In appreciation of Diana Wynne Jones
The best fantasy author you might never have heard of has died.
Diana Wynne Jones, author of more than 40 books, was 76. She had battled with cancer before discontinuing chemotherapy last year. Although her books were chiefly aimed at children, she was a favorite of adults as well, with her
Her protagonists, wrote , 鈥渨ere generally clever and curious children whose cleverness and curiosity became terrifically useful as they wended their way through convoluted adventures, mostly unaided by the adults in their lives, who routinely disappointed them."
鈥淵ou shone like a star. The funniest, wisest, writer & the finest friend,鈥� her longtime fan and friend before sharing .
Her fans were passionate and numerous, but seemed strangely under the radar, despite honors like a and . As the Guardian newspaper once wrote, 鈥渁sk for her in the children's section of a mainstream bookshop, and, unless you're talking to a proper geek, you'll be lucky to get a glazed look of half-recognition.鈥� What a shame, the paper said: Jones had 鈥渁 unique record of producing books you can't forget,鈥� with her 鈥渋ntelligent, imaginative brand of fantasy鈥�.
The mass market might know her name from the Hayao Miyazaki movie adaptation of 鈥�,鈥� but fans more often fell in love with the Chrestomanci books. newspaper wrote that 鈥� 'Charmed Life,' particularly, dealt with a young wizard discovering his powers at a magical academy 20 years before J.鈥塊. Rowling, but with bucketloads more style, wit and charm.鈥�
Jones generously interacted with readers when her health allowed, writing frankly about and answering questions 鈥� including recurring queries about similarities between the Potter books and her own. had read her books as a child, and absorbed some of the material.
鈥淵es, I was a little upset, because that amount of borrowing merits some kind of acknowledgement at least. I just don't know how deliberate the plagiarism was. And I got very tired of scandal-seeking pressmen asking what my feelings were. I usually gave them a smooth answer about how good it was for the genre and was always pleased when they said 'You're no fun!' and went away,鈥� she wrote.
Not sure where to begin in the Jones canon? If not "Charmed Life," my own favorite was always "Fire and Hemlock," a take on the Tam Lin myth that perfectly captures the agonies and real magic of being a 15-year-old girl. And there鈥檚 one more piece of luck for fans old and new: The says a final book, a short novel for younger readers called 鈥淓arwig and the Witch,鈥� will be published this summer.
Seattle writer Rebekah Denn blogs at eatallaboutit.com
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