Sunshine by Robin McKinley

This is another of my favourite books.

10 Great things about this book

1. The heroine loves baking and understands the profoundly mystical significance of cinnamon rolls as large as your head.

2. The heroine has learnt many useful and lifesaving things from her dedicated novel and trashy newsfeed reading habit (See – it is good for me!!)

3. Decent plot

4. Great ensemble cast

5. Convincing world building – You can see the world Sunshine lives in

6. Quiet heroes – Like Mr Darcy both Con and Mel benefit from saying little but acting with integrity

7. Great baddies human and non human

8. No annoying Rice-ian sex scenes despite the fact Vampires exist in the world

9. Great anthromorphism – I like the way McKinley creates characters for things as well as people. It keeps things lively

10. Happy Ever After

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

ISBN: 978-0441068807

I cannot remember when I first read this book and I have read it many times (often in the bath) so I am on my third copy of it….

Plot: Dreamy, bookish orphan girl, Harry, goes to live with her brother at a remote imperial fort in the desert. The book is set in an alternate early 20th/ late 19th century where magic exists but most peole don’t know of it or believe in it. Harry is kidnapped, finds her feet amongst desert peole and through hard work and mystical powers saves everyone AND gets her prince charming by the end of the book.

Characters: Fantastic – The goodies are goodies, the baddies are inhumanly evil and they are all true to their motivations. I always wanted to be Harry…. it is not all black and white and there are some good meaty shades of grey in there to keep things interesting.

What to love: Everything – the action, the romance, the plot , the way magic works in this universe – it is all brilliant!!!

What to loathe: Nothing – It is pretty darned perfect

Buy, Borrow or Bin: Buy several copies

If this book was a drink it would be: The perfect cup of tea – satisfying mentally, physically and emotionally.

Robins Website

Amazon

OK now I have to go read it again….