Tag: Charles de Lint

Review – Into the Green

Posted December 3, 2014 by in Reviews / 0 Comments

1062774Into the Green, Charles de Lint

I’m not entirely sure what I thought of Into the Green. I read it in one go, which normally indicates a pretty good book, but I’m not overwhelmed by it, thinking back. I liked the imagery and the idea of ‘going into the green’, the set up, the world… but I tend to be most strongly drawn by characters, and none of the characters here really got me. I finished it yesterday and I actually just struggled to remember the protagonist’s name (Angharad — I’m a little doubtful about taking someone who is clearly Romani-based and giving her a very Welsh name, but then I don’t know much about the Romani and maybe that fits in just fine); she’s not a very strong character. She’s described as naive at some points, and honestly, the way she blunders about, I’d rather say “stupid”.

There were aspects that I liked, though — some of the people she meets, and the way everything came together at the end. I’d have liked to hear more about the silver puzzle box, really, and how it came to be, the culture and world it came from.

Overall, I’ve got to give it points for keeping me interested, but I’m not going to keep the book around and I hope de Lint’s other books are stronger.

Rating; 3/5

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Review – Jack in the Green

Posted November 9, 2013 by Nicky in Reviews / 6 Comments

Cover of Jack in the Green by Charles de LintJack in the Green, Charles de Lint

Charles de Lint’s Jack in the Green is quite lovely. It’s a Robin Hood story, sort of. It brings the spirit of Robin Hood to a Hispanic community in the US, during the recession, to steal from the bankers and give to those who can’t pay their bills. It’s not that different a story to Maurice Broaddus’ version of King Arthur in a black neighbourhood, but somehow I don’t mind it at all. It feels truer to the spirit of the Robin Hood stories, I suppose.

It’s written in a straightforward, easy to read way; the magic in it is just… accepted as part of the world, not over-explained or positioned in such a way that it takes over the story. I really liked that casual inclusion of magic, impossible things, because it somehow made it feel more believable.

Admittedly, for me the story was more an interesting intellectual exercise than something that involved me emotionally, but there’s an enjoyment in that, too, in something that makes you think, “How is he going to do this? How will he make it work?”

I should get round to reading more of Charles de Lint’s work.

Review on Goodreads.

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