A seasonable poll

[owl]

Seeing as it's nearly Christmas, I've been re-reading the Marlow winter books.

[Poll #636579]

And why?

Personally, I can't make up my mind. I love all the holiday books except for Thuggery.

Comments

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Waaah, I can't choose - I've only had Run Away Home one or possibly two Christmases, which isn't long enough for it to settle down as a Christmas book.

I do usually re-read End Of Term around this time of year, or sometimes just the Christmas Play bit. For some reason neither The Prince And The Pauper nor the Carol Concert strike the same chord, so to speak.

[minniemoll.livejournal.com]

I nearly always read End of Term at Christmas, the play is magical, and is the most Christmassy thing I know.

[owl]

Bother, I suppose I should have put Attic Terma nd End of Term on the poll too...

[debodacious.livejournal.com]

Yes, End of Term is my default Marlow Christmas read but then I almost always go on to Peter's Room as well, although if I'm just doing a festive mood read I often miss out the Gondalling. Peter's Room has so many really memorable scenes for me, starting with Peter clearing the Shippen, and Sprog dying and the Twelfth Night party. There are bits I like in Run Away Home but it doesn't contain any of my absolute favourite Marlow moments.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I think I prefer Run Away Home, particularly as a Christmas book. In Peter's Room it takes place practically off-screen, as a minor disturbance in the gondalling. RAW has more of a Christmas feel, especially because they're doing something different, and we get them opening presents.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

In favor of Peter's Room: has the big set pieces, lots of snow, the hunting chapter, which is fabulous and I somehow think very Christmassy, and the Merrick's party in more detail.

In favor of Run Away Home: to some extent the panto (although I don't really consider Noah's Ark to be a proper panto), and the Merricks Party (although it would be better if Patrick had made a longer, and more heartfelt and complimentary speech on seeing Nicola in The Dress than looking stony faced and muttering something about how he had thought she was Ginty. But I think the best thing in this book is the Christmas domesticity (esp the debate about the packed cold goose lunch, Rowan and Giles doing the rounds at midnight on Christmas Eve).

[carmine-rose.livejournal.com]

Peter's Room for me - it just feels more Christmassy. They're all at home (except Giles), no Dodds, no Christmas lunch on the beach etc... I'd have been with Ann the traditionalist in resisting that malarky!

And more seems to happen in Peter's Room - more random insights into more of the Marlows, whereas Run Away Home feels more like a one-adventure story.