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rosatulipan's review
4.0
General Rating: 9/10
Personal Rating: 8/10
As always Diana Wynne Jones reminds me that she was one genius witch
Personal Rating: 8/10
As always Diana Wynne Jones reminds me that she was one genius witch
beccabeccalee's review against another edition
5.0
Diana Wynne Jones is a clever madwoman, or a mad clever woman. Her ideas about fiction and writing seem to run deeper than muscle tissue and marrow. Here she dissected many works of fantasy and fiction, and sometimes (I'm embarrassed to admit) I couldn't keep up with her. I could tell, though, that it's probably because I've been thinking like a grown-up for too long. I also could tell that, from reading these essays and speeches, that I would have liked to have known her. Perhaps I can get her ghost to haunt my library some day.
jasmiinaf's review against another edition
5.0
I have only read one short story from Diana Wynne Jones, but when I saw this in the bookcrossing meetup I just had to grab this. And it really didn’t bother me much that I haven’t read her books. This just made me want to read those even more. I’m not much of a writer, but I like to read about writing and about books. And Diana Wynne Jones wrote quite a bit about her childhood in here and it was fascinating to read about it.
ninag98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Child abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Blood, Animal death, Classism, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy
Minor: Car accident, Colonisation, Cancer, Bullying, Terminal illness, Incest, and Grief
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
5.0
I've read and loved so many of Diana Wynne Jones' novels, and now I can say I have equally read and loved her essays on writing, fantasy, and childhood. She's a certifiable writing genius goddess.
I'd recommend dipping in and out of these essays over time, rather than all in one fell swoop, as she does repeat themes, anecdotes, even exact phrasings. It makes sense that in multiple speeches or essays she would draw on the same experiences and beliefs, but it is more enjoyable and less tedious to read after a break here and there.
It's a testament to her style, wit, and wisdom that now I want to reread my favorites of hers and find the ones I haven't yet read.
I'd recommend dipping in and out of these essays over time, rather than all in one fell swoop, as she does repeat themes, anecdotes, even exact phrasings. It makes sense that in multiple speeches or essays she would draw on the same experiences and beliefs, but it is more enjoyable and less tedious to read after a break here and there.
It's a testament to her style, wit, and wisdom that now I want to reread my favorites of hers and find the ones I haven't yet read.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading this collection of reflections from Diana Wynne Jones, because even though I have only read a small sampling of her works, I think that she was a fascinating person. This book confirmed why I have read so little of her fiction, since I don't prefer the magic-centered and sometimes occult themes that she focused on, but at the same time, the book also gave me a deeper appreciation for her pioneering work in fantasy and children's literature.
Because this book collects speeches, essays, and other writings that Jones created over a broad expanse of time and addressed to different audiences, they repeat many of the same themes, anecdotes, and messages. I would have found this overly repetitive if I had plowed through it all at once, but because I spaced out my readings, I continued to find the book engaging, and was intrigued to see how different elements of the same stories and themes made appearances throughout the book.
Overall, I learned a lot about her difficult and unusual childhood, the ways that she dealt with criticism and challenges during her career, and the core, guiding principles that informed her work for children. I would recommend this to Diana Wynne Jones fans, fantasy writers, fiction writers in general, and children's librarians.
Because this book collects speeches, essays, and other writings that Jones created over a broad expanse of time and addressed to different audiences, they repeat many of the same themes, anecdotes, and messages. I would have found this overly repetitive if I had plowed through it all at once, but because I spaced out my readings, I continued to find the book engaging, and was intrigued to see how different elements of the same stories and themes made appearances throughout the book.
Overall, I learned a lot about her difficult and unusual childhood, the ways that she dealt with criticism and challenges during her career, and the core, guiding principles that informed her work for children. I would recommend this to Diana Wynne Jones fans, fantasy writers, fiction writers in general, and children's librarians.
lamusadelils's review
5.0
Aunque es comprensible que no todos estén interesados en este libro, es muy recomendable. Ni siquiera hay que ser fan de Diana Wynne Jones en particular porque habla acerca de técnicas para escribir, pero obviamente sería preferente porque discute los temas y personajes que escribió durante su vida.
Lo mejor sobre Diana es que tiene ideas geniales sobre construcción de historias. Creaba mundos llenos de aventura e imaginación que sorprenden a gente de todas las edades. La gran mayoría de sus historias fueron escritas para niños pero nunca los trató como si no fueran capaces de entender tramas complejas o sacar sus propias conclusiones. Tampoco le tenía miedo a finales que no fueran perfectos, a los defectos en sus personajes o a temas difíciles.
Lo mejor sobre Diana es que tiene ideas geniales sobre construcción de historias. Creaba mundos llenos de aventura e imaginación que sorprenden a gente de todas las edades. La gran mayoría de sus historias fueron escritas para niños pero nunca los trató como si no fueran capaces de entender tramas complejas o sacar sus propias conclusiones. Tampoco le tenía miedo a finales que no fueran perfectos, a los defectos en sus personajes o a temas difíciles.
kathrynamonett's review
5.0
I adore this woman's mind. I'm so very sad there will be no more books from her.