Books: One of my favorite love stories anatomized

[nebroadwe]

Author sarahtales likes some of the same books I do, it seems, including Megan Whalen Turner's Thief and sequels (latest installment due out this spring, huzzah!). This, she writes, is why:

GEN: There goes the Queen of Attolia, that hateful hellbeast. Hi, Attolia, I'm in your kingdom stealing your miracle stone.
ATTOLIA: I poisoned my fiance, you know. Why do you think it is a good idea to cross me?
GEN: I broke into your bedroom just to leave earrings by your bed. Mocking earrings.
ATTOLIA: I have hatched a cunning plan to catch you. And now I'm going to cut off your hand.
GEN: No, you're not; I am the hero of the story, and a master thief. There's no way - ow. OW.
ATTOLIA: Told you.
GEN: I am off to plot my revenge. It will involve kidnapping you and taking you away in a boat and threatening your life.
ATTOLIA: Well, crap.
GEN: Or ... we could get married.
ATTOLIA: Wut?
GEN: I love you! DID YOU LIKE MY EARRINGS. PLEASE SAY YES.
ATTOLIA: I cut off your hand.
VILLAIN: I have rescued you, Attolia. Are you not GRATEFUL?
ATTOLIA: So grateful! He is short and younger than me and missing a hand and crazy. By the way, do you like my new earrings?
VILLAIN: Very fetching!
ATTOLIA: They're a sign I'm going to doublecross you and marry Gen.
GEN: I'm so happy, my brilliantly deceitful love. As a wedding present to ourselves, shall I defeat all the troublesome nobles in your country by means of trickery, fashion, and brilliant swordplay?
ATTOLIA: Assuredly you may, my husband. Come visit me through our secret passageways and we'll do pillowplotting.
EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD: But ... she cut off your hand.
GEN AND ATTOLIA: Every relationship has problems. Don't be a hater.

Oh, and she also likes Pride and Prejudice, Cotillion, and Howl's Moving Castle, which makes me think I should take her recommendation of Margaret Mahy's Changeover seriously. It's been on my "hmm, people seem to think this is worth reading" list for years, but I hadn't gotten round to it yet. Now, perhaps ...

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[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Somebody quoted it on sounis, which is where I picked it up. I have Changeover ILLed now ...