Title: The Wild Wood
Author: Charles de Lint
First published January 1, 1994
205 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780765302588 (ISBN10: 0765302586)
Rating: 3.99
Overview
A solitary writer retreats to her cabin in the heart of the forest to focus on her stories. Yet, inexplicably, fantastical and alluring beings are emerging in her tales and scribbles.
The realm of Faerie is calling upon her for aid–and she could be their final hope for preservation.
About the Author
Meet Charles de Lint, a beloved author who has written over 70 books for adults, young adults, and children. He’s a trailblazer in the modern fantasy genre and has received numerous awards for his work, including the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards.
In fact, eight of his books made it onto Modern Library’s Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, as voted on by readers.
De Lint is not just an author, but also a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter, and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns, and encyclopedia entries.
He’s even been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. Additionally, de Lint has taught creative writing workshops for children and adults in Canada and the United States, served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa, and judged several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon, and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as a baby. They moved frequently because of his father’s job with an international surveying company, but eventually settled in Lucerne, Quebec, where de Lint still lives today with his wife and business partner, MaryAnn Harris.
They share their home with a small dog named Johnny Cash.
De Lint is a romantic at heart, believing in compassion, hope, and human potential. He’s a skilled writer who brings characters and settings to life, earning him a dedicated readership and high praise from peers, reviewers, and readers alike.
Holly Black, a bestselling author, says that de Lint “writes like a magician,” while Alice Hoffman, another bestselling author, calls him “the modern master of urban fantasy.” Quill & Quire says that reading his work is like “falling under the spell of a master storyteller.”
De Lint’s Newford books, published between 1993 and 2009, are some of his most popular works. Although not a consecutive series, the 25 standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
He’s also written the young adult Wildlings trilogy and a novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, which won the Sunburst Award and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children’s books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace, is a ghost story about love, passion, and faith.
De Lint is currently working on a new adult novel and also writes original songs with his wife, MaryAnn. Together, they recently released companion CDs of their music.
Editoral Review
In Charles de Lint’s The Wild Wood, readers are transported to a world filled with magic and intrigue. Published in 1994, de Lint’s novel is a complex work that mixes folklore with modern-day sensibilities, resulting in a unique blend of fantasy and realism.
De Lint is a prolific writer of urban fantasy, a sub-genre that blends elements of fairy tales and mythology with contemporary settings. The Wild Wood is no exception, as it tells the story of a young woman named Kieran who discovers a hidden world of fairies and other magical creatures in the woods near her home.
The novel’s plot is both engaging and complex, with Kieran facing a series of challenges as she tries to navigate this new world. Along the way, she encounters a cast of vividly drawn characters, including the enigmatic figure known as the Horned Man and a band of dangerous goblins.
De Lint’s prose is poetic and evocative, perfectly capturing the eerie beauty of the Wild Wood and the dangerous allure of the world beyond. One of the novel’s strengths is its vividly drawn characters.
Kieran is a complex and sympathetic protagonist, and the supporting cast is equally well-drawn. De Lint excels at creating characters who are both unique and relatable, giving readers a reason to care about their fates.
Another strength of the novel is its themes of identity and belonging. Kieran is torn between two worlds, and the novel explores the idea of what it means to belong in a way that is both profound and thought-provoking.
The Wild Wood also touches on issues of environmentalism and the dangers of industrialization, making it a novel that feels both timeless and timely. While The Wild Wood is an impressive work, it’s not without its flaws.
Some readers may find the story slow-moving or overly complex, and the novel’s blend of realism and fantasy may not appeal to everyone. Overall, The Wild Wood is a beautifully crafted novel that will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and anyone who enjoys a well-told tale.
De Lint is a masterful storyteller, and this novel is an excellent example of his skill. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4/5
