Books that have made me cry:
The Time-Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud
…and the draft of the new novel I just finished last night.
As I said on twitter, I suspect I was slightly off balance emotionally because because I had just written 20K in 7 days in the rush to the finish. But one of my goals with this book was to push for more, and deeper, emotion. This is the first thing I’ve written that I consider a love story. I set two characters in motion, not quite knowing them yet, but eager to see them work from mistrust to trust to friendship to love. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off, but I wanted to try.
Now I’m in that post-drafting crazybrain space right now, and feeling kind of sappy and goofy, so take this with a grain of salt. But I’m so happy I pushed myself to write this book. I feel like I accomplished something new, bigger and deeper than my previous stories. Whether it sells or not (though I hope it sells! I want other folks to meet these people!) I am glad I did it. I cared about it. I loved telling it. And that is a gift.
What books have made you guys cry? I cry all the time over tv and movies, but rarely over books, myself…
Tags: poison maid, writing
I think I cried at some point during ALL of Phillip Pullman's GOLDEN COMPASS books. Especially THE AMBER SPYGLASS.
More recently, I shed a few during REVOLUTION (scene about the brother) LOVE, AUBREY (in a few places), and in one of the scenes on the hill in MATCHED.
I love books that can bring out that level of emotion in the reader.
OH! You reminded me that I also teared up during REVOLUTION. And ditto that on bringing out emotion!
It's Friday night and I am not thinking all that clearly, but as a librarian I frequently ask kids if they like to have a box of tissues when they read a book. Love, Aubrey was one of the most recent, and even books like Nubs get me going! How about All the Broken Pieces? That's another wonderful, but moving and sad book.
You're the second person to mention Love Aubrey! Thank you for the recs!
I love a good sad book myself, though it has to be the right balance of uplifting and tragic for me. I don't think I appreciated sad books as much as a kid though!