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There's always that one author...

Sunday 26 January 2014
Whose books, no matter how many times you read them, never fail to whisk you completely into their world. And no, I'm not talking about that feeling you get with every book - where you feel like you're on an adventure with the characters and riding right alongside them. I'm talking about those books where you are completely and utterly enthralled. You are in the book. It's your world. And, for those few precious hours you're there, you don't take into account your real surroundings, your mind is completely in the world painted on the pages and you feel such a loss when the last word has been read.

For me, these books have always been Eva Ibbotson's. Her books connected to me on an unbelievable scale since the first time I read them as a child and, even though I haven't reread one in a while, the sheer thought of them puts me in a happier mood. Fills me with a feeling of magic and possibility. Never has a writing style captivated me more and been able to pull me into the pages as much as Ibbotson's and to her, I will always be grateful. She created worlds that were, and still are, my fantasy and managed to reach out and find the part of me who wanted to believe in a world without limits and adventures around every corner and, to a child especially, believing in something as magical as that really was the greatest gift of all. There will always be a special place in my heart for Eva Ibbotson and her books, and that will never change.

Think of the book Inkheart - or, to those who haven't read it, the film. Just as Mo can bring a story, quite literally, to life, so can Ibbotson. But instead of bringing characters into the real world, she can write me into the pages - I am no longer a person who is reading a book, I am the book. A critical part of the storyline. It was, and still is, incredibly hard for me to resurface from the worlds she creates in her books, they connect to something in me that I cannot explain. Something fragile, childlike and magical.

Which books are these, I hear you ask? Well, the stories I hold so close to my heart are:


The Dragonfly Pool, Journey to the River Sea and The Star of Kazan
 
Each world is incredible. Each story, a masterpiece. I do not think I can express my love for these books or the author behind them more. Even the covers just reach out and tug on something childlike and vulnerable inside you - they are so beautiful. Quick sidenote before I go: Journey to the River Sea is the reason I want to go to the Amazon rainforest one day, The Dragonfly Pool the reason I love boarding school stories so much and I'm pretty sure you can guess from the cover of The Star of Kazan where else I wouldn't mind exploring. :)
 
What about you? Have you read any of Ibbotson's books? If so, did you enjoy them? Or even understand where I'm coming from? If not, what books connect to you like no others?
 
Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: For some reason, it's extremely nerve-wracking for me posting this... These books are a part of me - my being - and I don't know if anyone else feels the same way about any books like I do with these! :3



16 comments :

  1. I totally get what you mean and when an author does this it really capture the magic of reading. I haven't read any of her books but now I'm quite convinced to do so. For me this author was Jacqueline Wilson. When I was younger I was so happy spending time lost in her books, and feeling for her characters. Great post!

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    1. Oh yes, Jacqueline Wilson was one of my favourite authors as a child too! Thank you!!<3

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  2. I can totally connect to this post. Although I haven't read The Dragonfly Pool or any of her other books, I am now sold and now resolve to buy a book of hers or two next time I'm out.

    Aaaand, I'm a new follower from awkwarddonkey.blogspot.co.uk (:

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    1. Yay! Make sure to tell me what you think of them after you've read them! Thank you so much!! :')

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  3. I still have a couple of Eva Ibbotson's books, left over from a similar obsession I had when I was 11.... She is incredibly talented. ^_^ xx

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    1. She really was a talented writer... Her legacy lives on. :')

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  4. Journey to the River Sea was my favourite novel for a long time when I was younger and I'm quite sure it's partly to blame for the love of reading I have now. Her writing is just magical and she's such a wonderful author!

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    1. Still continues to be one of mine... I just love it! I'm glad you also read the magic in her writing! :D

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  5. I've never read a novel of Eva Ibbotson's. I've always wanted to but have just never gotten round to in and worried that I wouldn't like them. I'm definitely going to look into buying one of them.
    Like Sunny, when I was younger, for me it was always Jacqueline Wilson and Cathy Cassidy as well that really captured reading in it's best light. I've grown out of their books and three years ago J.K Rowling changed the way I read books and her writing is literally magical x

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    1. Yay! I was always more fond of JW than I was CC but I did end up picking up, reading and loving a few of CC's books as I got older. Of course who can forget J.K. Rowling - she's amazing! :P

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  6. Definitely agree with you! I love the authors where you feel like you have a special connection to them despite never meeting them. The Dragonfly Pool is AMAZING, I read that book so many times when I was little :') Aren't the covers for her books beautiful too?

    For me I think that author would be JK Rowling. Once I read a page of Harry Potter, I'm sucked into the world. Hours will fly by without me realising, it's such a good feeling :') Brilliant post, Rachel!

    RIP Eva Ibbotson <3

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    1. The covers are GORGEOUS! I'm glad you adore her books too! Yup, HP has that affect on me too - they're amazing! Eva Ibbotson, gone but definitely not forgotten! :')

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  7. I haven't read any of Eva's books :( I should probably give them a try. I have a lot of books that connect to me (that I somehow can't name at the top of my head) but I know that the Secret Garden and the Little Princess were my books as a kid! But I swear, I'll find a time to read these books! :)

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    1. I think I have The Little Princess somewhere... I should read it! I really want to read The Secret Garden also! I hope you enjoy any Ibbotson books you try! :D

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  8. I've read this post so many times, and have FINALLy got round to commenting.

    I LOVED Eva Ibbotson when I was younger! I actually managed to catch up with the Harry Potter books, so whilst I was waiting for one of the last few, I fell in love with Journey to the River Sea… I just adored that book so much. One year for my birthday my parents took me to a theatre version of it and it just made me love the book even more. xD

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    1. I fell head over heels for that too, all those years ago. There's a theatre production?! Seriously?! I wish it had come to where I live! :O

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