Forests of the Heart

May 29, 2000
Irish fairies, Native American shape-changers and Africa's Anansi the Spider all meet up as de Lint (The Buffalo Man) weaves a new tale of urban magic, in which a diverse cast of characters learns that all the oldest myths are true. This comes as no surprise to Bettina San Miguel (a Mexican-Indian healer whose power comes from her father, a hawk-spirit), or to Tommy Raven (whose aunts back on the reservation were in regular contact with the spirit world). But Hunter Cole and Ellie Jones, who have never believed in anything supernatural, are shocked to learn that Ellie has enormous magical powers. Conversely, for Miki Greer, the revelation is a horrible confirmation of her Irish father's angry rantings--and a dangerous portent for her brother, Donal, who is involved with the violent "hard men" (displaced Irish spirits, also known as the Gentry and los lobos, looking for a home in America). The "hard men" want to summon a Green Man to fight the native spirits--and they want to use Donal's body to help them do it. Suddenly, the fictional city of Newford is crawling with magic--some hostile, some strangely appealing. And Bettina, Tommy, Hunter and Ellie must stop Donal before it's too late. A leisurely, intriguing expedition into the spirit world, studded with Spanish and Gaelic words and an impressive depth of imagination, de Lint's latest teems with music, danger and a touch of romance.

May 15, 2000
Despite her distance from the southwestern deserts of her childhood, Bettina San Miguel still remembers and practices the old ways taught her by her grandmother and recognizes the presence of the unseen world. Sculptor Ellie Jones does not believe in magic, but her work radiates power. Together with a few other gifted people who reside near the Canadian town of Newford, Bettina and Ellie learn the joys and dangers of crossing the barrier between the mundane world and the bright land of myth that lies just beyond the senses. Blending images from Celtic and Native American myth to create a unique vision of the relationship between artistic creation and the magical energies that permeate the world these characters inhabit, this latest Newford tale from de Lint (Somewhere To Be Flying) is an example of urban fantasy at its very best. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.