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A review by teaandspite
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
1.0
I didn't think it was possible for the second book to be more dull than the first, but it turns out I was wrong. I honestly don't know how Diana Wynne Jones does it. This is a book about a boy finding a genie and a magic carpet and going on a quest to save the girl he loves from an evil djinn! It should be interesting! It should be compelling! That's the basis of so many brilliant stories, but somehow this ended up about as interesting as the back of cereal box.
I'm also not thrilled with the Orientalist tones. I know, history and being indicative of its times and all that. Those times were the 1990s. I'm old enough to remember the 90s. We knew about Orientalism then. It's not as bad as it could be (maybe a bit worse than Aladdin?), but that doesn't make it good. It certainly doesn't make this a book I'd give to children, beloved classic or not.
I'm also not thrilled with the Orientalist tones. I know, history and being indicative of its times and all that. Those times were the 1990s. I'm old enough to remember the 90s. We knew about Orientalism then. It's not as bad as it could be (maybe a bit worse than Aladdin?), but that doesn't make it good. It certainly doesn't make this a book I'd give to children, beloved classic or not.