Comments on: Sunshine, by Robin McKinley

By: Jenny Ketcham

Jenny Ketcham — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 23:46:25 +0000

Haven’t reread Rose Daughter for a while, but I believe, like you, that I liked Beauty better. I was just surprised that she found a different angle on essentially the same story. I also enjoyed her Outlaws of Sherwood, where you find out that Marian is literally the power behind the Robinhood myth. But, I still liked Ms. McKinley’s own Damarian histories better, and, of those two, The Blue Sword is slightly better, I’m thinking, despite my mixing them up my last post…eh, six of one, both have Newberry Awards.

If we’re going for childhood must reads…I still have to go with my Sally Watson historicals or Anya Seton’s Katherine. I’m a sucker for a well-written heroine in a detailed historical setting.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 22:49:00 +0000

In reply to Jenny Ketcham.

I’ve never even heard of Fred Saberhagen! There aren’t that many vampire novels I feel good recommending to people, but Sunshine is definitely among them.

Did you like Rose Daughter? I read it, but I did not love it the way I loved Beauty — wasn’t sure if it was just a function of having read Beauty when I was quite young. I haven’t loved THAT many of Robin McKinley’s books — basically this, Beauty, and to a lesser extent Deerskin.

By: Jenny Ketcham

Jenny Ketcham — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 20:46:57 +0000

Hmmm…I love Robin McKinley’s books, and “Sunshine” is probably one of the only vampire novels that I can recommend to people, in some time [“An Old Friend of the Family” and “The Holmes/Dracula File” both by Fred Saberhagen, are the others], but, oddly, “Deerskin” is the only one of her books that completely put me off, and it made me wonder what went on in Robin’s life that put that kind of darkness there. Probably will never read it again. I like how she keeps mixing things up by rewriting a story like Beauty and the Beast more than once (Beauty/Rose Daughter) and gets a whole different take on things. My favorite is probably The Hero and the Crown, and secondly, The Blue Sword.

By: leavesandpages

leavesandpages — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:14:00 +0000

What you said. Definitely. “Yes”.

Gee, Jenny, you write great reviews. I often feel all inadequate (as a blogger, anyway) after reading them. But please do continue, lol – such a treat to read, especially when I can wholeheartedly agree. And when I don’t agree, (has that happened? – maybe once or twice – not very often) and I have to stop and try to sort out my own thoughts and sometimes reassess. 🙂