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Available
Call number
Series
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Publication
Orb Books (2003), Paperback, 416 pages
Description
Welcome to Newford: to the music clubs, the waterfront, and the alleyways where ancient myths and magic spill into the modern world. Gemmins live in abandoned cars and skells traverse the tunnels below, while mermaids swim in the grey harbor waters and fill the cold night with their song. Come meet Jilly, painting wonders in the rough city streets; and Geordie, playing fiddle while he dreams of a ghost; and the Angel of Grasso Street gathering the fey and the wild and the poor and the lost. Dreams Underfoot is a must-read book not only for fans of urban fantasy but for all who seek magic in everyday life.
User reviews
LibraryThing member kmaziarz
The fictional city of Newford lies at the crossroads of our world and all of the shadowy worlds of spirit, faerie, and myth. Beings out of folklore and mythology go about their daily lives and mingle with artists, musicians, and dreamers of all stripes along the way. It’s a world where reality is
Dreams Underfoot is the first collection of DeLint’s beloved “Newford” stories. Interconnected and sharing characters from one story to another, the collection is more than a simple anthology and less than a cohesive novel, but powerful and affecting regardless of definition. DeLint’s characters share a profound joy in the Otherworlds that surround them, but never forget the suffering all too prevalent in their own. Uplifting and sensitive, the stories will make you look at the world around you and wish for a little magic of your own.
This book, and this entire series, are highly recommended to anyone, even those people who think they don't like fantasy. This is the kind of book that proves fantasy is more than swords and dragons. Compelling, dreamlike, intelligent, and deeply philosophical, these stories practically glow. Putting the book down is like waking from a dream.
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relative and sometimes strong enough belief is all it takes to make a change.Dreams Underfoot is the first collection of DeLint’s beloved “Newford” stories. Interconnected and sharing characters from one story to another, the collection is more than a simple anthology and less than a cohesive novel, but powerful and affecting regardless of definition. DeLint’s characters share a profound joy in the Otherworlds that surround them, but never forget the suffering all too prevalent in their own. Uplifting and sensitive, the stories will make you look at the world around you and wish for a little magic of your own.
This book, and this entire series, are highly recommended to anyone, even those people who think they don't like fantasy. This is the kind of book that proves fantasy is more than swords and dragons. Compelling, dreamlike, intelligent, and deeply philosophical, these stories practically glow. Putting the book down is like waking from a dream.
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LibraryThing member bluepixie
This is a collection of Newford stories and a great introduction to De Lint's Newford and the recurring characters that inhabit it. These tales are all connected; some of the connections are obvious and others are very slight. This book was one of my first experiences with an author who can weave
The stories themselves are always breathtaking, delicate, a little dark, sometimes uncomfortable. They are lyrical and vivid and combine elements of different families of folktales. And these stories always stir a very bittersweet longing in me, for any number of reasons I can't quite name.
I think this particular collection is De Lint's best, but that might be coloured by the fact that it was the first I read and therefore will always hold a special place on my shelf. The characterization of both people and places is so strong that reading anything else from Newford is like visiting old friends.
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characters and stories so thoroughly through a world that the effect is often subtle but effective -- nothing hits you over the head here, but recognizing the connections is always a pleasure. The stories themselves are always breathtaking, delicate, a little dark, sometimes uncomfortable. They are lyrical and vivid and combine elements of different families of folktales. And these stories always stir a very bittersweet longing in me, for any number of reasons I can't quite name.
I think this particular collection is De Lint's best, but that might be coloured by the fact that it was the first I read and therefore will always hold a special place on my shelf. The characterization of both people and places is so strong that reading anything else from Newford is like visiting old friends.
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LibraryThing member Jeyra
I wish I had written these stories... DeLint brings the darkness and beauty of the old fairy tales to the modern streets of Newford.
PG/PG-13
PG/PG-13
LibraryThing member xicanti
Nineteen stories set in Newford, Charles de Lint's trademark setting.
This was a good, solid collection, and a nice introduction to de Lint's work. He's done a wonderful job of blending the fantastical and the real world. Despite their brushes with the supernatural and the otherworldly, his
The city of Newford is equally well drawn. The place is fictional, but it feels like the sort of place you could visit. There's a definite geography to it, and a rich history. It's got its neighborhoods and its landmarks, its denizens and its secrets. I love a good setting, and this one definitely fits the bill.
Even though the stories work as stand-alones, the little interconnections make them perfect for a collection like this. I loved hearing a brief mention of a character or place in one story, only to see them, (or it), taking centre stage a couple of tales on. I constantly felt as if I were being let in on some strange and wonderful secret. It made for a very enjoyable read.
For all its good points, though, the book didn't entirely engage me. There were a few exceptions, but for the most part I considered the stories good rather than great. I do have the feeling, however, that I'll enjoy the whole collection a great deal more once I've read further in de Lint's bibliography. I'm sure that wonderful sense of being let in on a secret will only grow as I get to know Newford better.
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in exploring de Lint's work. I found it a good introduction. Non-fantasy readers may also find it to their liking; the real-world focus results in a few stories in which magic fades into the background. My two favourite stories, ("In the House of My Enemy" and "But For the Grace Go I"), contained only the barest mention of the otherworldly.
This was a good, solid collection, and a nice introduction to de Lint's work. He's done a wonderful job of blending the fantastical and the real world. Despite their brushes with the supernatural and the otherworldly, his
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characters remain utterly real. They've got normal, everyday concerns alongside their fantastical problems. They're people, first and foremost, and they come across as such. Even the most magical of them feels like the sort of person you could meet at a party and have a conversation with.The city of Newford is equally well drawn. The place is fictional, but it feels like the sort of place you could visit. There's a definite geography to it, and a rich history. It's got its neighborhoods and its landmarks, its denizens and its secrets. I love a good setting, and this one definitely fits the bill.
Even though the stories work as stand-alones, the little interconnections make them perfect for a collection like this. I loved hearing a brief mention of a character or place in one story, only to see them, (or it), taking centre stage a couple of tales on. I constantly felt as if I were being let in on some strange and wonderful secret. It made for a very enjoyable read.
For all its good points, though, the book didn't entirely engage me. There were a few exceptions, but for the most part I considered the stories good rather than great. I do have the feeling, however, that I'll enjoy the whole collection a great deal more once I've read further in de Lint's bibliography. I'm sure that wonderful sense of being let in on a secret will only grow as I get to know Newford better.
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in exploring de Lint's work. I found it a good introduction. Non-fantasy readers may also find it to their liking; the real-world focus results in a few stories in which magic fades into the background. My two favourite stories, ("In the House of My Enemy" and "But For the Grace Go I"), contained only the barest mention of the otherworldly.
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LibraryThing member WritingHaiku
If you've never read any books from the Newford series, start here. This collection of short stories eases you into de Lint's magical world, letting you get to know various characters, many of whom reappear in later books in the series. The Newford series is great for those of us who never got a
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letter from Hogwarts, never found a portal in the back of a wardrobe or got an invitation for adventure from a wizard, but still hold on to the hope that there's magic waiting for us in the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jammies
Good reviews are always harder for me to write than bad ones. This book just sings to me--I love the sparse, clean prose; the engaging, three-dimensional characters; the twisted but familiar storylines and the city of Newford. I love that de Lint sets his urban fantasies in a Canadian city, which
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is a welcome change from the UScentric urban fantasy I usually read. I was sad to close the book after reading the next page, and I want more. Show Less
LibraryThing member NineLarks
Dreams Underfoot is a fitting title for this book. It wraps us into Newford, a city where dreams and magic and fantasy is only a glance away. Buried inside each person's heart is a bird of magic, unless you choose to give it away. And in this book we meet the homeless, violinists, the lost,
It's a strange collection of novellas that weave and intertwine and somehow relate. But it works. We might meet a character and then see her from different pair of eyes later on. Jilly is introduced to magic when she meets the sullen Goodn, and then in future novellas she is a listening ear, a best friend, a passer-by in this city. Every character has their own story and hidden past, hidden sorrows, and quiet moments with magic. It's a juggle of characters with a thin weave of magic connecting all of them.
His writing has a certain appeal. It's soft and dreamy. It's wistful. It tells you stories that make you wonder if maybe balloon men are just outside your window rolling around in the clouds. I drifted through each page and had to stop reading sometimes to catch my breath and just imagine if my own eyes were clear enough to see magic in this world.
It is also beautiful because it seems more real with the darkness. Not magical sparkles and unicorns. And even more than beautiful gommies to take a dying man away and mermaids or whimsical meetings with Big Foot. These is darkness. Boogers with angry red eyes and great teeth. A love torn away by space and time. Monsters that kill, freaks that steal life's fire, etc. This is a sort of magic that lies parallel to life. It is not more or less, it is not good or bad. But it is there, if only you have the eyes to see.
The only major problem I had with this book is that there was no change in voice, even when we're reading first person perspective of completely different characters. All the characters all sound the same. I think it's because it's very rare for a book to contain first person POV for multiple characters. But since a character's voice is tied to the writing style (and obviously de Lint has the same style, even for different characters), the voices all end up sounding the same. I'm not sure if this is a flaw that could even be fixed, unless one were talented at writing in completely different styles. Well, I guess that's possible too.
Also, the story I disliked the most was the mermaid story. I didn't dislike the way the story was written or characters or anything like that. I disapprove because it followed the little mermaid story too closely. This book should not be a retelling of old fairy tales. That's not what the first 200 pages were about, but somehow that one was.
I imagine many people will dislike this sort of book. There is hardly any plot. There is really no direction. But I think it's lovely in and of itself.
4.5 stars. I rounded down because I am not sure I'll reread this book, but I might. And if I do, it will be 5 stars.
Recommended for those who can take a slower book. For those who are trying to see a little magic in their own lives.
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good-dooers of Newford who all encounter this subtle magic in their own way. We even meet the city herself.It's a strange collection of novellas that weave and intertwine and somehow relate. But it works. We might meet a character and then see her from different pair of eyes later on. Jilly is introduced to magic when she meets the sullen Goodn, and then in future novellas she is a listening ear, a best friend, a passer-by in this city. Every character has their own story and hidden past, hidden sorrows, and quiet moments with magic. It's a juggle of characters with a thin weave of magic connecting all of them.
His writing has a certain appeal. It's soft and dreamy. It's wistful. It tells you stories that make you wonder if maybe balloon men are just outside your window rolling around in the clouds. I drifted through each page and had to stop reading sometimes to catch my breath and just imagine if my own eyes were clear enough to see magic in this world.
It is also beautiful because it seems more real with the darkness. Not magical sparkles and unicorns. And even more than beautiful gommies to take a dying man away and mermaids or whimsical meetings with Big Foot. These is darkness. Boogers with angry red eyes and great teeth. A love torn away by space and time. Monsters that kill, freaks that steal life's fire, etc. This is a sort of magic that lies parallel to life. It is not more or less, it is not good or bad. But it is there, if only you have the eyes to see.
The only major problem I had with this book is that there was no change in voice, even when we're reading first person perspective of completely different characters. All the characters all sound the same. I think it's because it's very rare for a book to contain first person POV for multiple characters. But since a character's voice is tied to the writing style (and obviously de Lint has the same style, even for different characters), the voices all end up sounding the same. I'm not sure if this is a flaw that could even be fixed, unless one were talented at writing in completely different styles. Well, I guess that's possible too.
Also, the story I disliked the most was the mermaid story. I didn't dislike the way the story was written or characters or anything like that. I disapprove because it followed the little mermaid story too closely. This book should not be a retelling of old fairy tales. That's not what the first 200 pages were about, but somehow that one was.
I imagine many people will dislike this sort of book. There is hardly any plot. There is really no direction. But I think it's lovely in and of itself.
4.5 stars. I rounded down because I am not sure I'll reread this book, but I might. And if I do, it will be 5 stars.
Recommended for those who can take a slower book. For those who are trying to see a little magic in their own lives.
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LibraryThing member shinekomi
This was a suggestion from a good friend of mine, and I respect his taste in books. The short stories are poetic and vivid, mystical yet haunting.
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
This is an anthology of what seem to be urban fairy tales. Some of them are similar to well-known stories (for instance, there is one based on The Little Mermaid) but most are not based on any story I've heard before. All the stories take place in Newford and there are character overlaps between
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many of the stories. I definitely enjoyed it and de Lint's writing was strong as ever, but I'm not sure I'll read it again any time soon. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I've read a good bit of fantasy, and yet I never read Charles de Lint. Go figure. I'm glad I remedied that situation.
Dreams Underfoot consists of short stories all set in the city of Newford, with most of the characters overlapping from story to story. This is early urban fantasy, and still
At first I thought the book seemed just plain weird, but by the end of the first story I was hooked. As a writer of short stories, I loved seeing how the mechanics and voice varied with each story among these characters who often knew each other. I didn't dislike a single story, and I felt sad when it ended and I had to leave Newford behind.
Dreams Underfoot consists of short stories all set in the city of Newford, with most of the characters overlapping from story to story. This is early urban fantasy, and still
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excellent. Many of the stories involved the seedier side of Newford called the Tombs, where prostitutes peddle and Bigfoot wanders the alleys. Magic is everywhere in Newford, though most cannot see it. There are balloonmen who tumble along on the breeze, mermaids who yearn for human music, and bridges that may leads to a realm of more bridges. Some stories have a light touch of fantasy, others hold an undercurrent of horror, but all share one major theme: humanity, in all its shades. The power of music is also a prevalent theme.At first I thought the book seemed just plain weird, but by the end of the first story I was hooked. As a writer of short stories, I loved seeing how the mechanics and voice varied with each story among these characters who often knew each other. I didn't dislike a single story, and I felt sad when it ended and I had to leave Newford behind.
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LibraryThing member KateLeDonne
This novel enraptured me and swallowed me up until I finished. And then I was in love, and wanted to return and hear more of the story. And I did, many, many times. I still read this book and enjoy it just as thoroughly.
LibraryThing member weeksj10
A beautiful collection of short stories set in the city of Newford. These stories show the magic that hides in the shadows where people either don't see them or pretend that they don't. de Lint is breathtaking and his characters are the most realist, well developed I have read. I am now reading any
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and all de Lint I can get my hands on. Show Less
LibraryThing member isabelx
A selection of stories set in the imaginary North American city of Newford, where the threshold to faerie is blurred. Those who are willing to believe may see bigfoot wandering around the Tombs, inhuman children living in abandoned cars and mermaids swimming in the lake, or meet the spirit of the
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city one dark night. Coincidentally I had just read the first story in this book, as it is also in the Demons and Dreams short story collection. I've also read "The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep" before. Show Less
LibraryThing member schinders
i love the newford books. after you've read a bunch of them, novel or short story collection, it's like visiting friends you haven't seen in a while each time you open a new book.
LibraryThing member tloeffler
Great fantasy mixed with the seedy side of life, interconnected with some of the same characters throughout. Totally enjoyed.
LibraryThing member WritingHaiku
If you've never read any books from the Newford series, start here. This collection of short stories eases you into de Lint's magical world, letting you get to know various characters, many of whom reappear in later books in the series. The Newford series is great for those of us who never got a
Show More
letter from Hogwarts, never found a portal in the back of a wardrobe or got an invitation for adventure from a wizard, but still hold on to the hope that there's magic waiting for us in the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member Capnrandm
I'm not a fan of short stories, which makes the short story books that I like all the more overwhelming to me. I've bought and loaned away so many copies of this book I can't keep track of them all. Just sitting down to write this review has me feeling a parrot's beak pressing out from behind my
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sternum... completely haunting. Show Less
LibraryThing member Karyn_Ainsworth
O.k. I'm retiring this book unfinished. I rarely finish short story collections so I am unsure wether it was this or the audio format that did it for me. I did get most of the way through it, and liked what I read/ heard but just wasn't intrigued enough to choose it over the other books all lined
Earlier thoughts.
I'm making a proper attempt at an audio book, so I thought I should use an author I know I already like. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the first story. When I heard the woman's voice on the intro, I was anticipating that this would be a painful experience, but she won me over once I heard a few characters. I could even use my hands to do some stitching while I "read" the story. Will try some more tonight. I think a short story format is good though, as I don't think I can finish an audio book as quickly as a printed book. This way I can read other books inbetween.
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up on my shelf.Earlier thoughts.
I'm making a proper attempt at an audio book, so I thought I should use an author I know I already like. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the first story. When I heard the woman's voice on the intro, I was anticipating that this would be a painful experience, but she won me over once I heard a few characters. I could even use my hands to do some stitching while I "read" the story. Will try some more tonight. I think a short story format is good though, as I don't think I can finish an audio book as quickly as a printed book. This way I can read other books inbetween.
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LibraryThing member emblue
I'll go back to this. Just wasn't in the mood for it at this point, and I'm in the middle of two others (with more waiting for me). Abandoned, but not forgotten. :)
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
A collection of short stories that actually works very well as a 'novel.' They all share a setting and theme - that of troubled, often creative young people encountering myth and magic in the imaginary city of Newford. Having never been to either city, for some reason Newford conjures up a sort of
Some of these stories are very, very good. I'd say some of them are some of de Lint's best work.
However, around the second half of the book, it began to bother me in the same precise way that so much of de Lint's work ALWAYS bothers me. And this time, I pinned it down:
de Lint reminds me, exactly, of any one of a number of usually well-meaning counselors, teachers and other 'adult' figures, who, when I was a teenager, were CONVINCED that due to my 'alternative' look, creative bent, and independent, rebellious attitude, that I must be suffering from low self-esteem, and hiding some sort of dreadful trauma that had 'made me that way.'
There's even a story here where a girl tells a counselor a story of trauma and then says, "Oh, I'm lying, I just said that because I knew it was what you wanted to hear." I said "YES! FINALLY! He's admitting that sometimes counselors TRY to elicit this stuff from you whether it happened or not!" But then the twist ending to the story is that it really DID all happen to her. Ugh.
Believe it or not, some people are just creative and adopt an unusual look because it fits their personal aesthetic. Some people are eccentric without being mentally ill. Some people leave home early and go their own way because they are naturally more independent than others.
de Lint's writing makes me feel conflicted, because while people with the kind of attitude I've described are DEEPLY ANNOYING, his stories also make a reader (if the reader is me) feel guilty for being annoyed by them, because of course you have to have sympathy and empathy for any character who's been through the traumas his characters have, and appreciate people that are trying to 'help.' And bad things DO happen to lots of young people; and some of them are impelled out of the 'mainstream' due to those things.
So - I feel it's a good and helpful thing to encourage empathy and understanding of people who've been through a rough time. But on the other hand, I DON'T think it's helpful at all to encourage the false stereotype that people that are non-mainstream are always depressed, abuse survivors, or 'damaged goods' in some way.
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cross between the Seattle and Vancouver of my mind.Some of these stories are very, very good. I'd say some of them are some of de Lint's best work.
However, around the second half of the book, it began to bother me in the same precise way that so much of de Lint's work ALWAYS bothers me. And this time, I pinned it down:
de Lint reminds me, exactly, of any one of a number of usually well-meaning counselors, teachers and other 'adult' figures, who, when I was a teenager, were CONVINCED that due to my 'alternative' look, creative bent, and independent, rebellious attitude, that I must be suffering from low self-esteem, and hiding some sort of dreadful trauma that had 'made me that way.'
There's even a story here where a girl tells a counselor a story of trauma and then says, "Oh, I'm lying, I just said that because I knew it was what you wanted to hear." I said "YES! FINALLY! He's admitting that sometimes counselors TRY to elicit this stuff from you whether it happened or not!" But then the twist ending to the story is that it really DID all happen to her. Ugh.
Believe it or not, some people are just creative and adopt an unusual look because it fits their personal aesthetic. Some people are eccentric without being mentally ill. Some people leave home early and go their own way because they are naturally more independent than others.
de Lint's writing makes me feel conflicted, because while people with the kind of attitude I've described are DEEPLY ANNOYING, his stories also make a reader (if the reader is me) feel guilty for being annoyed by them, because of course you have to have sympathy and empathy for any character who's been through the traumas his characters have, and appreciate people that are trying to 'help.' And bad things DO happen to lots of young people; and some of them are impelled out of the 'mainstream' due to those things.
So - I feel it's a good and helpful thing to encourage empathy and understanding of people who've been through a rough time. But on the other hand, I DON'T think it's helpful at all to encourage the false stereotype that people that are non-mainstream are always depressed, abuse survivors, or 'damaged goods' in some way.
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LibraryThing member niquetteb
This is a collection of short stories that are not quite individual of one another. They are all separate, but interconnected. The descriptions used by De Lint are rich with comparisons of art, music, etc. The stories cause you to look beyond the initial insanity of a street person and question
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magic as a reality. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
This is a collection of urban fantasy short stories. Some of the characters in these short stories also appear in some of de Lint's novels.
I'm not a big short story fan, but I'd hoped to like this more because I “know” a few of the characters already from some of the novels I've read. Still
I'm not a big short story fan, but I'd hoped to like this more because I “know” a few of the characters already from some of the novels I've read. Still
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wasn't crazy about it, though. As with most short story collections, some are better than others, some held my attention better. It may have been harder to keep my attention, though, because I listened to the audio. I was fine with the narrator (she has narrated some of his other books, too), but with them being short stories, I just had a harder time following/staying focused. Overall, I'd say it was o.k. Show Less
LibraryThing member James_Patrick_Joyce
Entertaining and varied. I'll probably write a more detailed review, but it wasn't at the top or bottom of my readings, but it did capture my imagination, from time to time.
Lots of scenarios involving being true to yourself and letting go of things that you no longer need to cling to.
Lots of scenarios involving being true to yourself and letting go of things that you no longer need to cling to.
LibraryThing member NineLarks
Dreams Underfoot is a fitting title for this book. It wraps us into Newford, a city where dreams and magic and fantasy is only a glance away. Buried inside each person's heart is a bird of magic, unless you choose to give it away. And in this book we meet the homeless, violinists, the lost,
It's a strange collection of novellas that weave and intertwine and somehow relate. But it works. We might meet a character and then see her from different pair of eyes later on. Jilly is introduced to magic when she meets the sullen Goodn, and then in future novellas she is a listening ear, a best friend, a passer-by in this city. Every character has their own story and hidden past, hidden sorrows, and quiet moments with magic. It's a juggle of characters with a thin weave of magic connecting all of them.
His writing has a certain appeal. It's soft and dreamy. It's wistful. It tells you stories that make you wonder if maybe balloon men are just outside your window rolling around in the clouds. I drifted through each page and had to stop reading sometimes to catch my breath and just imagine if my own eyes were clear enough to see magic in this world.
It is also beautiful because it seems more real with the darkness. Not magical sparkles and unicorns. And even more than beautiful gommies to take a dying man away and mermaids or whimsical meetings with Big Foot. These is darkness. Boogers with angry red eyes and great teeth. A love torn away by space and time. Monsters that kill, freaks that steal life's fire, etc. This is a sort of magic that lies parallel to life. It is not more or less, it is not good or bad. But it is there, if only you have the eyes to see.
The only major problem I had with this book is that there was no change in voice, even when we're reading first person perspective of completely different characters. All the characters all sound the same. I think it's because it's very rare for a book to contain first person POV for multiple characters. But since a character's voice is tied to the writing style (and obviously de Lint has the same style, even for different characters), the voices all end up sounding the same. I'm not sure if this is a flaw that could even be fixed, unless one were talented at writing in completely different styles. Well, I guess that's possible too.
Also, the story I disliked the most was the mermaid story. I didn't dislike the way the story was written or characters or anything like that. I disapprove because it followed the little mermaid story too closely. This book should not be a retelling of old fairy tales. That's not what the first 200 pages were about, but somehow that one was.
I imagine many people will dislike this sort of book. There is hardly any plot. There is really no direction. But I think it's lovely in and of itself.
4.5 stars. I rounded down because I am not sure I'll reread this book, but I might. And if I do, it will be 5 stars.
Recommended for those who can take a slower book. For those who are trying to see a little magic in their own lives.
Show More
good-dooers of Newford who all encounter this subtle magic in their own way. We even meet the city herself.It's a strange collection of novellas that weave and intertwine and somehow relate. But it works. We might meet a character and then see her from different pair of eyes later on. Jilly is introduced to magic when she meets the sullen Goodn, and then in future novellas she is a listening ear, a best friend, a passer-by in this city. Every character has their own story and hidden past, hidden sorrows, and quiet moments with magic. It's a juggle of characters with a thin weave of magic connecting all of them.
His writing has a certain appeal. It's soft and dreamy. It's wistful. It tells you stories that make you wonder if maybe balloon men are just outside your window rolling around in the clouds. I drifted through each page and had to stop reading sometimes to catch my breath and just imagine if my own eyes were clear enough to see magic in this world.
It is also beautiful because it seems more real with the darkness. Not magical sparkles and unicorns. And even more than beautiful gommies to take a dying man away and mermaids or whimsical meetings with Big Foot. These is darkness. Boogers with angry red eyes and great teeth. A love torn away by space and time. Monsters that kill, freaks that steal life's fire, etc. This is a sort of magic that lies parallel to life. It is not more or less, it is not good or bad. But it is there, if only you have the eyes to see.
The only major problem I had with this book is that there was no change in voice, even when we're reading first person perspective of completely different characters. All the characters all sound the same. I think it's because it's very rare for a book to contain first person POV for multiple characters. But since a character's voice is tied to the writing style (and obviously de Lint has the same style, even for different characters), the voices all end up sounding the same. I'm not sure if this is a flaw that could even be fixed, unless one were talented at writing in completely different styles. Well, I guess that's possible too.
Also, the story I disliked the most was the mermaid story. I didn't dislike the way the story was written or characters or anything like that. I disapprove because it followed the little mermaid story too closely. This book should not be a retelling of old fairy tales. That's not what the first 200 pages were about, but somehow that one was.
I imagine many people will dislike this sort of book. There is hardly any plot. There is really no direction. But I think it's lovely in and of itself.
4.5 stars. I rounded down because I am not sure I'll reread this book, but I might. And if I do, it will be 5 stars.
Recommended for those who can take a slower book. For those who are trying to see a little magic in their own lives.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Crowyhead
Signed.
One of my favorite fantasy collections of all time, and an excellent introduction to de Lint's work.
One of my favorite fantasy collections of all time, and an excellent introduction to de Lint's work.
Awards
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Collection — 1994)
Language
Original publication date
1993
Physical description
416 p.; 8.26 inches
ISBN
0765306794 / 9780765306791