Wizard of the Pigeons

I have mixed feelings for this book. I am not a big fan of magical realism and Wizard of the Pigeons toes the line. Written by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb), the writing itself is beautiful and engaging. I was kept guessing about what was real and what wasn't, what was just in Wizard's head and what was actually happening. Even now, weeks after finishing the book and thinking it through, I'm not entirely sure I have it sorted. In that respect, this is a thought provoking book as it forced me to examine my views of homelessness, poverty and mental illness from a completely different perspective. This makes for an uncomfortable read at times.

Wizard's story has a fairy tale feel while the setting is a very gritty and real 1980s Seattle. show more It's a combination that shouldn't work well together yet it does. Technically this means it can be classified as Urban Fantasy though it is nothing like what the genre has become today.

Is this a story about real magic in Seattle or just a man coping with PTSD by believing himself to be a wizard? Perhaps it is both. I think I might need to reread this one again in the future. show less

That jump rope song scared the shit out of you. You knew it didn't mean anything good when kids in the city start singing stuff like that. So you brought it to me to hear me say how bad it was. Well, it's bad.'
'Just one little jump rope song!'
'Omens and portents, my dear Rasputin. I have seen the warnings written in the graffiti on the overpasses and carved on the bodies of the young punkers. There are signs in the entrails of the gutted fish on the docks, and ill favours waft over the city.'

Wizard is a homeless man living in Seattle, just about managing to keep his appearance on the right side of the line between respectable citizen and homeless bum. His magical powers are linked to a strict set of rules that he must follow and seem to show more be linked to protecting the city.

To begin with, the Wizard reminded me of the London sorcerors in A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin, whose power comes from the city itself, but it gradually becomes clear that there is something quite different happening.

Some days he flowed with his power. Today the current of the magic roared against him, and he was hard pressed to cling to a rock in the rapids. But he would survive, like a one-legged pigeon, by keeping a new balance.

A much sadder book than I had expected, as I managed to avoid spoilers before reading it, but one that gives you plenty to think about afterwards. show less

This seems, at first, to be a good work of magical realism - Charles de Lint with a twist - but it turns out to be much more. We first see a fantasy world, where magic is real, but then we also see a more realistic worldview, where the main character is psychotic. Both of these views are allowed their integrity, and neither is shattered. This is a very difficult balance, and the tension between these two views casts some light on what fantasy is, and why each of us reads it.

Disturbing. It's not comforting reading, and nothing at all like how an urban fantasy has come to be these days. Technically it's not bad, but it's not what I was expecting to read, and not what I'm likely to re-read. I was particularly un-impressed with the direction of the end ending that Megan choose to take, a little more compassion from anywhere in the system would have been a better example.

Mitch is known by his acquaintances in Seattle only as 'Wizard' and refuses to acknowledge any other name. His ability seems to be an affinity for pigeons whom he can summon to be feed in some of Seattle's parks. He's also a homeless refugee of the streets and survives by luck, personal charm, and a mental dedication to 'the rules' assigned to show more him by ones of his 'friends', and this is shown through a series of ancedotes around his life, from a squat in an abandoned warehouse, through to finding food, and chatting with others on the streets, rarely indeed does he need to perform any magic. A chance encounter with a exuberant waitress breaks one of his rules, and we quickly get shown another view of the same life. Wizard must choose between them, were he capable of such a thing, whilst fighting the ghosts of MIR.

It is well written, the showing rather than telling, of Mitch's life, without judgement. But it's not happy, and it seems almost to be poking fun, although I'm sure it's meant to be sympathetic. Troubling reading. show less

Beautiful and poetic, yet difficult to read. The story reads slowly and because I did not have much time to read on the train it was difficult to get into the story. Probably not a good choice for public transport reading...

Still, the story and the characters stay with you and I still have all kinds of question. Who is Wizard really? Is he Wizard, or a a confused veteran with PTSS and a psychosis? Was Lindholm inspired by the homeless men on the streets of American big cities, or the story of one unfortunate soul? Urban fantasy, yes, but not the typical one! And a story that leaves a deep sadness within you. Which remembers me of Cloven Hooves, which also left me a little sad but also moved..

And unusual urban fantasy set in modern day Seattle. A homeless man with a lot of personal problems has magic powers which depend on him always keeping within set boundaries. Something nasty is heading his way and he needs to be even more careful. Except that part way through the story we start to wonder if his powers are real or part of a created reality meant to protect him from his real problems. Moves slowly and builds up to a satisfying climax. Good read.

...Wizard of the Pigeons is a novel with many layers. Do you choose to see Wizard as a Vietnam veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome or a figure not unlike Merlin? It is a story of unrequited love, a magical quest or facing a dark past? Is Seattle magical or mundane? Is the city sheltering him or is he protecting the city? Lindholm leaves the reader a lot of room to interpret the story but nonetheless manages to write a conclusion to the story that makes all the elements fall into place. The author packs a lot into this slim volume, most of it just under the surface of the main narrative. The author does not provide all the answers, you must go digging for your own. Every novel I read by Lindholm strengthens my opinion show more that these books are seriously under appreciated and this one was no exception. A definite candidate for this year's best of list.

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