a day late, a novel short

The second half of the title for this post has two meanings. The first interpretation, of course, is that I have been abysmal at writing this week and novels don't write themselves, unfortunately. The other if that I finally finished the volume I was on for WoT after not reading it for several weeks. But that was Tuesday and I haven't had an opportunity to get the next one until tonight. Suddenly reading something again only to then run out of reading material for several days makes me a little edgy.

Since Tim read the series [as much as was out] in high school, we end up discussing a lot of events and plot points as I get to them for the first time. He started rereading the series shortly after I began it but he has yet to make it through the first volume and I thought the reason was interesting.

He's struggling with some of the characters and how immature and annoying they can be. Now, the MCs of this series start out in their late teens so immaturity kind of comes with the territory. I definitely struggled with one character in particular until she finally grew up a little but for me it just felt like a realistic reflection of her age and experience. For Tim, it's a block that's completely deterring him from finishing the book. He told me that the first time he read the books he didn't even notice the extent to which some of the characters can get on your nerves. This brought up a few questions.

Obviously our own context and knowledge changes as we grow and affects the way we view things. I know there are several books that I read as a teenager that I'm not exactly proud of, looking back on them. On the other hand, there are books I read that I still love and can read over and over. So, what makes the difference between books that can transcend age and different periods of your life, and those that don't? Is it always a case of poor writing recognized as you become more knowledgeable with age? Are there some books that don't cross the barriers of time but are still well written for their audience?

For myself, I think it's probably a blend of everything. [But I'd love to hear other perspectives!] I've definitely read my fair share of poorly written books but I also think that there are those that were written for that age range and were well executed, touching and influencing me when I needed them to. Some themes must be reinterpreted for different age groups because the situations, images, and metaphors that we might connect with change, and that's alright.

That being said, how do books like The Giver and Bridge to Terabithia transcend? Is it their themes? The quality of their characterization? Or do the authors somehow manage to make a mysterious connection with their readers - an unbreakable bond that draws them in again and again? How can we write stories that will last the tests of time?