Travis and Michelle Fitzgerald's blog

I just finished re-reading one of my favorite books: Song for the Basilisk by Patricia McKillip. (Yes, the title of this post is kind of a joke; I have a LOT of favorite books. ) It’s one of those books I giggle my way through, but as much as I’d like to I can’t explain the joke–or coolness factor–or clever pun–to my puzzled husband.

Ms. McKillip’s books are fantasy bordering on poetry, so just reading the passage is generally out of the question. “Finally the mirrors emptied even of servants, who left them to reflect themselves, while the onyx-eyed basilisks turned one another into stone.” See, the musicians were playing in the Hall of Mirrors, and earlier the basilisks were being compared with…oh, never mind.

And of course, as I looked for a suitable quote, I just got caught in a couple of passages and had to read for a while, never mind that I just finished the book. Ms. McKillip’s books have tapestries for covers, prose that morphs into poetry and back, facinating characters…she’s one of the authors that I’m likely to pick up whatever she next writes at the bookstore.

No, there’s no real point to this post other than: I like this author, and I really like this book.