I love the way Jan Scott is "labelled" and she knows it, and doesn't care...I always thought Miranda was intimidating, all that money and SO self contained and competent.
I loved the Cricket Term becuase of all the Tempest stuff and Lawrie making her "deal" with the Gods and Miss Cromwell almost having a fit when she realises Lawrie's thought processes.
I always wanted a hawk after Falconer's Lure, I had a pony and a male friend, but a hawk would have been so cool.
What about Ginty and Patrick and the exam cheating/joke that went horribly wrong? Patrick wandering around London in the rain was so reminiscent for me and the aimlessness of disgrace...so realistic.
Oh, and Peter SHOOTS Patrick's pet (Jael), the relationships are just so well written.
Ready Made Family...Rose dissappears and you get 2 chapters of descriptions of Oxford! It made me mad to visit the place, when I finally went there as a student I went to ALL the places in town Nicola did (except the house in the suburbs).
And how many other books have such a description of fox hunting that it IS thrilling? especially the bit where Nicola is torn between wanting the fox to escape and not wanting the hounds to be disappointed?
Just fab.
Oh, and when Sprog died, I cried. A whole chapter, just two pages, to say her hawk died.
Better than most adult books.
Retires to bed with Marlow canon at the ready.