Eva Ibbotson: Fascinating Female Leads

​Sometimes I find myself sitting in our home library with my eyes simply roving over the shelves of our book collection, admiring the vastness and variety (not unlike Emer does in Alex’s cabin in the early chapters of The Heart of Everything.) And there are times when a title captures my attention and I end up reminiscing on the books of my past. Which is what inspired today’s post – two of the novels by author Eva Ibbotson.
           
The first, The Secret of Platform 13, is middle-school age adventure featuring an unlikely group of heroes going to rescue a prince kidnapped from a magical island. The other, A Countess Below Stairs, is a young adult romance that follows a young Russian noblewoman after the days of the Russian Revolution. While these two stories may seem to have nothing in common, both are charming and delightful books, with equally charming and delightful heroines.
           
What I really love is how these leading ladies are not your typical “princess” types. Odge from The Secret of Platform 13 is a young hag – that’s a race, not an insult – with two different color eyes, one blue tooth, the beginning of an extra toe and a rather fierce scowl. She’s brave and strong and determined to do her family proud by becoming the most fearsome hag ever – proving once and for all that it’s okay for girls to want to be something other than a ballerina when they grow up. Anna, on the other hand, is a surprisingly unspoiled Russian countess.  She’s constantly talking, totally self-assured in any situation (whether it’s an inappropriate proposition in the middle of the night, serving tea to a cantankerous old man, or pretending to be a maid to earn money for her family), and amazingly not afraid to get her hands dirty. They are completely unique and exactly the kind of characters I’d want to be friends with.
           
Now, I’m not saying that I don’t like a classic princess as well, but seriously, what can we really say about Buttercup from The Princess Bride other than that she’s beautiful? Even Bella Swan of Twilight had less personality than what I would have expected from the person who captivated the enigmatic Edward Cullen. Too often, our leading females aren’t much more than a pretty face – and it’s refreshing to find stories where looks aren’t necessarily the first thing you remember about the girl.
           
This is something I try to replicate (to a degree) in my stories – only my readers can tell me if I’ve succeeded. Emer may be shy and unsure of herself, but she’s surprisingly accepting of her new “friends” and braver than she gives herself credit for. Similarly, the priestess herself is quite tolerant of outcasts, as well as being patient and kind. Clarity, on the other hand, is completely confident in herself (thanks to her Sight) and possesses her own form of wisdom. And that’s only the beginning. Granted, my characters may never be quite as colorful as Eva Ibbotson’s – being “pretty” remains as one of their defining features, I admit – but hopefully they still stand out in their own way.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
Until the next time, keep reading!

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