Wishing you were there.. catacombs to castles!
14 October 2014
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Places you wish to go, Top Ten Tuesday
This week over at the Broke and the Bookish the Top Ten Tuesday topic is:
‘Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit’
My list contains not only places as such – hope that’s not cheating!
- Prague – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I loved the descriptions in this story. I’ve always wanted to visit but this book made me want to go immediately! As it happens, I haven’t been yet, but… I will!!
- Not a place but a house – Longbourn by Jo Baker. I’d like to be a fly on the wall and watch the ‘upstairs/downstairs’ goings on of the inhabitants of Longbourn.
- The University in Patrick Rothfuss’s Name of the Wind – particularly the library! No naked flames!!!
- The Catacombs underneath Paris – The Undying by Ethan Reid, Creepy, yes, intriguing – very!!
- Alaska – The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. The descriptions in this story are quite entrancing.
- The Castle from Howl’s Moving Castle – a castle that moves from place to place with a door opens into four different places. A talking fire and Howl. Magical and wonderful.
- The Room of Requirement – Harry Potter by J K Rowling. There are lots of things that I require – more often than not, some extra time and a quiet corner in which to read – I think the Room of Requirement could sort me out.
- The Shire – LoTR by Tolkien – I would love to visit the Shire and in particular Bag End. Fortunately, not being statuesque I could probably walk around in Bilbo’s home with no problems or bumps.
- Fairyland – as written about by Catherynne Valente – because it sounds so strange and magical.
- London Below – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Who wouldn’t want to visit – I’m not saying it’s perfect but it’s full of all the strange things that lurk in your imagination. Plus the Marquis.
I know I’ve missed loads of places but this is what I came up with. No doubt I’ll be kicking myself when I read all the other lists.
I wouldn’t mind the Marquis giving me a guided tour of London Below. And maybe I could meet an Angel!
Indeed! I do love London Underground.
Lynn 😀
Great list Lynn. Being small I would fit in a hobbit hole too although since being read The Hobbit as child I have always wanted to go to Rivendell 🙂
Aw, you’re like Sam – he always wanted to visit Rivendell too. I did think of it but it was after I’d done the list. Then I had another thought about choosing all ten places from Tolkien’s world but thought that might just be letting my inner geek ‘geek’ out a bit too much!
Lynn 😀
I second Howl’s Moving Castle. Just imagine being able to visit the sea and the mountains just by pulling a lever and opening a door!
I know – it’s better than a tardis – or, maybe not, I suppose a tardis can go into space or back and forth in time. Anyway, I still want to visit the castle!
Lynn 😀
Prague – as inspired by Daughter of Smoke and Bone – has been on several lists I’ve read today. I’m starting to become more and more convinced that I need to read that book! Thanks for sharing!
It sounds quite fantastic in the book – it really does! It probably helps that I already wanted to go but this book does made it sound amazing.
Lynn 😀
A lot of the most interesting worlds are really dangerous, too. Maybe if you went someone you didn’t really like to throw at any hungry monsters you encountered?
Haha – good plan!
Lynn 😀
Oh yes, Prague and Alaska are on my list. Daughter of Smoke and Bone did paint the former in such a wonderful, magical aura! It was totally bewitching.
It was! I loved the setting of that book.
Lynn 😀
Definitely with you on 6, 7, 8 and 9…and #10 only if I could be VERY sure I could get out again!
The Phantom of the Opera (and various retellings) made me want very much to visit the Opera Garnier in Paris, and so MANY books have made me want to visit London!
I’m going to Paris in December – I’ll have to add the Opera Garnier to the list of things to see.
Lynn 😀
YES to Prague and Howl’s Moving Castle. I was obsessed with both of those locales (still kind of am)! I’d definitely visit Hogwarts too, but I’d probably go to the Library before the Room of Requirement. 😉
Yes, given that I wanted to use the Room of Requirement to read I perhaps should stop at the library first too!
Lynn 😀
I had The Shire on my list (that i never finished or posted), but i know i’d just spend the whole time giggling and patting the hobbits on the head.
And I bet they hate getting patted on the head! Still. Hee hee
Lynn 😀
[…] Wishing you were there? – Oct 2014, from catacombs to castles, travelling through books (Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit) […]