I meant this book--The Ogre Downstairs--to be an RIP read but it just didn't fit in the category well enough. What it did end up being though was a sanity saver. I got the call around noon on September 13th that my younger sister's husband had been killed in a motorcycle accident, my sister that was seven months pregnant with her 4th child (and is now due in four weeks). I had to take an immediate flight down to California and I needed the right read to take with me -- something to keep me from bursting into tears on the plane, something to distract me from worrying about my own family that I was leaving behind. I ended up reading two thirds of this book on the way down and finished it on the way back. Diana Wynne Jones was, as expected, the perfect companion during a rough time.
The ogre in this book is one of the most terrifying creatures in the world -- a stepdad. And apparently step-brothers aren't the best either, at least that's what Caspar, Johnny and Gwinny think. Mr. McIntyre likes to bark orders up the stairs and is constantly yelling at the kids to be quiet, hence the nickname "The Ogre". But one day, he brings home chemistry sets for his son Malcolm and for Johnny that turn out to be anything but standard. Is the magic that's unleashed the kind that will destroy everything or could it possibly be the kind that could bring this blended family together?
I loved this book and I don't think it was just the timing. This isn't your typical DWJ fantasy and the magic is secondary to the family dynamics. But the book just felt so honest and real that I couldn't help becoming completely invested in the lives of these kids. I felt their elation at discovering magic, their exasperation at being constantly scolded, their slow changes of opinion as their step-family's true natures were revealed. But most of all, this story got me through a terrible weekend and I'll always be thankful for that.
Feeling the magic of DWJ,
K
Very much enjoyed your review of this on LibraryThing, Kristen. I was similarly enthusiastic, and you might appreciate my comments: "This riff on "Jack and the Beanstalk" is one of Diana Wynne Jones' best standalone fantasy titles. The twists come from the fact that the character of the giant (here nicknamed the Ogre) is "downstairs" and not up the sky as in the fairytale, and that it's the Ogre whose name is Jack and not the hero of the tale. All the DWJ features are there: the fun with words (the compounds in the magic chemistry sets have abbreviations similar to homeopathic rememdies), the sly Arthurian allusions (the most obvious being the girl Gwinny: Guinevere in British folklore was sometimes described as a giant's daughter) and, not least, the convoluted plot in a claustrophobic setting.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes the story particularly attractive is the conflict resolutions that emerge from the initially strained sibling relationships, combined with the increasingly sympathetic description of the Ogre as an ordinary adult with human failings rather than the mere monster of one's nightmares. And, of course, anybody who's ever had a flying dream will recognise how it feels to be the Ogre's children and stepchildren in the opening chapters."
Look forward to browsing your other reviews!
Chris
http://calmgrove.wordpress.com
Thanks for sharing your review! I absolutely agree that it's the family relationships that are most interesting in the story.
DeleteOh Kristen. I am so sorry about your brother-in-law. Diana Wynne Jones is always good for me in a crisis too. I send you and your family all the hugs.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the hugs, Jenny. It's been rough but we've all come together in ways we haven't in a long time so at least there's something good that has come out of it.
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your BIL. Sendling love to all your family, especially your poor sister.
ReplyDeleteMy 8 year old son loved this book. It was exactly right for him. He's liked other DWJ too, but probably needs to be just a little older for some of them. I hadn't read it before myself and I really enjoyed it too.
Thank you, Kerry. As for the book, I'm not sure if Z would like this one quite yet. He gets stressed when we read about siblings fighting. I think it's because he doesn't have any so he doesn't really understand how close quarters affect relationships. :)
DeleteI have been keeping you and your family in my thoughts. This year has been a difficult one and I have discovered that I turn to some of my favorite authors/re-reads to get through these difficult times. It is truly amazing just how much books can help us, even in the darkest of times.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Tif. Loss is difficult but you're right ... the comfort and familiarity of a well-loved author or book can help the healing.
DeleteOh, Kristen, I am so sorry to hear about your brother-in-law. I am sure your sister is grateful to have you with her. I know just what you mean about some authors that you can really turn to in a crisis to help you through the tough times. Big hugs to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Aarti. I'm hoping to be able to be with her again when my niece is born. It's going to be such a tough time.
Delete