Charles de Lint

Whenever I get book burnout, I always turn to a re-read from my Canadian urban fantasy favourite: Charles de Lint. He's always good for a dose of nostalgia, a sparkle of magic, and a reality cheque in the most unexpected form, so I can always count on his books to lighten the mood and remind me why I love reading. This time around, I picked up one of his Y2K-era teen novels, since I recently grabbed a copy to gift to a friend's kid; “Bugsy” calls herself my daughter due to our mutual show more bookish obsession, and I figured she’s just the right age to get into de Lint’s work, so this book should be the perfect “little” dose to get her started. The Little in question in this story is a diminutive teenager named Elizabeth, who is small enough to live in the walls of protagonist T.J.'s house, along with her family - unfortunately, Elizabeth comes with an outsize attitude and a risk-taking streak that breaks the rules that keep the Littles safe from humans, gets her separated from her family, and throws T.J. into a whole chaotic journey before we wind up safe and sound by the final pages. De Lint is playing with a familiar set of fantasy characters who many authors have brought out of the walls before (the Borrowers and Gulliver’s Travels, just to name the most familiar) and themes that are far from unique (teenager’s rebellion and the need to find yourself), but he does so with such aplomb and signature style that the story is still fresh and entertaining. This tiny slice of Newford is one that fits nicely into the magic-filled city that we know, but from a teenager’s perspective (and a newcomer, to add to it) we see it from a smaller angle that reveals another layer of wonder that fits perfectly with the early-2000s time period in which the tale is set. Having delved straight into de Lint’s adult stories when I was a pre-teen, since that is what was available to me at the local library, with no ill-cause, I wonder what I would have thought of this story if it had been my introduction. I bet I would have been equally as spell-bound, since this specific era of de Lint is one of his best, but I wonder if I would have found the story as charming as I do now, knowing the layers of Newford that surround this pocket-sized tale. Either way, it's a wonderful little book to revisit, and I’m excited to pass along the magic of Newford to another voracious reader. show less

It’s been a shamefully long time since I last reread this book, considering that it was my very first Charles de Lint novel and the one that got me hooked on his writing, but it is also true that one shouldn’t have too much of a good thing lest it become less special from overabundance and become common. Delving back into the story after so many years was like coming home to the Canadian woods and mountains which surround my hometown, an experience that can’t be replicated elsewhere on show more earth and speaks to the wildness that seems to live quietly within those of us who grew up in these specific spaces and places. Following artist Eithnie, we are introduced to her unique life in the woods just outside of Ottawa as she begins dreaming of the faerie that live nearby and who are being challenged by the encroachment of humanity. De Lint has always had environmental themes resonating throughout his work, but this short novel at once brings these themes home and yet remains one of his most esoterically fey tales in its telling. Bordering the line between dream, art, and reality, Eithnie must face the truth of her past and step into living her present life more openly if she is going to find fulfillment in her chosen path. Her choice during the final pages, the third and seemingly final task of discovery in her journey, to have a child by a mysterious woodsman, to me felt a bit at odds with the story as it unfolded - a sort of unexpected twist and hardness and extreme reaction, even though in the vein of tellings of dealings with faerie rang true. Maybe this story is just closer to the fey truth of the world, and we should remain slightly uncomfortable with it so that we continue questioning the world we see around us and keep striving to make it better. show less

The Mystery of Grace is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel about loss, love, redemption and the power of the human spirit. Charles de Lint blends contemporary fantasy and magical realism to create a story that is both familiar and otherworldly.

The novel follows Grace, a hot-rod mechanic who dies unexpectedly and returns to the world of the living as a ghost. She falls in love with John, an artist who is haunted by the death of his younger brother. Together, Grace and John must show more learn to let go of their attachments and find peace. The characters are complex and well-developed, and their journey is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

[Disclaimer: I am not very good at writing reviews so I asked Bard, the Google AI, for help] show less

Every time Rachel Sorensen starts a new job or moves into a new apartment, her abusive ex-husband finds her and she has to escape all over again. But one night, as he waits for her, someone else is watching Rachel at the same time. When the stranger saves Rachel once and for all, she doesn’t realize that she’s in more danger than ever.

Abuse is a difficult subject. The issues of power and control are complicated and hard to translate for outsiders. In [I’ll Be Watching You], Charles show more DeLint steps out of his typical urban fantasy genre and tells a frighteningly real story of abuse and obsession. DeLint takes great care in reflecting the mindset of an abused woman trying to break free. But his take on the internal workings of the abuser’s mind sets the story apart from most writers who confront the subject. The typical composition of such books is built around the singular perspective of the victim, with the abuser as a dark and incomprehensible force who keeps coming until he is destroyed in some way. And while DeLint’s abuser is eventually destroyed, the writer doesn’t only feature him as seen by the victim or by other outsiders. DeLint steps into his fractured mind and displays his warped sense of the world. When Rachel’s abusive husband is dealt with, DeLint expands his exploration of the abusive mind with Rachel’s new tormentor.

Fans of DeLint’s more popular urban fantasy may not enjoy this diversion into the world of the real, but it shows his diversity and flexibility.

The only quibble I had with the book was the superhuman capabilities DeLint endowed his villain with. It was hard to believe someone with such obsessive qualities would be able to so completely compartmentalize their life and function successfully while decompensating at the same time. The effect is to back the hard won realism out of the story.

Bottom Line: DeLint shows off a rare understanding of the abuse and succeeds well outside his genre of urban fantasy.

4 bones!!!! show less