The Dark is Rising with Sara Norja

This Book I Read...
This Book I Read...
The Dark is Rising with Sara Norja
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This month CM Lowry is talking to author Sara Norja about The Dark is Rising book sequence by Susan Cooper in ‘This Book I Read…’

Topics covered include:

  • The premise of The Dark is Rising, which is book two of The Dark is Rising Sequence, is that Will turns 11 and discovers he is an Old One. It’s based on English folklore, centred in Buckinghamshire and set around Christmas time
  • Sara reads a quote for us and highlights the beautiful poetic prose that Susan Cooper uses throughout her work.
  • CM asks Sara what her favourite aspects of The Dark is Rising are
    • Sara details the fact that it manages to capture the essence of Christmas alongside being a bit creepy at times
    • Coopers use of British folklore and mythology such as the inclusion of the Wild Hunt, and some Welsh folklore in book five.
  • Sarah & CM discuss the five book arc of The Dark is Rising Sequence and how the characters are introduced and their storylines intertwine through the series.
  • Sarah discusses some of the problems she has with The Dark is Rising such as the use of the memory wipe trope and the overtly White Anglo-Saxon 1970’s Buckinghamshire setting. It’s perhaps to British-centric.
  • CM asks whether the dissonance between the Christian celebration of Christmas and the folklore and mythology is acknowledged and commented on within the book.
  • Sara shares some recommendations of other books to read if you enjoy The Dark is Rising
  • Sara recommends starting with Book 2, The Dark Is Rising, before reading the rest of the books in series.

Links to things we discussed:

More about Sara

More about us

Music by CM Lowry. Editing by Dave Emmerson

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