Forests of the Heart

My opinion of this magical book disagrees with some of the opinions below. I feel that de Lint explores new Newford territory with each book he writes and the wonderful passages of Hispanic lore (which are particularly beautifully written) give this book a rich new texture and flavor and make it a terrific addition to the Newford opus. Although Memory and Dream remains my personal favorite Newford book this one comes a very close second.I also loved the excursion to Arizona where de Lint's characters bump up against some desert creatures from Terri Windling's fiction and art: her desert faeries, the rabbit woman (a relative of Thumper's no doubt!), etc. I love it when writers share their worlds and visions like this (Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock have characters who appear in each other's books, for instance) and it was such a treat to come across it here and made me smile. If you're new to either de Lint or Windling's work, read this one, then read The Wood Wife...and then be sure to read all the rest of the terrific Newford series.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. As I said in the title, it was different from all his other books, in that it included the Native American/Hispanic point of view a good deal, instead of his usual Celtic/European. It also was much darker than many of the previous books. The characters have wretched family lives, like many of his characters, and in some cases, in this book, they can't overcome that. Most of the time, they do. The darker overtones do not take away from the book; rather, they add a dimension that one never knew was missing. The characters are intriguing as usual: the multitude of petite female characters, usually with short hair; the owner of Gypsy Records, a place that has been described but infrequently entered; Musgrave Wood, a thoroughly enigmatic character (down to gender); and Ellie, another one of his artists.Being able to see his usual patterns does not make this any less of a book; no, rather it adds a dimension of familiarity to a story that is otherwise new. I enjoyed reading it a good deal, and would certainly recommend the book to any Charles de Lint fan.However, I do feel compelled to admit, this is not the best place to start. Read _Dreams Underfoot_ or _Memory and Dream_ first to get the feel of the theme before trying the variations.

As other reviewers have commented, this book is reminiscent of Mr. De Lint's earlier works. The villians, with one or two exceptions, were fairly standard, cookie-cutter, "bad guy" types. The heroes, too, are typical De Lint: one or two recovering types, a few morose guys without a life, a few interesting standouts, and cameo appearances from Angel and Jilly.That being said, this is still a marvelous read: the supernatural characters are creepy and intriguing, Mr. De Lint's language is, as always, superb, and some of the supporting characters, like Bettina's abuela and the Aunts are very, very funny. Mr. De Lint's focus on personal choices and individual actions in the context of larger battles between good and evil is always thought-provoking. Especially gripping is the realization that one can slip from a so-called "normal life" into a vehicle for evil, almost without realizing it. Or consenting to it.I almost gave this book four stars, due to its familiarity, but, frankly, I find Mr. De Lint to be one of the finest writers in his field. If he chooses to write the same sort of story in the next ten books he writes, I will still probably read them. I would like to hear more about how the lives of Angel, Jilly, Geordie, etc. are "going" - maybe we will need to wait for the next collection of short stories for that? A very, very good fantasy novel.

In "Forests of the Heart" Charles DeLint once again brings magic to life. This time around, la brujeria is closely intertwined with the Celtic folklore and Native American influences that DeLint is famous for. The tale is set in the already well-loved town of Newford, though it also travels to the Sonoran desert and, of course, the Spiritworld. Some of the author's most popular characters (including Jilly, my personal favorite) make cameo appearances, but the book is peopled by fresh new faces that instantly engage the imagination and touch the heart. As in his other works, the folkloric elements weave a spell that resonates with a depth that connects past, present and future. The action in the plot makes for another ceaseless page-turner that sings of timeless truths and delights in no small measure. DeLint fans will not fail to be thrilled by his latest contribution, though anyone interested in mythic fiction or unrban fantasy will be just as enchanted by the promise of magic that "Forests of the Heart" brings.

When I hear that an author as good as De Lint has a new book come out, I get a little pessimistic. How can he possible write something as good as his previous books? But he has done it again. This marvelous story of shapeshifters of the southwest, manitous of the north, and Celtic genii loci is truly wonderful. Read this book! And, Mr. de Lint, was it serendipidous, or did you know about wise older women and spiders in some of the Plains Tribes? That is fairly esoteric, I think (I got it from my granny). At any rate, it makes me respect the way the author tosses together all the different lores to come up with such engaging stories.Thank you!