Years ago, I went to my local library, as my family did every week, and skimmed through the spines of the YA fantasy books. Many caught my eye, including one called, "So You Want to be a Wizard," by Diane Duane.
I read that book, maybe the second or third, and enjoyed them. It started off in a way that really made the reader feel the same could happen to them. Nita, the protagonist, finds the book with the same title. At first it just seems like a kid's book, but then turns into a real manual for wizardry.
In February, I turned 28. It's been a number of years since I last picked up that book, even though I have a friend who is a huge fan of the series. I see his enthusiasm and have thought on multiple occasions that I should revisit the first book. But I never did (the silly funk I was in). Until I went to the library a few weeks ago to meet with someone about a collaborative story. Of course I couldn't leave without looking at the books and on a whim I picked up books one and two.
Reader, I cried. A couple of times. And then I borrowed books four and five (they didn't have number three), and cried during one of those as well.
I didn't expect it, and I didn't remember being that affected by the stories when I was younger, but I felt encouraged by how deeply the story pulled me in and connected with me, and I have been devouring every book I could get a hold of.
It's also helped, I feel, get me thinking of stories and new plots and characters.
Ayway, if you, dear Readers, ever get the urge to reread something from your youth, I highly encourage you to do so. It won't always be the same experience, but you will learn from it.
Happy reading, everyone.
2 comments:
I tried to revisit The Chronicles of Narnia as an adult and couldn't. The religious allegory had gone right over my head as a child, but as an adult, it really struck me as intrusive. I decided I'd rather keep my happy nostalgia for the series than re-read and lose those warm fuzzies forever. :)
I'm glad you truly got to revisit the magic. I wish I could have, but I've changed too much.
Ah, that's true. I have fallen into hypocrisy (which I try to avoid) because that's what's kept me from rereading the Narnia books, but I guess it helped that I didn't have any expectations of the Wizard series.
This encouragement to reread books from earlier years does not apply to tv, though. I can't bring myself to rewatch a lot of shows I loved as a kid, though I have Pirates of Dark Water and am enjoying that. But I am seeing it with a different eye, analyzing instead of just imbibing.
I'm sorry you couldn't recapture the magic, JJ.
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