New Leaf Welcome to the New Leaf Book Club

[issybird]

Thought I'd give people an early heads up that the next round of nominations starts on Friday, with the theme: The Way I Heard It: Retellings. So be giving it some thought between now and then.

[gmw]

Damn ... a couple of days ago I bought a book on special that fits the theme: Circe by Madeline Miller. I was just thinking the purchase was nicely serendipitous when I saw that it is not eligible because it's not a year old yet (and now that it's no longer on special it is very expensive again).

Oh well, there are other options.

Oooh goodie, I've had my nominee lined up for ages, since I first heard of this upcoming theme

[Dazrin]

If you nominate Maurice I will definitely give it a second, even though I just finished it. I've been considering Witches Abroad which is a retelling of Cinderella. It is book 3 in the Witches sub-series though, so wouldn't be as accessible as Maurice which is very much self contained. Very few references to any of the other books.

Originally Posted by Dazrin

If you nominate Maurice I will definitely give it a second, even though I just finished it. I've been considering Witches Abroad which is a retelling of Cinderella. It is book 3 in the Witches sub-series though, so wouldn't be as accessible as Maurice which is very much self contained. Very few references to any of the other books.

Yes, it was his first foray into targetting younger readers, a precursor of sorts to the Tiffany Aching series. I'm glad you liked it.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by stuartjmz

Yes, it was his first foray into targetting younger readers, a precursor of sorts to the Tiffany Aching series. I'm glad you liked it.

Well, technically, being an argumentative and generally contrary person ...

The Carpet People was both his first published novel and his first foray into targetting younger readers. The fact that he found it appropriate to revise The Carpet People 29 years later (1992) is irrelevant. In fact, even discounting The Carpet People, The Bromeliad Trilogy (Truckers, Diggers, Wings, probably my favourite Pratchett books, and that's saying something) and the Johnny Maxwell books also precede Maurice as forays into targetting younger readers ... just sayin'.

But yes, being an agreeable and generally positive person ...

Maurice was the first Discworld novel to target younger readers. (Edit: Some might argue that all the early Discworld books targeted younger readers.) But, curiously, and as Dazrin noted, the fact that it (Maurice) takes place on the Discworld is pretty much irrelevant, making it easier to read stand-alone than the Tiffany stories (although I find it so hard to believe anyone wouldn't love The Wee Free Men!)

Originally Posted by gmw

Well, technically, being an argumentative and generally contrary person .

Maurice was the first Discworld novel to target younger readers.

(Edit: Some might argue that all the early Discworld books targeted younger readers.)

Yep, the first was implicit, when it should have been explicit, mea culpa.

As for the edit, I'm not sure that Rincewind as introduced in Colour of Magic, or the extended Shakepeare parody that is Wyrd Sisters seem targetted at kids. Rincewind comes across as a wizard Arthur Dent, a very adult character imo and, at least here in Aotearoa, few kids of the age targetted by Maurice would get many of the references and allusions in Wyrd Sisters. Perhaps those wyrd enough to have assumed from age 4, as I did, that the mantis was said to be "preying", not "praying".

EDIT: "wouldn't love The Wee Free Men!" taken separately, as individual words, each is clear, simple English. Put together like this, they are utterly incomprehensible. Imparseable

[issybird]

Originally Posted by gmw

Damn ... a couple of days ago I bought a book on special that fits the theme: Circe by Madeline Miller. I was just thinking the purchase was nicely serendipitous when I saw that it is not eligible because it's not a year old yet (and now that it's no longer on special it is very expensive again).

The language in the FAQ has been altered to change the eligibility of recent books to a recommendation only. I agree price is a significant factor, hence the recommendation, but if you think people picked it up when it was cheap there's no reason not to nominate it if you want. Just as an FYI, though, the waitlists at my OD libraries are ginormous. "Over six months."

[CRussel]

Yes, the hold is pretty long, even at my fallback library. OTOH, another of hers, The Song of Achilles, is both reasonably priced (and in KU) and has only a minimal wait at the library. Oh, and as for Circe, it's still reasonably priced at AmazonUK. (£5.81, or $7.55USD) Didn't look at KoboUK, but might be worth a look for those who can't access AmazonUK.

[Bookpossum]

I got both the Miller books when each was on special separately a little while back. Those waiting times at libraries for Circe would be a problem for those without their own copy.

[gmw]

The price for Circe isn't as bad in NZ (still not exactly cheap). I wonder why they picked on Australia. CRussell, yes, The Song of Achilles is another option, although I had hoped to read the one I've got before committing to more. Bookpossum, good to see I wasn't the only one that got caught.

Originally Posted by gmw

The price for Circe isn't as bad in NZ (still not exactly cheap).

I see Kobo NZ currently has it at $14.38NZ(it seems to fluctuate quite a bit, while Google Books has it at $8.82. Tempted to buy it just for the Price Match payoff

[issybird]

Originally Posted by gmw

The price for Circe isn't as bad in NZ (still not exactly cheap). I wonder why they picked on Australia. CRussell, yes, The Song of Achilles is another option, although I had hoped to read the one I've got before committing to more. Bookpossum, good to see I wasn't the only one that got caught.

Of the two, I'd also prefer Circe and I'm covered either way, but price/availability is a consideration.

I'm going a different route myself; I realized that "retelling" could also refer to a real life translated into fiction and I've come up with a nomination along those lines. Unless I change my mind before Friday.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by issybird

[...] I'm going a different route myself; I realized that "retelling" could also refer to a real life translated into fiction and I've come up with a nomination along those lines. Unless I change my mind before Friday.

Hmm... that does open up some other ideas.

On the re-told fiction front, I was also looking at Philip Pullman's "Grimm Tales: For Young and Old" (Pullman's retelling of 50 Brothers Grimm tales.) But I'm inclined to think that 50 tales might become a bit overwhelming to discuss in the club context.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

Of the two, I'd also prefer Circe and I'm covered either way, but price/availability is a consideration.

I'm going a different route myself; I realized that "retelling" could also refer to a real life translated into fiction and I've come up with a nomination along those lines. Unless I change my mind before Friday.

Hmmm. That brings up things like Circling the Sun, a fictionalized retelling of the life of Berryl Markham. Or even Berryl's West With the Night.