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drewsof's review against another edition
4.0
Such a throwback, in a great way. This book *feels* very early-90s in a simple way, in a "cellphones would change this" way, in a "genre blurring hasn't quite gone mainstream" way. It's predictable (not a bad thing) at times, particularly around the revelations of who is who... but Windling gets a lot of mileage out of some *really* destabilizing chapter endings, particularly in the early going, that keep the reader off-kilter for a while. And then the last hundred pages or so go whole-hog into the wild in ways that I really, really enjoyed.
hopeevey's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not sure I can really review this book. I mentioned in an update that I want to crawl in and live in this story - that pretty much is all I know how to say about it. I need to own a copy of this book, and it will become a frequent re-read.
chasing_dallas's review against another edition
4.0
I am surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. It is total fantasy and the story is a bit contrived, but the plot was interesting, the characters captivating.
captaincymru's review against another edition
4.0
I have no interest in going to Arizona. The sun lives there and the whole place is testament to man's arrogance. But such is the strength of the book that I did find myself wanting to go see the desert. The landscape itself is a character in this urban/rural fantasy centred around Maggie Black. She's inherited her penpal's house and papers after his mysterious death and comes to Arizona with thoughts of writing his biography. Naturally, spooky stuff starts to happen.
The 'Readers Also Enjoyed' bit in the corner of the screen suggests several Charles de Lint novels and there's a very similar vibe. If you enjoy Charles de Lint, you'll like this book and vice versa.
The 'Readers Also Enjoyed' bit in the corner of the screen suggests several Charles de Lint novels and there's a very similar vibe. If you enjoy Charles de Lint, you'll like this book and vice versa.
reallifereading's review against another edition
3.0
I have to admit that around the first couple of chapters, I was wondering if I should adhere to my first 50 pages rule and give up as it was nearing 50 and I was a little uninterested in her writing. But I was on a long-ish bus journey and needed something to drown out the TV Mobile (yes we have TVs on the buses in Singapore). So I persisted and I'm glad I did. It's quite a fascinating plot and somehow it made me think of Murakami's Kafka on the Shore a little (of Nakata and the cats). But I wasn't totally enamoured with the writing, which I think tended to tell more than show. I felt disconnected from the characters. And that, as well as the plot, made me race through the book rather quickly.
herbwyfe's review against another edition
4.0
I am a very picky fiction reader and fantasy/magic is not an interest but this book came highly recommended. The writing style is easy to read and for me a good fiction keeps me thinking about what I just read when I have to put the book down. I do love the AZ desert and enjoyed the both accurate and magical descriptions of the natural ecosystem. The romance side of things was predictable, and I would have liked more depth. The fantastical scenes were interesting though I found myself skimming a bit indicating it went on a bit too much in some sections. I loved the attention to poetry and thought that it could have been woven in a bit more.
I am glad I bought the book b/c it will be one of those rare fictions that I will reread several times.
I am glad I bought the book b/c it will be one of those rare fictions that I will reread several times.
carol26388's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed it very much. Mystical-based urban fantasy, or rater, rural fantasy, as it largely takes place in a remote area of Arizona. Although this book was enjoyable once I sat down and made some uninterrupted time for it, I found the writing occasionally sermonizing, such as when a character is making a point about wildlife being shot and poisoned under game laws, or bringing suburban housing values to rural settings. It's not that I don't agree with those values--I do--it's that it seemed to interrupt the story flow. I don't know, maybe it was appropriate in the guise of enlightening Maggie about the man-made troubles the desert faced. Aside from that, I savored a book that was clearly in love with artistic expression, chiefly painting, poetry and writing. I wish I knew more about some of the traditions that contextualize Anna's paintings, so I could have a better mental picture of her work. I love the southwest desert, and appreciated the time Windling spent describing it. I felt the structure of the story could have been a little stronger, as the narrative struggled with shifting perspectives (Maggie, Fox, Dora), shifting purposes (escaping an unhappy love, researching Cooper, building a desert life) and then shifting styles (omnipotent narrator, personal reflection, intercepted letters). Nonetheless, the language and imagery is enough to rate this space on a limited personal bookshelf.
johannah's review against another edition
4.0
Pulling away from her international life, a middle-aged writer is pulled to a spot of land in the desert. There, the spirits of the land make their desires known to the folks who live on and care for the land.
I think if I had read this book in my 20's it would have been one of my favorite books of all time. Reading it in my 40's, I find it has a few too many cringe-worthy moments (an international super-star director of a medieval music group?, the male lead named Johnny Foxxe??).
I do love the core story about the land and all who share it.
I think if I had read this book in my 20's it would have been one of my favorite books of all time. Reading it in my 40's, I find it has a few too many cringe-worthy moments (an international super-star director of a medieval music group?, the male lead named Johnny Foxxe??).
I do love the core story about the land and all who share it.