tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post5485501065061008811..comments2023-12-07T09:29:21.331-05:00Comments on Just Janga: Delicacies to Delight: The Books of Eva IbbotsonJangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-18898392663795817082009-11-10T02:07:37.145-05:002009-11-10T02:07:37.145-05:00Thanks for pimping Eva Ibbotson -- one of my favor...Thanks for pimping Eva Ibbotson -- one of my favorite romance authors, who deserves to be much better known than she is.<br /><br />Thanks for quoting me too. Just to clarify, I post on AAR as LFL (my posting there predates my joining DA and choosing a J name as Jane and Jayne invited me to do). So you quoted me twice. Sorry for the confusion!<br /><br />My favorite of Ibbotson's books for grownups is <i>Madensky Square</i>, but I think <i>Magic Flutes/The Reluctant Heiress</i> is my second favorite. That said, I still haven't read <i>A Song for Summer</i> or her book of short stories, <i>A Glove Shop in Vienna</i>; I'm saving them for a rainy day.<br /><br />Ibbotson is such a wonderful writer; it is hard to believe she is so little known. I'm really thrilled that most of her books for adults have been reissued, and hope that <i>Madensky Square</i> will be reissued eventually too.Janinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04472596748133401306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-33736050547929562202009-11-09T18:28:19.964-05:002009-11-09T18:28:19.964-05:00I love MADENSKY SQUARE beyond reason!I love MADENSKY SQUARE beyond reason!Sherry Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12313921077346721887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-45979365995919996202009-11-09T09:38:08.379-05:002009-11-09T09:38:08.379-05:00I love Ibbotson! Thanks so much for this post!
I...I love Ibbotson! Thanks so much for this post!<br /><br />I started with her romances and have moved from there to her childrens' books.Victoria Janssenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259793807283856761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-85439054785380897672009-11-04T21:43:05.545-05:002009-11-04T21:43:05.545-05:00Dear Q, you are so kind.I'm glad that you drop...Dear Q, you are so kind.I'm glad that you drop by the blog--comment or no. And I'm delighted if I hepled you with your Christmas shopping. :)<br /><br />Kris, it's great to see you here, and I consider it a privilege to have introduced you to Ibbotson. I hope you enjoy her as much as Anna, Jeanne, San, and I do.Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-17571108956561365402009-11-04T21:39:15.893-05:002009-11-04T21:39:15.893-05:00Cheryl, I hope you'll try Ibbotson. She really...Cheryl, I hope you'll try Ibbotson. She really is a gem.<br /><br />Maggie, did you check out TCBS? I know you don't have much reading time these days, but I hope you find time for this one. You know you want to yield to temptation. :)<br /><br />Irish, the DD may have to come to enjoy your faves gradually. Have you read any YA books together? There are such wonderful books being written for young readers. I recently read Jacqueline Kelly's The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, a YA book about science, gender roles, and budding feminism in late 19th-century Texas. I loved it!Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-44100085020782177562009-11-02T18:39:53.332-05:002009-11-02T18:39:53.332-05:00Janga,
I never heard of her, but I'm so excit...Janga, <br />I never heard of her, but I'm so excited to be educated! Thank-you so much for your post--I can't wait to dig in.http://kriskennedy.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08341143449583496148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-88751380753939955492009-11-01T06:32:30.799-05:002009-11-01T06:32:30.799-05:00Janga, these blogs of yours are quite superb.
I m...Janga, these blogs of yours are quite superb.<br /><br />I may not comment on all of them but I do read them and have now started to collect them.<br /><br />I had never heard of Eva Ibbotson before reading this.<br /><br />As there are some children expecting Christmas presents from me, I intend to investigate further.<br /><br />Thanks for another stunning presentation. :)Quantumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08686409685564115213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-67758069939381738602009-10-30T08:28:47.940-04:002009-10-30T08:28:47.940-04:00I've never read Eva Ibbotson, Janga, but as al...I've never read Eva Ibbotson, Janga, but as always when reading your recs am intrigued. I'll have to check our local library and see if I can hunt down a copy of A Countess Below Stairs. It sounds right up my alley.<br /><br />I'm trying to get my 14 year old daughter into some of these romances but she just won't bite. I did get her to sit down and watch Sense & Sensibility with me a couple of Friday's ago and she loved it. So maybe there is hope.irisheyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11730974733998991144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-39393798903932998192009-10-30T08:09:58.700-04:002009-10-30T08:09:58.700-04:00You've inspired me to check out The Countess B...You've inspired me to check out The Countess Below Stairs from our high school library. It just came back in and it's tempted me for a while.:)Maggie Robinson/Margaret Rowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12585076626818354332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-38917212834296979232009-10-29T17:12:54.889-04:002009-10-29T17:12:54.889-04:00I have never read any of Eva Ibbotson's storie...I have never read any of Eva Ibbotson's stories, but I am intrigued now. It sounds like I need to start with A Countess Below Stairs. Thanks for the recomendation! :-)cheryl chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09518179090170838046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-66283096017038985762009-10-29T14:47:19.142-04:002009-10-29T14:47:19.142-04:00Janga, now you know to be on the lookout for it, I...Janga, now you know to be on the lookout for it, I'm sure you'll pick up on the connections. I just adore Rupert!!!!! ;-)Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-7925408616556847042009-10-29T14:46:19.430-04:002009-10-29T14:46:19.430-04:00Pupsik, the dyspeptic dachshund with a diamond in ...Pupsik, the dyspeptic dachshund with a diamond in his gut! Oh, man, how cool was that? You're right - it's Baskerville! Sorry about that, EI fans! I always kill myself laughing at the chook stuff at the end. It's masterful! <br /><br />Jeanne, I'm with you. I love the others but Countess just pips them out. And there's so much beautiful heartfelt writing that's often so simple but so perfect. The bit about some of the light going out of Anna when her father is killed by his own soldiers. That was sooooo sad. She didn't linger on it but it was just done right. Sigh. <br /><br />Oh, and the scene in the hairdresser! That always gives me goosebumps!Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-77286450475548287632009-10-29T14:05:50.729-04:002009-10-29T14:05:50.729-04:00Jeanne, I didn't know that you were an Ibbotso...Jeanne, I didn't know that you were an Ibbotson aficionado too. Isn't she marvelous? One of the most remarkable things about her books is that the secondary characters are so memorable. I'd love to read the Honorable Olive's story. I feel certain that she did extraordinary things. :)<br /><br />Terri, Isabel may be a bit young for the romances, but I bet she'd love The Secret of Platform 13. You should try Patricia Wrede and Hilary McKay's Exiles with her too. <b>You</b> should read Ibbotson's romances. I know you're so short of things to read. LOL!Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-71444745952670375562009-10-29T13:54:51.031-04:002009-10-29T13:54:51.031-04:00Countess Below Stairs is a great one to begin with...Countess Below Stairs is a great one to begin with, San, as both Anna and Jeanne's comments affirm. If you read the others, let me know what you think. And how great that you can share them with your daughter!<br /><br />Anna, hearing that Gideon has elements of Rupert makes me even more eager to read Captive of Sin. "Pitch Perfect" is such an apt description of many Ibbotson scenes. I find myself stopping to admire the exact rightness of physical and emotional tone. The cemetery scene in Magic Flutes is such a scene for me.Jangahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15128188159653860806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-58323349018235417402009-10-29T12:03:27.583-04:002009-10-29T12:03:27.583-04:00I've not read Ibbotson though I've heard y...I've not read Ibbotson though I've heard you mention her on many occasions. And Anna as well. It sounds like my daughter is at the perfect age to start these YA books. <br /><br />Right now she's addicted to Jessica Burkhart's Canterwood Crest series, but she's about to finish the most recent and will need something to fall in love with until the next book is released. <br /><br />I'll be checking our library catalogue this afternoon. Oh, and these books sound exactly like your stories. I look forward to the day others are writing odes to you. :)Terri Osburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17176989488447450585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-32429748608188963042009-10-29T10:17:46.046-04:002009-10-29T10:17:46.046-04:00Hey Janga! Popping over because Anna said you wer...Hey Janga! Popping over because Anna said you were talking about one of my all-time fav authors, Eva Ibbotson.<br /><br />Anna and I bought the Countess Below Stairs about the same time, I see. Ha! I cannot even count the times I've read it. It's a comfort read and I adore it just as much when I pick it up as I did the first time. Now since I just reread it, I'm going to be snarky darling Anna and tell you the dog's name is Baskerville. Grins. Always the critic, aren't I? Sorry! I went and looked it up because I thought, "Is that his name? Is that right?" Grins.<br /><br />I love the scene where the dog, snooty as a Lord, MUST find comfort, must find Anna, and deigns to degrade and debase himself totally by going below stairs. It's priceless.<br /><br />Janga, there were several you listed that I'd not read. I've not read the childrens' books and I must, I tell you! Poste haste!<br /><br />I adore the Magic Flutes, and the Company of Swans. That one is brilliant. Just Brilliant. I had not read Song of Summer, so I'll be buying that as well.<br /><br />However, I always return to Countess. As Anna said, the characters stay with you. I frequently think of the dressmaker with an "unfortunate way with the set of a sleeve. But no one in Maidens Over expected to be able to lift their hands over their heads..." And the conniving cousins. And Olive. <br /><br />PUHLEEEEEESE, Ms. Eva, tell Ollie's story. I've never forgotten the evocative scene where Anna takes The Honorable Olive to the Russian Club where it was "possible to be instantly and completely happy." Ohhhh, and Pupsik, the dachsund. GOT to know what happened to Pupsik.<br /><br />Grins.Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03492480881584553111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-83286310658877979312009-10-29T01:25:57.083-04:002009-10-29T01:25:57.083-04:00Janga, what a beautiful post. And as you know, abo...Janga, what a beautiful post. And as you know, about one of my all-time favorite writers and one who doesn't get nearly the attention she deserves, in my opinion! I'd add 'humble' but we both know that's not true, LOL! I discovered A Countess Below Stairs at the Brisbane Central City library way back in the early 80s and I must have borrowed it about ten times before I found a copy and bought it. Since then, I've read that book about a hundred times and I never fail to smile at all those wonderful characters. Proom and his mum, Bascombe the hound, the Wagner-loving uncle, the wonderful Russians, the honorable Olive - now, there's a character who I want to have her own story. And best of all, the gorgeous Anna who is as sweet as sugar and as strong as stone and the gorgeous Rupert. Actually Gideon in Captive of Sin has elements of Rupert - as I'm sure you'll notice! He's one of the loveliest heroes in romance. I always cry at the Waltz of the Flowers scene. I think that's just pitch perfect - a miracle of beautiful writing. <br /><br />Oh, dear, I'm raving!Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192776379752748640.post-902366360906056412009-10-29T01:11:02.747-04:002009-10-29T01:11:02.747-04:00My daughter and I are new fans to Eva Ibbotson. My...My daughter and I are new fans to Eva Ibbotson. My daughter has read and re-read (it is quite tired looking now) Countess Below Stairs earlier this year. I have also read it and was delighted. <br /><br />I had no idea she had such a backlist. Naturally, we will explore it. They look like books my other two would enjoy.Santahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770231939962704822noreply@blogger.com