Yes, and she's such a horse girl. And she makes her characters horse girls, too. Come to think of it, I think Sunshine is the only book of hers I've read in which an animal doesn't play a signifigant role.

Unless you cound Constantine, and I don't think so.

There was a joyousness in her books pre-Outlaws, I think, that is missing post-Outlaws. A certain lyrical quality. Maturity and self-awareness seem to have somewhat diminished her earlier freedom and joy in tale-telling.

Or I could be talking completely out of my hat. It just seems that way to me.

I think maybe because Harry was one of the first female characters in a fantasy book that wasn't a shrieking maiden or placid sex victim.

Yes, this. My visceral reaction to this and the first Tamora Pierce books was "Damn, I wish I'd had these at age 13!" Now my daughter's 13 and she doesn't like McKinley. pout

ArcaneJill, Davy in Faking It is the brother of Sophie, the protagonist of Welcome To Temptation. He calls her in the course of Faking It and buys her the bed Tilda painted.

reading crit when I was a freshman in college, and thinking "HOW do people THINK like that?"

So true.

Deerskin sounds intriguing, as does Door in the Hedge -- I'll have to look out for that one since it's OOP. And Beauty! I always wanted to read that (love fairy tales in general, esp. rewrites) and never did.

ETA: Betsy, aha! I knew I recognized that "rules of the con" bit. Can't wait to read Temptation -- both bookstores I checked were all out of it. But Faking It is much fun.

No, I don't think that you're wrong. I agree. I still enjoy her, but reading THATC last night -- oh, yes, there's definitely a difference. Which makes sense -- I mean, who doesn't gain some kind of perspective and gravity in 20 years (ok, lots of people, but...) but her books were filled with a wonder, and a fun in playing with magic and heroism that not so apparent now.

There ARE some gaping holes in plot and character development in her younger books that are better filled in her older books, and I'm glad to see that her coyness about sex is gone too (although how much did it throw me to see Sunshine use the word "cunt"?!)

AJill, McK. did two versions of Beauty -- one in the early 80's -- her first book, I think, and then she revisted it 20 years later in 2000, I believe.

It's certainly interesting to read them and see the difference in the two books, but as I said, I love the first one best.

Betst, she doesn't like McK? Oh, that's too bad! Who does she like?

I agree with Beverly that although McKinley has grown as an author, there was a certain lightheartedness about the earlier books.

Door in the Hedge had one story that annoyed me; but that was because I didn't agree with the character's decision to turn her back on the magic after she'd accomplished her deed. (Hope that's vague enough to be non-spoily) Me, I would have been rummaging madly through the secret room and being all verklempt over the opportunity.

Betsy - I finished China Court. Thanks for the recommendation! I enjoyed it very much, although one incident at the end pretty much hocked a loogey into the fine Waterford crystal of the story. I'm still angry about it and muttering about just what I would have done.

A lot of people dislike Tehanu--I have to confess here I haven't read it--because they find it a little too polemically feminist

I will spare everyone my knee-jerk rant on this topic, and merely note that including women does not automagically make a book feminist. (Not directed at you, of course, Katie.)

Hey, I'm so excited! I just bought used versions of "The Door in the Hedge" and "A Knot in the Grain" from Amazon!

Why didn't I try that a year ago?