Eddisian Archival Sheets

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

Iiiiit's Friday!
So, I'm going to post a Thief-related recommendation.

The Westing Game is most similar to The Thief, in it's riddling narrative. It has a large cast of characters in a very mystery-story like format. It's protagonists are all flawed in very normal ways. For example, I never got Turtle, as a character (a 12 year old girl with a nasty streak), but now my own sister is reading it, and she's Turtle all over again. It's astounding. She hasn't developed the same way, being in a much nicer family (^.^) but she could have been.

It is not an epic-quest story: I recommend it if you delighted particularly in the way Gen pulled the wool over your eyes, not if you primarily read the books for their intensity and exotic locale. Um. Well, you know. If The Queen of Attolia was your favorite, it might not be your thing.

It's one of the most fun books I've ever read. Ellen Raskin has a quirky sensibility that I am endeared to. (Also, her Tattooed Potato and Other Clues.)

Who's read it?
If you haven't, you can read the Amazon write-up here, to see if you want to.

Comments

[adnamarine.livejournal.com]

I've actually read it several times... sort of. We listen to it as a book on tape. I would highly recommend listening to it, it's quite wonderful and quite hysterical. I always thought the beginning of this book was rather strange. but the whole thing is very clever.

I've never even thought of comparing the Thief and the Westing Game. Their story line, plost, setting, characters, almost everything about them is so completely different. But now that you mention it there is a certain something about the style that might be slightly similar. I haven't read, or heard, the Westing Game in a while so I can't really say for sure, and when you're listening rather than reading you notice more about the quality of the narrater than the author's style.

I can't say that Ellin Raskin has that same talent as Megan Whalen Turner for disappearing quite completely in the book. She has it to a certain extent to be sure, but not to that same wonderful extent as MWT does.

But again, I would definately recommend listening to the book. But I wouldn't EVER listen to the Thief if I were you. I listened to it a long time ago before I'd ever read the book and it was TERRIBLE, just to let you know.

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

I am a fan of Ellen Raskin, but you know, it never occurred to me to compare her work to Thief. I suppose the sneakiness is there in both books.

I also like The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel), which is very funny.

There's a sequel to Westing Game also, called The Westing Quest, supposed to be coming out...when? I forget. Will look it up and report back.

Finally -- I managed to snag one of the "I kicked Barney Northrup" shirts from Bookshelves of Doom! Too small for me, but it fits my daughter. She wore it to school and NO ONE understood it, sadly.

Westing Quest

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

There's no pub date set, I guess. The publisher apparently acquired the book and several others from Raskin's estate just this year, so it may a while.

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

I read it, and really liked it. I sympathized with Turtle greatly. :-)

But I agree about the wool being pulled over our eyes. The same thing happens, along with the reader having to put the pieces together, in both books.

("BOOM!")

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

I do read-alouds: my sister is reading it aloud to my brother, and I enjoy getting snatches.

Some books are made to be done that way. With the Thief, you'd really have to get an actor to be Gen in the reading. I can see that being difficult.

I like obscure literary connections. So yes, while it's not LIKE, it's something I think people here would enjoy for some of the same reasons.

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

Hello, Jack. 0_~

He was my favorite. "Position: sitting or standing, when not lying down."

And Turtle was great. I just didn't understand how a real person could be like that.
But my sister has the stock reports scrolling on her toolbar, read The Millionaire Next Door for leisure before she ever read the Westing Game, and is enthusiastic about learning to code.

Re: Westing Quest

[idiosyncreant.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Interesting; I knew nothing about that. Thanks!

I will have to look into Bookshelves of Doom! because, that is just great. Esoteric YA novel references--Yum. So my style. *is totally honest here*

Re: Westing Quest

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Bookshelves of Doom is a (mostly) kidlit blog I enjoy reading. She also makes literary t-shirts which she displays to the side of the screen. Enjoy.

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

My favorite: "What did Angela mean by 'nun'?"

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

Aw man! It has been SO LONG since I've read that book, but I loved it, and I know it's hiding in my room somewhere.

But I agree with how it's similar--the mystery, the wool-over-the-eyes...aw man. I should reread it, because I don't quite remember how it goes. But I love it. :-)