Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
New York : Tor, 2007, c2006.
Description
Ever since Jilly Coppercorn and Geordie Riddell were introduced in de Lint's first Newford story, "Timeskip," back in 1989, their friends and readers alike have been waiting for them to realize that they belong together. Now, in Widdershins, a stand-alone novel of fairy courts set in shopping malls and the Bohemian street scene of Newford's Crowsea area, Jilly and Geordie's story is finally being told. Before it's over, we'll find ourselves plunged into the rancorous and sometimes violent conflict between the magical North American "animal people" and the more newly-arrived fairy folk. We'll watch as Jilly is held captive in a sinister world based on her own worst memories-and Geordie, attempting to help, is sent someplace even worse. And we'll be captivated by the power of love and determination to redeem ancient hatreds and heal old magics gone sour.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member yoyogod
I'll admit that I'm a big fan of de Lint's work, especially the Newford stories, and especially especially ones with Jilly Coppercorn in them. So naturally--seeing as how this is a Jilly Coppercorn book--I loved this one.
This is the story of how Jill and Geordie finally get together (and how Jilly
Besides that, it's also exciting. There's a war shaping up between the native Animal People and the Fairies. Unfortunately, this brings up the only problem I have with the book and much of de Lint's recent works. It's not a major problem, but I'll still mention it anyway. He has a need to constantly bring out the "big guns." Lately a lot of the action has focused on the super powerful spirit being like the Animal People and fairies, especially the uber powerful ones like Raven and the Crow Girls. It's not really a bad thing, but if you want a story where a person struggles against adversity, it's probably more realistic if they on't have a bunch of god-like beings as friends.
Still, this is a great book.
This is the story of how Jill and Geordie finally get together (and how Jilly
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is finally healed from the tragic events of The Onion Girl and her own screwed up childhood). It's also a story about responsibility--almost all of the characters have something to learn about taking responsibilty for what they do and about not taking responsibility for what is done to them.Besides that, it's also exciting. There's a war shaping up between the native Animal People and the Fairies. Unfortunately, this brings up the only problem I have with the book and much of de Lint's recent works. It's not a major problem, but I'll still mention it anyway. He has a need to constantly bring out the "big guns." Lately a lot of the action has focused on the super powerful spirit being like the Animal People and fairies, especially the uber powerful ones like Raven and the Crow Girls. It's not really a bad thing, but if you want a story where a person struggles against adversity, it's probably more realistic if they on't have a bunch of god-like beings as friends.
Still, this is a great book.
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LibraryThing member serpentkills
Widdershins is well over 500 pages so you'd think it'd be slow in parts, but you'd be wrong. It was pretty much non-stop of Stuff Happening (a lot of stuff), right up until the end, which was a nice change from The Onion Girl. The Onion Girl was good in its own way, of course, but it was a bit
Charles de Lint makes a point of saying right there in the front of the book that he doesn't actually like writing books that tie in so closely to each other that you have to read one before you'll understand another, but he wrote this one because Jilly's story just felt so unfinished after The Onion Girl. This book is billed as a novel, which would lead you to think that it can stand well on its own and maybe you'll get it and enjoy it even if you've never read anything else by Charles de Lint. But I was damn glad that I'd read The Onion Girl beforehand. If I hadn't, it seems to me that there would be a helluva lot of things that I'd have seen mentioned in passing in Widdershins that I would have wanted the full story on. You get enough info in Widdershins maybe to understand the story in Widdershins, but if you want to really Get the characters, I'd recommend reading The Onion Girl first.
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heavy and slow. Widdershins is one of the few books I'd brand with that corny little phrase rollicking adventure. Only with dark bits and weird bits and sad bits and funny bits. But it was all good stuff.Charles de Lint makes a point of saying right there in the front of the book that he doesn't actually like writing books that tie in so closely to each other that you have to read one before you'll understand another, but he wrote this one because Jilly's story just felt so unfinished after The Onion Girl. This book is billed as a novel, which would lead you to think that it can stand well on its own and maybe you'll get it and enjoy it even if you've never read anything else by Charles de Lint. But I was damn glad that I'd read The Onion Girl beforehand. If I hadn't, it seems to me that there would be a helluva lot of things that I'd have seen mentioned in passing in Widdershins that I would have wanted the full story on. You get enough info in Widdershins maybe to understand the story in Widdershins, but if you want to really Get the characters, I'd recommend reading The Onion Girl first.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
For anyone who's been reading de Lint's Newford stories—this is Jilly and Geordie's story. They've been the best of friends, closer than friends, since their college days, and pretty much continuously, one of them has always been involved with someone else—not that that's ever worked out for
The story within which they finally get appropriately whacked with two-by-fours concerns the efforts of one of the old native spirits, one who really knows how to carry a grudge, to engineer a war between the spirits and the immigrant fairies who migrated to this continent with the Europeans. Joe, Galfreya, the Crow Girls, Christiana, Whiskey Jack, Raven, and other familiar figures from past tales all get involved, frequently with some confusion as to who is supposed to be on whose side. (This confusion is aided by the fact that the grudge-holding spirit's major grudge isn't against the fairies.) It's a solid, enjoyable story, but maybe not the best place to start if you haven't read any of the Newford stories before.
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either of them in the long run. But even they couldn't keep that up forever.The story within which they finally get appropriately whacked with two-by-fours concerns the efforts of one of the old native spirits, one who really knows how to carry a grudge, to engineer a war between the spirits and the immigrant fairies who migrated to this continent with the Europeans. Joe, Galfreya, the Crow Girls, Christiana, Whiskey Jack, Raven, and other familiar figures from past tales all get involved, frequently with some confusion as to who is supposed to be on whose side. (This confusion is aided by the fact that the grudge-holding spirit's major grudge isn't against the fairies.) It's a solid, enjoyable story, but maybe not the best place to start if you haven't read any of the Newford stories before.
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LibraryThing member amberwitch
Not a bad book, but not an overwhelming good book either. This newest installment in the Newford universe is centered on the budding relationship between two recurring figures - Jilly and Geordie - while an animosity between native american supernatural beings and same of european origin escalate.
Some of them are both old enough to be the cause of myths, while young enough to have grown up on the rez??
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For the story to make sense this leads to a lot of recapping of events in other Newford stories. In fact large chunks of the first chapters told by Jilly and Geordie are expositions that makes for unengaging reading (at least if the other stories are familiar). The story is told from many (almost too many) points of view, most of them in first person. For me, the chapters that were most engaging were told from the point of view of Lizzie, a new character, in third person. There are also an overabundance of powerful supernatural beings that is a little trying - it seems as if nothing gets done without the interference of them. Some of them are both old enough to be the cause of myths, while young enough to have grown up on the rez??
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LibraryThing member weeksj10
A sequel to Onion Girl. Its great very similar to the first book, but it has some cool new characters and a happy ending. The books are so good that you don't want them to stop, but the way this one ends I was happy to just let the characters find a little joy.
LibraryThing member TheBentley
Not as good as Trader, but a lot of fun, and a surprisingly quick and easy read for such a large book. If you're a fan of urban fantasy, de Lint is one of the masters of the genre. This particular book veers more toward straight fantasy than urban fantasy, which may be why I didn't like it as much
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as Trader. Although it deals with modern characters and contemporary issues, most of the book takes place in the "Otherworld." Still, well worth the read. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmandaThon
This is a great book series for anyone who loves fairy tales. Not easy fairy tales, mind you, but fairy tales none the less.
LibraryThing member suteko
Interesting take on knowing your own mind. Jilly has gone through so very much in her life and she finally gets to work it all through. I loved the inclusion of de Lin'ts always highly interesting secondary characters. His Cousins and the fae make this yet again and amazing read. Mixing Native fae
His delicate touch with dealing with the long term after effects of abuse is as always deftly handled. He makes those who have been through abuse both sympathetic and human. They are not perfect, no one is but they slowly work through their issues.
I will continue to read and reread this book as the years go by.
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with the traditional english/irish/scottish fae with if possible explosive results. His delicate touch with dealing with the long term after effects of abuse is as always deftly handled. He makes those who have been through abuse both sympathetic and human. They are not perfect, no one is but they slowly work through their issues.
I will continue to read and reread this book as the years go by.
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LibraryThing member majackson
First of all...the cover has nothing to do with the story and is a bit distracting.
Meanwhile, this, to me, is a very mature YA novel: there are refernces to sex--but without the salacious details; and there is, I think, 2 or 3 obscenities. Otherwise the book is good, clean story telling, with very
The main story details the conflict between the native (earth/animal) fairies of American mythology and the celtic fairies brought over from the "old country". The many minor plots describe the antics of a few of the nastier fairies, the murder of a deer princess, a mistaken crime with its follow-on revenges, and a few different unacknowledged love interests...most of them taking place in the world just the other side of normal reality.
And then there are the serious homilies to the ravages of early sexual preditors, losing a love to murder, the benefit of non-violence, the justification of anger, and the need to appreciate true honor. All in all, it was a pleasant trip through almost 600 pages in a fairly short time.
Meanwhile, this, to me, is a very mature YA novel: there are refernces to sex--but without the salacious details; and there is, I think, 2 or 3 obscenities. Otherwise the book is good, clean story telling, with very
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few difficult/uncommon words. The story(ies) is (are) written with each chapter describing the viewpoint of one of about a half-dozen main characters. I found this a very entertaining narrative device which kept me interested in the various links to the main story.The main story details the conflict between the native (earth/animal) fairies of American mythology and the celtic fairies brought over from the "old country". The many minor plots describe the antics of a few of the nastier fairies, the murder of a deer princess, a mistaken crime with its follow-on revenges, and a few different unacknowledged love interests...most of them taking place in the world just the other side of normal reality.
And then there are the serious homilies to the ravages of early sexual preditors, losing a love to murder, the benefit of non-violence, the justification of anger, and the need to appreciate true honor. All in all, it was a pleasant trip through almost 600 pages in a fairly short time.
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Subjects
Awards
Sunburst Award (Honourable Mention — 2007)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
560 p.; 24 cm
ISBN
9780765312860
Local notes
MFT