You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Good story, but much too long. In need of strict editing.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
I loved this book because it took the elements of urban fantasy, the dirty, grimy city, the seedy characters, the horrible scenes of degradation, all that stuff, and it talks about how these can't be the focus. It's like uplifting urban fantasy. It kept talking about hope and redemption and really talking about them, in a way that actually made you feel hopeful and re...demptive. It was like Madeleine L'Engle meets Neil Gaiman... you know, I didn't think about it at the time, but it really is.
Another thing I really loved about it was that it was about a community. The core of the community is these three women, Jilly, Sophie, and Wendy--the three "small, fierce women." Jilly is the main character, the onion girl. She gets hit by a car at the beginning, but still, it's such a hopeful book, and a lot of that is because of the community supporting Jilly, how much they all love her and want to help her.
So besides all the real world stuff, there's also this other world, kind of a dream/fairy world. I really loved that part too, because the way it's explained is as this place we all go sometimes, in dreams, so we can all identify with it and there's a part of us that belongs there. It's so much more familiar than an impersonal "fairyland," and it really captures that feeling of finding out that something like fairyland is real, because you kind of feel like you should have known all along. I don't know, I can't explain it very well, but the way the book lays out it's world just makes so much sense to me.
Another thing I really loved about it was that it was about a community. The core of the community is these three women, Jilly, Sophie, and Wendy--the three "small, fierce women." Jilly is the main character, the onion girl. She gets hit by a car at the beginning, but still, it's such a hopeful book, and a lot of that is because of the community supporting Jilly, how much they all love her and want to help her.
So besides all the real world stuff, there's also this other world, kind of a dream/fairy world. I really loved that part too, because the way it's explained is as this place we all go sometimes, in dreams, so we can all identify with it and there's a part of us that belongs there. It's so much more familiar than an impersonal "fairyland," and it really captures that feeling of finding out that something like fairyland is real, because you kind of feel like you should have known all along. I don't know, I can't explain it very well, but the way the book lays out it's world just makes so much sense to me.
At the bookstore I used to work at, we had a hierarchy set up on who had first dibs on buying any Charles de Lint book that came into the store. I have loved almost all the books of his that I've read, and found that while the subject matter can be difficult and even disturbing, he has a phenomenal way with description - imaginative, evocative, and whimsical - that tempers the more graphic, violent parts. I love how his heroines, no matter how damaged, are able to persevere, and the networks of characters and relationships he has built overlap from other novels and short stories. It is strange that de Lint gives stories that allow me to escape "the World As It Is," while reminding me strongly of all the things I love and hate about it. I would recommend this book to anyone, particular any writer, who is likes interesting use of voice and point of view, anyone who has suffered or dealt with abuse, and anyone who loves urban fantasy.
A re-read. So this was the long awaited Jilly book. And yes Jilly has had this multi-faceted life. And is certainly going through a hard time. But she's just so good to hang out with. And everyone from Newford is there, though some of them stay just offscreen. And some walk onscreen just briefly like the Crow Girls, like Cody. This is just so rich and contains so much pay off. I'm thinking it would be a terrible place to start Newford and yet would work just fine.
Just kind of labored through this one. In my mind, Charles DeLint's Newford series is an older lineage of Holly Black/Spiderwick Chronicles, albeit for adults; that's an observation and not intended as a judgement of any sort.
Anyway, not without merit, here's a sample:
“People who’ve never read fairy tales, the professor said, have a harder time coping in life than the people who have. They don’t have access to all the lessons that can be learned from the journeys through the dark woods and the kindness of strangers treated decently, the knowledge that can be gained from the company and example of Donkeyskins and cats wearing boots and steadfast tin soldiers. I’m not talking about in-your-face lessons, but more subtle ones. The kind that seep up from your sub¬conscious and give you moral and humane structures for your life. That teach you how to prevail, and trust. And maybe even love.” (less)
flag comment · see review
Anyway, not without merit, here's a sample:
“People who’ve never read fairy tales, the professor said, have a harder time coping in life than the people who have. They don’t have access to all the lessons that can be learned from the journeys through the dark woods and the kindness of strangers treated decently, the knowledge that can be gained from the company and example of Donkeyskins and cats wearing boots and steadfast tin soldiers. I’m not talking about in-your-face lessons, but more subtle ones. The kind that seep up from your sub¬conscious and give you moral and humane structures for your life. That teach you how to prevail, and trust. And maybe even love.” (less)
flag comment · see review
The thing I liked most about this book was the complexity of the characters' relationships. The conclusion is satisfying, but nothing gets tied up too neatly. This book uses fantasy to explore human relationships and challenges us to think about why we think and act the way we do, and how our actions affect others.
While the only other adult fiction book by Charles DeLint I’ve read was simply short stories, it was quite a doozy and was more than enough to properly introduce me to the world of Newford, and DeLint. This book is actually a novel, a long and streamlined story.
In this story, we learn about the irrepressible Jilly Coppercorn. Jilly, who is known for her curly auburn hair, imaginative paintings of the magical world and its creatures, and loving, vivacious personality – has been hit by a car. She wakes up in the hospital, her side paralyzed, with many people worrying about her and a new ability to enter the spiritworld through her dreams. This is something Jilly has always wanted to do, although now it seems her time spent in the spiritworld will only impede her healing process in the real world. Meanwhile, Jilly’s younger sister, Raylene, is on the warpath. Raylene still has not forgiven Jilly from running away from home and leaving her behind. Along with her psycho porn star friend, Pinky, Raylene has found a way into the spiritworld herself, and has vowed revenge on her older sister.
I heartily appreciate DeLint’s works. He has a spectacular gift for bringing you to care about the characters as they struggle with whatever both the spirit world and the real world throw at them. He also has been able to create characters which blend seamlessly into either of these worlds and seem perfectly plausable. DeLint has gleaned from hundreds of myths and legends from many different cultures in order to populate his spirit worlds. We meet Coyote and Baba Yaga, characters from books, and imaginary friends.
One of the great things about DeLint’s work is that he uses magical realism and fantasy itself to address social issues in a way that makes it easier to approach and understand. This book particularly deals with child abuse – which is a painful subject in itself, and hard to read about in a fictional novel. But through the use of the spirit world, we are able to learn about the victims of these crimes – how they feel, how they deal, and how they manage to move on, or not.
In general (I say this having only read 3 of his books, when there are MANY out there), I recommend DeLint if you are a fantasy fan. You may not appreciate just how indepth he makes his fantasy world if you aren’t a fantasy lover – this definitely should be firmly placed in that genre.
In this story, we learn about the irrepressible Jilly Coppercorn. Jilly, who is known for her curly auburn hair, imaginative paintings of the magical world and its creatures, and loving, vivacious personality – has been hit by a car. She wakes up in the hospital, her side paralyzed, with many people worrying about her and a new ability to enter the spiritworld through her dreams. This is something Jilly has always wanted to do, although now it seems her time spent in the spiritworld will only impede her healing process in the real world. Meanwhile, Jilly’s younger sister, Raylene, is on the warpath. Raylene still has not forgiven Jilly from running away from home and leaving her behind. Along with her psycho porn star friend, Pinky, Raylene has found a way into the spiritworld herself, and has vowed revenge on her older sister.
I heartily appreciate DeLint’s works. He has a spectacular gift for bringing you to care about the characters as they struggle with whatever both the spirit world and the real world throw at them. He also has been able to create characters which blend seamlessly into either of these worlds and seem perfectly plausable. DeLint has gleaned from hundreds of myths and legends from many different cultures in order to populate his spirit worlds. We meet Coyote and Baba Yaga, characters from books, and imaginary friends.
One of the great things about DeLint’s work is that he uses magical realism and fantasy itself to address social issues in a way that makes it easier to approach and understand. This book particularly deals with child abuse – which is a painful subject in itself, and hard to read about in a fictional novel. But through the use of the spirit world, we are able to learn about the victims of these crimes – how they feel, how they deal, and how they manage to move on, or not.
In general (I say this having only read 3 of his books, when there are MANY out there), I recommend DeLint if you are a fantasy fan. You may not appreciate just how indepth he makes his fantasy world if you aren’t a fantasy lover – this definitely should be firmly placed in that genre.
Why haven't I read any Charles de Lint before?
Needs a good editor, too long. In my opinion could have been written in fewer words. There were passages that would hold my interest but then I would lose said interest too often. I will, however, give this author another try.