(no subject)

[skygiants]

Okay, I am pretty sure that everyone and their sister read Zilpha Keatley Snyder's The Eygpt Game when they were little. But has anyone else read Libby on Wednesday? This was one of my favorite of her books when I was little; I reread it last week in a fit of nostalgia and it actually held up surprisingly well.

Libby on Wednesday is basically The Breakfast Club for writing geeks, except I liked it a lot better than I ever liked The Breakfast Club, which I never imprinted on. Libby, the main character, is an undersized overachiever and the granddaughter of a Local Famous Writer who's now going to public middle school after being homeschooled most of her life by her eccentric family. Predictably, she is miserable. When she wins a writing contest, and gets assigned to attend a weekly writing workshop with the other winners and runner-ups from her school, she's extra-miserable; the prospect of having four horrible classmates critiquing her magnum opus, an AU Roman-era fantasy novel, is basically the end of the world.

No one who has ever read a book before will be surprised to find out that Libby and her four horrible classmates eventually end up bonding in unexpected ways. And it could be considered a bit of a Problem Novel - one of the kids has a semi-invisible disability, one of the kids has problems with abuse at home, and so on. The kids are definitely not just the Sum Of Their Issues, though. They all feel enormously real, and so does their writing, which is so very the writing of talented middle-schoolers. Tierney is large and stompy and pink-haired (which Libby is hilariously shocked by, because in a lot of ways Libby is more of a sixty-year-old woman than a twelve-year-old) and writes hard-boiled noir pastiches. Wendy is a cheerful and constantly smiley valedictorian type who writes slightly boring stories about Teenaged Girls Learning Important Lessons About Understanding. G.G. is a bully with anger issues who writes extremely violent sci-fi or inexplicably creepy mood pieces. Alex is the brilliant and awkward one who's clever and witty but sometimes has trouble letting other people get a word in edgewise; he insta-filks in class and writes parodies of Stephen King and Watership Down. (Did I ship Alex/Libby when I was twelve? Maybe a little. But I also shipped Nita/Ed the shark when I was twelve, so you are free to judge my taste.)

I have totally basically been in writing workshops with all of these kids. I totally know Tierneys and Wendys and G.G.s, and oh man, do I know Alexes. So I guess it is no surprise that I get warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia when reading this book, as well as thinking it does a decent job with a lot of the issues (though it is kind of annoying that all the kids are white, especially since it takes place in California.) The other thing I remembered as being awesome that still was totally awesome was Libby's collections. Because Libby lives in a ginormous old house, she has a bunch of rooms to herself, and one of them is entirely dedicated to Oregon Trail and one of them is entirely dedicated to the thirties and so on. I wanted space to do this so badly when I was little, let me tell you.

Something I did not remember from when I was twelve: Libby's family is composed of her grandmother and great-aunt, her father, her father's male friend who moved in years ago and stayed, and a mostly-absent mother who is still "very good friends" with her father. Libby worries a lot about trying to explain this setup to people. I had no idea what was going on there when I was little, which strikes me as fairly obtuse now seeing as there was a similar situation going on at the time within my extended family. Way to be observant, small self!

Comments

[genarti]

I... I would not have said I'd ever read this, but this is ringing such a bell. I think I must have. But I don't remember a bit of it except half the bits you've mentioned now that you have, and I feel a great urge to reread.

[skygiants]

Even if you have not read it, I think you would enjoy it! (I suspect you would react to the collections the same way I did, which is to say with ENORMOUS SHINY EYES.) But the nostalgia factor will probably add a bonus. *laughing*

[girl-wonder.livejournal.com]

You are going to think that I'm CRAZY, but the other day I was jonesing to read this book but I could not remember the name. Or the names of any of the characters. (when I was a kid, I read all sorts of books and never bothered to know/remember the titles) I remembered the house! And the fact that it was a writing club or something! And that it was delightful.

You have literally made my world better, because I am going to go rent it NOW.

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

WHAT A COINCIDENCE THAT YOU WOULD MENTION NITA AND ED, I recently started a reread of those books and just finished Deep Wizardry yesterday! I never shipped Nita and Ed, though. Because. Yeah. (Possibly I was too busy shipping an OT3 of Nita, Kit, and Fred; I remember being rather upset when Fred died, and even all these years later I had to stop and cry for a while. Shut up.) And speaking of living arrangements you only realize the significance of when you're an adult, whoa man I didn't read anything into Tom and Carl when I was twelve. Sneaky, Diane Duane, sneaky.

[skygiants]

HAHAHAHA AWESOME. I am so happy about this! If you do find it at the library you need to let me know how you think it stands up. :D

(Also, there are so many books I have vague memories of reading when I was a kid, and would like to reread, but cannot remember anything about except their location on the library shelves. And then the library moved their shelves around! AND NOW THEY'RE LOST FOREVER. ;_;)

[skygiants]

Oh, awesome! Deep Wizardry was always my favorite! Uh, not only because I sort of shipped Nita/Ed. (I also shipped Nita/Kit, for the record! I was very open to multiple options as a child. Also I do not blame you for crying when Fred died, because that was pretty tragic, man.)

Hah, it may have been because I was thinking about the sneakiness of Tom/Carl that Diane Duane was on my mind when I was making this post. Though I thiiiiink I did actually assume that Tom and Carl were a couple, at least by the time I was thirteen or fourteen.

[girl-wonder.livejournal.com]

hahahaha. I DO THE SAME THING.

I'm like, "There's this one... and I think it's 'Roxanne' or 'Rosanne' and it's set in 1950's Hollywood..." And that's all I remember.

[varadia]

Oh my god I remember that book!

YES!

*hit with wave of nostalgia*

<3

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

I actually remember nothing about any of the books after the first one, so I can't say which one is my favorite yet--but Deep Wizardry is kind of really impressive in many regards, from the realistic reactions of the parents finding out about what their kids are doing (how did I not remember they thought Nita and Kit were having sex, I remembered everything I read about sex at that age) to the less-than-saintly personalities of the whales as opposed to being Mighty Creatures Superior To Humans In Every Way and, of course, Ed, probably the most morally-complicated character I've read in any YA novel. And sneaky!happy-gay-couple-allowed-to-interact-with-children, of course. I might have figured it out if I was a little older, since that was the age I came across slash and subsequently had my mind ruined forever.

[skygiants]

Was it not awesome? All the adorkable precocious-middle-schooler writing! And the collections! And the epic treehouse!

[skygiants]

There is one I have not been able to remember for years and years about a girl who turns invisible. Somehow. Somewhere. In some way. But not that other one where a girl turns invisible. Or that other one. I have literally been racking my brains over this for eight years.

[skygiants]

The first three were super formative for me, and then it took me forever to read the later ones because I was like "NO it STOPS after the first three! The rest aren't reeeeeal." (I did enjoy the later ones! But I cannot love them with the same depth of love. So I will be interested to hear what you think about that, too.)

But yeah, I loved all the stuff you mentioned - the parents getting to find out, the awesomeness of the whales and how fascinating Ed is, and the sacrifice that Nita almost has to make and that she is seriously about to do it - man, so epic!

[genarti]

I am well-nigh certain I did. The homeschooling and the elderly Very Literary relatives and the Romanesque epic all sound tremendously familiar. (And yeah, I'm pretty certain I did react that way at the time. *laughing* I don't remember, but I know myself. We had a big house, but also collecting parents and annoying small brothers. Although I suspect mostly I would have wanted those rooms to contain bookshelves.)

[jothra]

...do you mean the one where she decides to live inside the walls of her house?

And then goes to a costume party dressed as a moth?

[skygiants]

I think the Romanesque epic is titled "Rainbow in the Dust," iirc. I am just like, aw honey. *laughing* (Extra rooms for bookshelves is also admittedly a bonus. >.>)

[skygiants]

. . . . . . actually it may well have been. @_@ DO YOU REMEMBER THIS BOOK JO

[genarti]

Oh bless!

[jothra]

Yes! I was actually just thinking about it the other day!

Is it this one?

[skygiants]

PATRICE KINDL. I remember her! But mostly becaues of the one about the were-owl. Did you read that one?

[jothra]

I don't think I did! It didn't look familiar, anyway.

But was that the right one, do you think?

The reviews are pretty harsh. Apparently it wouldn't hold up well i I read it again...

[skygiants]

I don't think it's actually the specific one I was thinking of, which was a little jauntier, but I think it may be another one I read - the moth costume is totally ringing some kind of bell.

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

Okay, I am pretty sure that everyone and their sister read Zilpha Keatley Snyder's The Eygpt Game when they were little.

I'm only reading it now! Don't judge me!

[skygiants]

I think growing up in a different country gets you a pass! *laughing* (What are you thinking of it?)

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

I've only read a few chapters, but so far I like it. For some reason, it reminds me less of the Stanley books than it reminds me of Lois Lowry's Anastasia books. Possibly because I tend to get those too from BookMooch and I get confused. :-)

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

I have read Libby on Wednesday, and adored it! The writing-workshop scenes were delightful (I love reading stories about stories), as were the descriptions of Libby's house and her family. Zilpha Keatley Snyder is great at writing precocious but still relatable young people.

I am also very fond of The Egypt Game and The Changeling.

[skygiants]

I loved the Stanley books also, but they had a very different feel to me too - and I think I can see where the Anastasia comparison is coming from. (Something to do with Anastasia's fantasy sequences and the paper dolls, I think.)

[skygiants]

Oh man, I also love reading stories about stories - basically if a YA book includes snippets of said YA character's dorky writing project (especially if it reminds me hilariously of things I wrote when I was that age - see Diana Wynne Jones' Black Maria and the protagonist's GREAT PRINCESS NOVEL) it is almost guaranteed to fill me with joy.

I don't remember reading The Changling, actually! My formative ZKSes were definitely The Egypt Game and the Stanley books, and also this one.

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

The Changeling is about the friendship between a shy, accommodating Nice Girl and a Misunderstood But Creative Girl From A Troubled Family, but all the characters are so well-drawn, and the emotions ring so true, that the story manages to transcend the fairly standard premise.

Now that I think about it, it's a little bit like Bridge to Terabithia, only the ending will not tear your heart out and stomp on it repeatedly.

[skygiants]

That sounds like excellent Zilpha Keatley Snyder fare! (I appreciate my heart not being torn out and stomped on repeatedly. @_@)

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

For the record: I loved Bridge to Terabithia, too. But the ending had me bawling the first time I read it (and possibly several times since).

Incidentally, can I friend you? You talk about books and write Utena crossovers, and both these things are Relevant To My Interests.

[kiarasayre.livejournal.com]

I did read the Egypt Game when I was little and loved it. Somehow I had never even heard of Libby on Wednesday and now I intend to read it as soon as I can get my grubby little paws on it. *grabby hands*

[skygiants]

I read Bridge to Terebithia when I was a little too young to properly appreciate sad endings, so I was like "WAIT NO WHAT" and then ran away. I appreciate it more retrospectively!

Also: absolutely! :D *friends back*

[skygiants]

That is because The Egypt Game is eminently awesome. Let me know what you think of Libby!

[jothra]

Oh hey, did you ever read the sequel to The Egypt Game?

[skygiants]

I am pretty sure I did, but I remember absolutely nothing about it, which . . . tells you something about that, I guess. Did you?

[jothra]

I don't think I knew about it until a few years ago. And now I only know that it exists and...isn't it called The Gypsy Game?

[skygiants]

It is! That is about the sum total of my knowledge, too. I am sure if someone described details to me I might remember . . .? Maybe . . .?

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.amazon.com/Roxanne-Sunfire-Jane-Claypool-Miner/dp/059033686X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279606618&sr=1-1

[genarti]

Oh, that's right!

I remember being unimpressed. I can't remember if I actually read it and was unimpressed, though, or if I just liked the ending of The Egypt Game and was unimpressed by the idea of a sequel as a tiny opinionated Genlet.

*very helpful*

[skygiants]

- thank you, helpful anon!

[girl-wonder.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. God. That's it. I remember the cover and the whole premise of 'Who will she choose???'

Thank you, anon!

[dictator-duck.livejournal.com]

I...have never even heard of The Egypt Game. Or Libby on Wednesday. *bemused* BUT THAT HOUSE SOUNDS COOL.




(Of course, I didn't discover YA until I was 13 or so? I spent 8-13 ensconced in the Adult section except for Brian Jacques (who was oddly shelved in the adult section AND the children's section), and actually never more than dabbled in YA. By which I mean, read a milion DWJ books + Susan Cooper (all Traci/Saph's fault)+ the Bruce Coville Unicorn Chronicles. And Harry Potter, I guess. The rest is Milliways inspired reading.

I had three hours of sleep last night, I'm allowed to ramble! <3333)

[skygiants]

I am surprised about The Egypt Game! It's pretty famous - I think it was a prizewinner of some kind or other.

(Whereas I was shocked, shocked! the first time I read So You Want To Be A Wizard to think that there might be a time one was too old for the YA section.

*hugs* You are totally allowed! You are also totally allowed to GET MORE SLEEP, sheesh. :O)

[girl-wonder.livejournal.com]

OMG. I just started reading it and I'd forgotten all the good parts. Like that I think Elliot and Christopher are supposed to be lovers, but Its All Subtext and so I had to check the copyright because I kept going, "Wasn't this written in the '90s? Like, after Stonewall?"

And that Alex is so awesome and has developed so many defenses against being mocked like the ability to mock himself more.

AND that as a kid I empathized with Libby a lot, but as an adult, I realize I was probably more like one of the kids mocking her for being different because that's how ALL KIDS ARE in middle school.

[skygiants]

ahahaha, my favorite part about Elliot/Christopher is that as far as I remember they never have a scene together. So it's totally subtextually obvious, just from the living situation, and yet!

Alex is SO AWESOME. I love how Libby is kind of half crushing on his brains and kind of half super uncomfortable with his defense mechanisms, too, because that is so how it would go.

EVERYONE IS TERRIBLE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. This book does a good job conveying that sympathetically I think! Like, all of the kids are awesome in their own ways, and also terrible in their own ways, even Libby.

[marfisa.livejournal.com]

Wow, the heroine sounds like a hikkikomori who pulls part of the house in after her.