05 February 2011

Literary Blog Hop: Fantasy Settings

Literary Blog HopThis blog hop, hosted over at The Blue Bookcase, is open to blogs that primarily feature book reviews of literary fiction, classic literature, and general literary discussion. This week's question is: What setting (time or place) from a book or story would you most like to visit? Eudora Welty said that, "Being shown how to locate, to place, any account is what does most toward making us believe it...," so in what location would you most like to hang out?

That is a fine question, and one without any easy answer. So many settings in my favorite (and not so favorite) reads sound absolutely fascinating. While I'm reading, I envision myself in the story and things are all hunkydorey. I am flying on my broomstick alongside Hermione, walking the streets of London with Mr. Holmes, walking through books with Thursday, fighting the system with my fellow orphans, and the such not. But when I really think about it does anyone really want to be in the ring with Katniss or stuck telling stories due to the plague (Decameron anyone?) Much of what I read involves some pretty serious conflicts, and who needs the stress?

My favorite part about reading is the escape. I get to suspend my disbelief, take off my big boy pants, relax, and enjoy. If I were to be smacked down into the middle of one of my favorite stories, my life would take quite the awful turn. More than likely I would lose all leisure time, have to work on my fighting skills, go without pizza, and hope I didn't die (like from a vampire bite or an arrow or the chopping block or a concentration camp or the opposing army or...).

So then I tried to think of some more peaceful settings I could be a part of and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to mind. The characters in that novel are so wonderfully eccentric and the island they live on seems like one a person could really enjoy. But there's still drama and heartache and all those other things that make a story interesting.

So I am totally going to cop out here and say that while I love many fictional settings, I am perfectly happy where I am, admiring the action from the comfort and safety of my big red couch in the basement of my heated and air conditioned house.

I am just too much of a softie to live anywhere else.

12 comments:

  1. I love the picture of you as a hot fantasy heroine! :-) I don't think I could unequivocally answer this question either.

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  2. Yes, I found that when it really came down to it, I love to visit spots via books, but I don't want to go there in real life!

    Here's my post: http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-hop-where-in-world.html

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  3. Tough question but great answer! I copped out and didn't write a post about this one. ;)

    I like the idea of Guernsey, but without the starvation and war of course. Just the eccentric characters who all seem to really care about one another. I've only finished two books this year--Knife of Never Letting Go and True Grit and I think I live pretty close to the setting of True Grit (minus olden times), but DEFINITELY don't want to be caught anywhere near Prentisstown! Eeeps!

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  4. I thought about various scenarios, then realized that my favourite place would be a library, so that's the route I went.

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  5. Tough question! Off the top of my head, I can't think of a place I'd definitely want to go. Except maybe Hogwarts, but that seems like almost a cop out answer :)

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  6. I think I'd like to go to ancient Greece and see a Cyclops, but I'm probably safer in my armchair "seeing" the Odyssey in my mind's eye...

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  7. There are a lot of places I wouldn't like to visit, but then others I would like to and have.

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  8. I'm with Kim on the Hogwarts thing. It sounds totally comfortable and full of delicious food as well. I always feel hungry for the banquets they have at Hogwarts.

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  9. Hogwarts might a neat time.

    Check out my answer at:

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com

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  10. There are just too many settings and places from which to choose, I think, but I have to agree that I am not sure I would like to be plonked down anywhere but my safe couch in order to experience them!

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  11. Ok I was reading your post and then seen the picture... so awesome - now I want to try faceinhole.com :)

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  12. Loving the Face in Hole!!! Yeah!

    And I read to escape too ... I like to feel like I'm there ... but I'm fine living in my own world. (Except I wouldn't mind being with Edward Cullen for a bit. GOD I'M A LOSER!!)

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