jacey | Diana Wynne Jones RIP

I just caught up with about three days of LJ and with great sadness heard about the death of Diana Wynne Jones after a long illness. I first came across her writing with the publication of Dogsbody back in the mid seventies when I was a children's librarian. More recently came Hexwood and Fire and Hemlock. My all time favourite - so far - is Deep Secrets. I admit I haven't read every DWJ book, which means I can still look forward to a leisurely stroll through her back catalogue. Coincidentally Power of Three, The Game and Enchanted Glass all dropped through my letterbox last week. Though well respected in professional circles, I don't think DWJ ever received the wider accolades (and mega-sales) that she deserved from the public at large. The reason for that is obscure, but may have something to do with the wide variety and non-formulaic nature of her work. Though she wrote some series (Chrestomanci, Dalemark etc.) so many of her books were one-offs, unique, and for some children, challenging. Hopefully her books will stay in print for many years to come and she can continue to challenge new readers in the best of ways.

She will be missed.