Mary Stewart, who sadly passed away earlier this year, is an author who’s much loved amongst the blogging circles I move in – so much so, that the lovely Anbolyn at Gudrun’s Tights is holding a second annual Mary Stewart Reading Week, running from September 14th – 21st.
My experience of reading Stewart stems from my teens when I was looking for books to make the transition from the Enid Blytons of my childhood to more adult works. I ended up raiding my mother’s collection of Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt, Georgette Heyer – and of course Mary Stewart. The only ones I can remember clearly (well, relatively so!) were the Merlin novels – The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment – which I absolutely loved. There were still only three titles when I read them though I believe there have been further additions to the series since I read them.
But I’ve wanted to revisit Stewart, especially after reading so many glowing comments about her work over recent years. So this reading week is the ideal time to do so, especially as I picked up a bargain set of Mary Stewart books from the Book People earlier in the year! I chose one of the books at random from this set, “Wildfire at Midnight”, and as it’s set on Skye it will tie in with my current Scottish leanings! So onward and upward with Mary Stewart Reading Week!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Sep 11, 2014 @ 10:03:41
I read Mary Stewart for exactly the same reasons, although I’ve never read her Merlin books. Maybe I should?
‘Wildfire at Midnight’ is the only one which actually terrified me (not that they’re supposed to be scary) and gave me nightmares. So be warned! Although I do have a very low ‘scared’ threshold. I couldn’t read ‘The Wolves of Willoughby Chase’ for several years because that gave me nightmares too.
Sep 11, 2014 @ 10:13:55
I loved the Merlin books in my teens – but I haven’t re-read them in many years. Thanks for the warning about “Wildfire” – I shall be sleeping with the lights on then!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 10:59:00
My mother steered me towards Mary Stewart when I first joined the adult library, but I didn’t get round to reaing her until the recent reissues. I’d have loved her then and I’m enjoying working my way through her books. She does what she does very well.
Sep 11, 2014 @ 11:26:02
I confess that I’ve started the book already – and I’m loving it so far!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 13:01:35
I’ve never read Mary Stewart but will follow your posts with interest. It sounds as if you’re enjoying your reading week so far!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 13:14:57
I’m enjoying some excellent books at the moment and looking forward to the Mary Stewart!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 18:31:58
I have loved Mary Stewart since my teen years when I found her Airs Above the Ground which I quickly followed with The Crystal Cave, the 1st of her Merlin/King Arthur series. I read the others as they came out. But after that I can’t remember which ones I did read. I will say that until this summer I had not read her for a very long time but I came across This Rough Magic. It happily took me back to my much younger years when I read her so I began actively seeking out her books. Over the summer I managed to collect most of them, often for a penny plus 3.99 S & H.
I am looking forward to Sunday and beginning this week of reading Lady Mary Stewart. I plan to read Touch Not the Cat, Rose Cottage and perhaps the Y/A A Walk in Wolf Wood.
Sep 11, 2014 @ 18:58:10
Your choices of book sound lovely, and she seems to be one of the ultimate comfort reads – just right for a lovely autumnal week of reading. I may even try to squeeze two volumes in if I can!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 20:45:07
I haven’t read Mary Stewart and I haven’t yet ever wanted to, may be I have misunderstood what kind of novels she wrote. I always thought they were kind of historical romance but maybe I have mixed her up with someone else. I have a book buying ban in place and no time to go to the library again before next week so I will probably give this a miss but I look forward to your thoughts, with a view to possibly reading some in the future.
Sep 11, 2014 @ 21:03:12
No, not historical as far as I am aware – her mainstream novels are labelled “Gothic Romance” on Wikipedia and the one I’m starting is set post was (it was published in 1956). The Merlin books are obviously set in Arthurian times but maybe you’re thinking of Plaidy or Heyer? Anyway – I will let you know (and I *am* reading from my stacks from this so that’s good!)
Sep 11, 2014 @ 20:59:44
I loved those Merlin books – I should read them again. I’d love to join in but SNB calls at the moment….. maybe after October 6th!
Sep 11, 2014 @ 21:03:32
Ah, the pains of being a book reviewer!! 🙂
Sep 12, 2014 @ 07:34:45
I read 4 of Mary Stewart’s books in 2 years but did not like them much.I really tried and thought THE IVY TREE was the best of the four.
One of them was like an Enid Blyton adventure story –the heroine kept climbing over rocks and ruins all the time(GABRIEL HOUNDS)So Ali need no feel she is missing out.
Sep 12, 2014 @ 08:20:49
Well, we’re all different readers with different tastes, so we’ll never all like the same thing! I think perhaps Mary Stewart *could* be described as Enid Blyton for grown ups – but that’s no bad thing!
Sep 12, 2014 @ 12:47:45
I think i nicked the Enid Blyton comparison from a blogger whose name i forget.
Sep 12, 2014 @ 18:47:01
Oh my goodness! I LOVE Mary Stewart, so I must join in here. And coincidentally I am halfway through My Brother Michael so I am on the right page for a change.
Like you, I read Stewart and other writers of romantic suspense when I was growing up, among them Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, and Dorothy Eden. I know there were more “Gothic novel” writers but Stewart really was the best.
I don’t remember Wildfire at Midnight, so will look forward to what you think of it. My Brother Michael is more rugged than most of her books: it’s a post-war novel, with Greek commandos and spies running wild…or something like that.
Sep 12, 2014 @ 19:17:20
Yes, do join in! I’m very happy with my choice of Wildfire – I may even try to squeeze in a second volume!
Sep 13, 2014 @ 06:11:09
Mary Stewart is always a good choice, I like her books very much, but still have some yet to read. Thornyhold is one I definitely recommend, have read it a few times. I recommended it to a librarian friend many years ago, and she blamed me for not getting any sleep one night because she couldn’t put it down!
Sep 13, 2014 @ 06:54:15
Thanks for the recommendation! I think she is definitely one those authors who keeps you up all night!!