed in him.
kiss: Florian is the hottest revolutionary in the bunch - but it'd be extra fun if a girl could have him and Zara as well :)
slap: Lloyd Alexander, for not playing by the rules of children's literature this time, and giving me pain!
be: oh, Mickle, no question. Mickle might be the strongest Strong Female Character Alexander ever built - maybe Vesper Holly's better, but Mickle is so solid and powerful, she comes from such nothing to such badassitude, she holds it all together, she's got a CONSORT and he's cute and everything but she's the queen here, buster, don't get any big ideas.
pairing I love: I'm a sucker for Standard Alexander Male Lead/Standard Alexander Female Lead, so Theo/Mickle makes me mighty happy - but Theo/Florian also has its delights, and I refuse to pick just one of 'em.
pairing I don't: Sparrow/Keller and Justin/Florian.