What an interesting comparison. McKinley and Ibbotson are both in that group of writers that I imprinted on pretty heavily in junior/high school, but I hadn’t thought to pair them. But their protagonists do, now that I think of it, have the same sort of quiet bravery. When they’re hurt, they don’t wallow in pain and pine theatrically but tend to go on with their busy lives. And I remember jonquil (hmm, or maybe oracne) pointing out that one of the appeals of Ibbotson is the value she gives to work. Industriousness is an odd thing to value in a heroine, but you see it in Aeryn with her burn ointment and Beauty with her roses and Harriet with her dancing.
I need to scout out more of Eva Ibbotson’s books in the childrens/YA section, because of those, I’ve only read Which Witch? and that’s a shame. I think I’ve read all the romances, though. I first stumbled across those in high school, since Magic Flutes was shelved in the YA hardback section. The local library also had A Company of Swans. Perhaps because I read them first, those remain my favorites. Though I own A Countess Below Stairs, so that’s probably the most-often read. Really, the only one that’s disappointed was A Song in Summer, with which I have issues. (It felt in some ways like she wanted to break certain genre tropes but wasn’t going quite far enough. Or something.)
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branchandroot
Re: Eva Ibbotson
Date: 2004-10-27 09:15 am (UTC)I need to scout out more of Eva Ibbotson’s books in the childrens/YA section, because of those, I’ve only read Which Witch? and that’s a shame. I think I’ve read all the romances, though. I first stumbled across those in high school, since Magic Flutes was shelved in the YA hardback section. The local library also had A Company of Swans. Perhaps because I read them first, those remain my favorites. Though I own A Countess Below Stairs, so that’s probably the most-often read. Really, the only one that’s disappointed was A Song in Summer, with which I have issues. (It felt in some ways like she wanted to break certain genre tropes but wasn’t going quite far enough. Or something.)