Dinner with Robin McKinley

Picture it. A mother sitting next to her daughter on a bed, reading her a story. The curly-haired girl, listening with rapt attention to every word. The epitome of childhood, right? Maybe someone else’s, but not mine. Before you start moaning about how my parents should have read to me and how could they be so obtuse, let me say that my childhood was the opposite.

Instead, picture this. Mom cooking something on the stove and curly-haired daughter is perched on the counter with a book in her hands. Many of our dinners were fixed that way. Mum sautéing and me reading to her.

Being the offspring of two librarians was extremely useful. I’d finish a book and Mum would say, “If you liked that, you’d LOVE this!” I’d tell her that it couldn’t possibly compare with what I’d just finished, she’d tell me just to read the first chapter, I would and a day later I’d ask if there were more books in that series. She’d have them ready and waiting for me. I hated that she was always right!

Our favorite dinnertime, or anytime, companion was The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. It’s my favorite book in the world. I’m not sure whether it’s because it’s beautifully written or because I have so many fond memories of reading it aloud to Mum and Dad. Probably both.

Nine years ago, my copy was falling apart at the binding. Pages falling out, torn cover. And this was a hardback! My AMAZING father wrote to Ms. McKinley’s publisher and then to her. He got me a new copy of The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown (the prequel) and had her sign them for me. It was the best present I ever got. (And that includes my U2 iPod! Although, it’s a VERY close second.) He also gave me the letters he got from her. I never had the heart to get rid of my old copy, though. It’s still in my bedroom, lovingly preserved.

Mum and I could never pick which part we should read. Sometimes we just started at the beginning (a very good place to start), sometimes I had her pick a page number between 1 and 272. If we were really at a loss, I’d just start with her favorite part. The sentence, “Mathin could not sleep after he had silently wished Senay and Terim speed and luck,” can still send a shiver down my spine.

When I was home for Christmas, I asked Mum if she wanted me to read and, not being stupid, she said “Yes!” I said, “Blue Sword?” She just smiled. I read while she was cooking and after dinner the three of us sat by the fire and I finished the book. Surrounded by cats and blue-tinged flames, it was perfect.

“My honor is yours, Lady, to do with what you will. I have not been given a fall such as that in ten years and that was by Corlath himself. I’m proud to have had the teaching of you and, Lady, I am not the least of the Riders.”