The Game

THE GAME: Diana Wynne Jones: Penguin: 2007: Young Adult: 179pgs.

Because of her disobedience, Hayley is sent abruptly from her grandmother's domineering presence to a houseful of aunts and cousins she has never met, but not before her grandfather introduces her to the mythosphere--shining skeins of evertwisting light and story surrounding the earth. When she arrives at her cousins' place, she finds them playing a game which sends them on quests into the mythosphere after objects ranging from Beowulf's drinking horn to the golden apples of the Hesperides. The rest of the story plays out in good-natured tension between rules and business, and myth and fancy. The Game is a bit of a toss-off for Diana Wynne Jones, one of the great fantasists of this or any generation, but it is still fun, especially trying to figure out which character in the book corresponds to which archetype or myth. There is a helpful glossary at the book discussing the main characters, but of equal interest are some of the bit players, Baba Yaga, for instance, whose part is small but crucial. Mild fun from a mistress of the genre.

LW