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Newford #20
Medicine Road
Sisters Laurel and Bess Dillard are traveling through the Southwest playing their music in bars and house parties when they meet two unhappy Native American spirits, Jim Changing Dog and Alice Corn Hair.
206 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2004
5 people are currently reading
1243 people want to read
About the author
Charles de Lint
446 books3,998 followersCharles de Lint is the much beloved author of more than seventy adult, young adult, and children's books. Renowned as one of the trailblazers of the modern fantasy genre, he is the recipient of the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, conducted by Random House and voted on by readers, put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100.
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for 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 an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, 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 (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for 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 an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, 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 (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 17, 2016
Solid contemporary fantasy about the fiddle-playing twins from Seven Wild Sisters on tour in Arizona, where they meet some interesting and unusual people...
May 3, 2020
Read away a night again, annoying. But how could I end such a fashinating and beautifully written tale with captiving caracters as this before it's end?
A beautiful story about finding yourself, treat others as you want to be treated, and in parts also about forgiveness and embracing yourself.
A beautiful story about finding yourself, treat others as you want to be treated, and in parts also about forgiveness and embracing yourself.
June 16, 2020
Alright, with "Medicine Road" I officially give up on Charles de Lint. This was just, not good, and while I understand what he was getting at with the comparison between LGBT+ people and shapeshifters, only one of the side characters is actually queer, while a main character protests too much about not being queer and not wanting the attention of queer people. Also, the writing was a step down from other de Lint works I've read. To whoever may read this review, do yourself a favor and read Terri Windling's "the Woodwife." Literally the same desert/urban Arizona setting, and while dated in places, it's a fantastic work of urban fantasy.
Charles Vess's illustrations are top notch. And the Tachyon Press binding and paper thickness are quite quality.
Charles Vess's illustrations are top notch. And the Tachyon Press binding and paper thickness are quite quality.
January 5, 2023
I read this entire book by candlelight last night (the power was out due to storms), and somehow that seemed appropriate. Luckily, the print was pretty big and the book is only 200 pages. I very much enjoyed getting out to the Southwest desert again with de Lint. To its various shape changers, he added twins Bess and Laurel, the two of the seven Appalachian sisters who were kidnapped into Faerie in an earlier book. Apparently they are now Newford residents, and are touring, performing their bluegrass music. It looks like Bess may find romance here, but her new boyfriend is not fully human, and is under a deadline, so it gets complicated. This is classic deLint, and lovely.
November 4, 2021
I think this could be one of my new Charles de Lint favourites!
I love the Dillard sisters and meeting Laurel & Bess in this story was like meeting old friends.
Read it in a day, that's how much I enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.
I love the Dillard sisters and meeting Laurel & Bess in this story was like meeting old friends.
Read it in a day, that's how much I enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.
January 7, 2011
"Medicine Road" is another brilliant story from Charles de Lint. Urban fantasy at its very best, and de Lint always delights me, which is why he is one of my all time favorite authors. This story is set in Arizona (Tucson, Prescott, Jerome, and Sedona in particular). Twin sisters and musicians Bess and Laurel have left their home territory of Newford for a musical roadtrip in Arizona. Besides playing music, taking in the sights, and falling in love with the desert, they manage to get caught up in a long running deal between Coyote Woman, Changing Dog and Alice Corn Hair. The resolution involves love, overcoming fear and prejudices, and discovery of the wild "cousin" lurking in the twins' souls. Highly recommended.
March 19, 2010
Despite its short length, this felt well-realized. As always, De Lint's characters are what makes his stories work and he's got a nice collection here. Plus I'm always a sucker for a straight-up love story.
July 20, 2017
If I were to be completely honest, I was actually slightly disappointed by this book. I don't think I've ever said that about a Charles de Lint book before. In fact, if you asked me who I considered to be the best author of modern day faerie tales he'd be at the very top of my list. I want to clarify, that this wasn't a bad book. It wasn't. It's just that all of the previous books I'd read by him, set the bar so incredibly high, that this one fell shockingly short for me.
Although each of the books in this Newford series works easily as a stand alone, they all are still part of a greater story. Because I don't have access to the entire set (or the funds to procure it) I've only been able to read a few of the other books, and I've read none of them in chronological order. This particular book, is meant to be the 20th in the series, and it's my suspicion (after reading it) that it was meant to be a sort of Part I of the conclusion for a few of the the characters. If I'd read books 1-19 already, I likely would have encountered all of these characters previously and would have gotten their complete back stories, rather than the short summaries included in this book for readers (like myself) who hadn't read the earlier books in the series. It left me feeling like there was much more to the story than I was reading.
That being said, it was still a good story. I still greatly appreciated the blunt way of writing that de Lint has. The way he talks about taboo topics in such a humdrum way never fails to make me smile. The way he makes faerie tales and supernatural beings seem almost mundane and commonplace is like a breath of fresh air. He writes of them as if they are the norm, a rule rather than an exception. He makes believing in magic easy again, like it was when you were a child.
Although each of the books in this Newford series works easily as a stand alone, they all are still part of a greater story. Because I don't have access to the entire set (or the funds to procure it) I've only been able to read a few of the other books, and I've read none of them in chronological order. This particular book, is meant to be the 20th in the series, and it's my suspicion (after reading it) that it was meant to be a sort of Part I of the conclusion for a few of the the characters. If I'd read books 1-19 already, I likely would have encountered all of these characters previously and would have gotten their complete back stories, rather than the short summaries included in this book for readers (like myself) who hadn't read the earlier books in the series. It left me feeling like there was much more to the story than I was reading.
That being said, it was still a good story. I still greatly appreciated the blunt way of writing that de Lint has. The way he talks about taboo topics in such a humdrum way never fails to make me smile. The way he makes faerie tales and supernatural beings seem almost mundane and commonplace is like a breath of fresh air. He writes of them as if they are the norm, a rule rather than an exception. He makes believing in magic easy again, like it was when you were a child.
March 17, 2023
For me this tale parallels our society. Who each of us is, by our nature, whether its a serpent, a canid (wolf, dog or coyote) or a deer. Whether we are predatory or seek peace in our world and where that peace can come from, such as art or music, poetry, a clean orderly home or hiking in the mountains.
Mr. de Lint always creates the world so vividly that you can smell the sagebrush and see the sunrise, feel the wind. In my opinion, he is a master word weaver producing rich tapestry tales where we learn a lesson by seeing ourselves and others. Similar to watching Shakespeare's work.
I recently read this again and as recently retired, will look to find my new path or the way back to "my" path as an older me. And I will wonder why I love to watch an Eagle soar and hunt so powerfully, so regally but fear that in the human race. I just hope I'm not a snake.
Mr. de Lint always creates the world so vividly that you can smell the sagebrush and see the sunrise, feel the wind. In my opinion, he is a master word weaver producing rich tapestry tales where we learn a lesson by seeing ourselves and others. Similar to watching Shakespeare's work.
I recently read this again and as recently retired, will look to find my new path or the way back to "my" path as an older me. And I will wonder why I love to watch an Eagle soar and hunt so powerfully, so regally but fear that in the human race. I just hope I'm not a snake.
September 24, 2021
This may be in my top five favorite de Lint books. I love the stories of the desert and its spirits, and this book really delivers. I have long wanted to visit the area around Sedona, and want to even more, now. I have every expectation, that should I do so, I will feel the cousins watching me, and will give them all due respect.
March 4, 2024
Delightful quick read. A little magic, a little folklore, and Native American teachings…treat others; people, animals, ands the earth, the way you would like to be treated.
It reminded me of the importance of doing what one can without the necessity to make grand changes.
It reminded me of the importance of doing what one can without the necessity to make grand changes.
June 24, 2019
Good quick read, not particularly deep but quite enjoyable. Liked the love story part and the road tripping. Makes me want to see the SW and to read more de Lint.
March 4, 2020
Sigh. So satisfying.
January 20, 2023
I never felt terribly attached to the main characters, especially since their story was told mostly by others.
Read
June 15, 2023It was a pretty good story. I wanted it to continue though.
February 4, 2024
It’s always a pleasure revisiting Charles De Lint’s novels that tread the perfect line between reality and the world of myth, but something about the books he writes set in the deserts of the American south hit different. I adore the Canadian touches that he brings to many of his stories, but most of them are decidedly East Coast - in their language, their land/cityscapes, and their indigenous mythology. I grew up surrounded by cacti, sagebrush, and the dry heat of a semi-arid landscape (even though epic mountains, tall trees, and running rivers were also dominant), so being able to explore stories that revealed the magic of the desert felt instantly familiar and inspiring in a different way. This novel in particular is one of my favourites, since we get to see familiar characters from Newford (a semi-east coast city) discover the desert for the first time and awaken a magic that they connect with in unexpected ways. Laurel and Bess have already experienced an adventure in faerie, but their experience was not exactly a pleasant one (I’ll have to dig out that novel again soon, because who can resist a story about the bee-folk!) and they’ve come away from the experience wary, if not borderline hostile, to the magic that lies hidden in every landscape. Playing the other side of the stage in this tale are a cast of shapechangers, whom De Lint has modeled after indigenous legends of the animal people and the spirits that inhabit all living things. Caught at the end of a bargain that gave a jackalope and a red dog human form for 100 years Bess and Laurel must face their fears and learn to embrace a new landscape if they want to walk this tale along the medicine road and come out the other side. Life and death may not be the stakes here, as De Lint takes the indigenous lore and unique themes to heart, so his tale comes to an unexpected and more natural end that doesn’t feel like an ending. The twins have made roots in this desert landscape, and while they’re unlikely to settle their travelling musician’s roots anytime soon, it seems certain that they’ll take a part of the desert (and the things they learned there) with them as they continue on their journey. The Cousins, too, have learned that bargains aren’t always what they seem, and even members of the coyote clan aren’t always up to their expected tricks!
June 26, 2016
The first Charles de Lint book I ever read was Forests of the Heart. It was beautiful, lyrical, and amazing. In that book, it was almost as if the desert itself was another character -- it had a presence, a shape all of it's own.
This book is sort of a not-sequel to Forests of the Heart. It takes place in the desert, and Bettina makes a brief appearance. It's not necessary to read the first to enjoy this one but they're somewhat similar.
However, this book slightly disappointed me. I was expecting that same presence to the desert, the same sense of it being it's own character that I found in Forests of the Heart, and the same sense of character that I get from the Newford setting. But... what I got was scenery. Beautiful scenery, to be true. De Lint's descriptions of the cacti and the flowers and the dry river beds make me want to visit and see them for myself. But in the end, all I got from it was scenery.
Maybe it's because 2 of the 4 main characters aren't from the desert, so it's not as important to them. Maybe it needs more legends? More calling the cacti Aunts and Uncles? I'm not sure what exactly was missing here, but it definitely felt like SOMETHING was just a little bit off.
Other than that, it was a sweet little light-hearted romance. Well written, but it lacked some of the profoundness, the sense of connectedness that I've found in his other Newford stories. It's almost YA in nature.
This book is sort of a not-sequel to Forests of the Heart. It takes place in the desert, and Bettina makes a brief appearance. It's not necessary to read the first to enjoy this one but they're somewhat similar.
However, this book slightly disappointed me. I was expecting that same presence to the desert, the same sense of it being it's own character that I found in Forests of the Heart, and the same sense of character that I get from the Newford setting. But... what I got was scenery. Beautiful scenery, to be true. De Lint's descriptions of the cacti and the flowers and the dry river beds make me want to visit and see them for myself. But in the end, all I got from it was scenery.
Maybe it's because 2 of the 4 main characters aren't from the desert, so it's not as important to them. Maybe it needs more legends? More calling the cacti Aunts and Uncles? I'm not sure what exactly was missing here, but it definitely felt like SOMETHING was just a little bit off.
Other than that, it was a sweet little light-hearted romance. Well written, but it lacked some of the profoundness, the sense of connectedness that I've found in his other Newford stories. It's almost YA in nature.
July 29, 2010
A long time ago, Coyote Woman gave two Native American spirits, a red dog and a jackalope, the ability to shift into human form on the condition that if within 100 hundred years they can both find soul mates who love them unconditionally they get to keep her gift, but if one of them does not than both will change back into their original form forever. Alice Corn Hair has found hers, but Jim Changing Dog has not found the right one and now time is running out.
Twins Laurel and Bess Dillard are traveling musicians touring the Southwest, playing their music and selling their cds. When they get to Tucson, they meet a whole new type of people some friendly and others not so. When the man who has caught Bess’s eye offers to show them around the twins are happy to comply. Bess is fascinated by Jim’s mysteriousness and the attraction is mutual. But not everyone wants life to be easy for Jim and when Bess learns the truth, it so overwhelms her that only if her sister can take courage in her own hands and awaken her own animal spirit in time can disaster for all of them be avoided
As usual De Lint combines the world we live in and the spirit world with flawless ease. Injecting wit and romance with no loss to the mysteries of Native American mythology. (And if you come across his writing in conjunction with Charles Vess’s artwork count your self lucky indeed!)
Twins Laurel and Bess Dillard are traveling musicians touring the Southwest, playing their music and selling their cds. When they get to Tucson, they meet a whole new type of people some friendly and others not so. When the man who has caught Bess’s eye offers to show them around the twins are happy to comply. Bess is fascinated by Jim’s mysteriousness and the attraction is mutual. But not everyone wants life to be easy for Jim and when Bess learns the truth, it so overwhelms her that only if her sister can take courage in her own hands and awaken her own animal spirit in time can disaster for all of them be avoided
As usual De Lint combines the world we live in and the spirit world with flawless ease. Injecting wit and romance with no loss to the mysteries of Native American mythology. (And if you come across his writing in conjunction with Charles Vess’s artwork count your self lucky indeed!)
July 7, 2016
This was a book I picked up used at Black and Read because I though the cover was cool. I've not read any of Charles de Lint's work before, so I think I went into it pretty much as blind as I could.
It's not a dense book, weighing in at less than 200 pages, but it tells its full story with no issue. There's not a lot of intense descriptions, but the author does name drop quite a few places around Arizona. Maybe a little too much, but I didn't really mind personally.
This is a tale written by someone who loves road trips. He does a great job of capturing that feeling of seeing something new and exciting, and being awed by things that the locals would find mundane. That's its strongest point, and he does a fantastic job of using that in every bit of his story.
If you have any interest in traveling, or seeing Arizona, or in Native American folklore, it's worth checking this book out. Even if you don't, and you just want to feel like you're on your own road trip, it's worth it for that feeling. It is a light read though; if you're looking for something with a bit more meat on it, you may be disappointed, or not. It tells its tale and doesn't overstay its welcome with needless padding, and it's a subtle skill to achieve that properly, so maybe it's worth it anyways.
It's not a dense book, weighing in at less than 200 pages, but it tells its full story with no issue. There's not a lot of intense descriptions, but the author does name drop quite a few places around Arizona. Maybe a little too much, but I didn't really mind personally.
This is a tale written by someone who loves road trips. He does a great job of capturing that feeling of seeing something new and exciting, and being awed by things that the locals would find mundane. That's its strongest point, and he does a fantastic job of using that in every bit of his story.
If you have any interest in traveling, or seeing Arizona, or in Native American folklore, it's worth checking this book out. Even if you don't, and you just want to feel like you're on your own road trip, it's worth it for that feeling. It is a light read though; if you're looking for something with a bit more meat on it, you may be disappointed, or not. It tells its tale and doesn't overstay its welcome with needless padding, and it's a subtle skill to achieve that properly, so maybe it's worth it anyways.
January 24, 2009
Laurel and Bess, Sarah Jane‘s older twin sisters, are professional musicians on the road in Arizona and are drawn into an ages old wager between Native American spirits who take human form. Jim Changing Dog and Alice Corn Hair have been changed into humans by Coyote for 100 years, but they have to have fallen in love to regain their two- shaped existance.
I have read that de Lint wants to leave Newford behind for Tyson and the desert. I love Newford; I guess I will come to love the desert too, if that‘s what de Lint wants to write about, because if he's writing it it will be lovely and full of heartache and magic and beauty and pain.
(It's still urban fantasy if it's setting is the rural contemporary desert, right?)
I have read that de Lint wants to leave Newford behind for Tyson and the desert. I love Newford; I guess I will come to love the desert too, if that‘s what de Lint wants to write about, because if he's writing it it will be lovely and full of heartache and magic and beauty and pain.
(It's still urban fantasy if it's setting is the rural contemporary desert, right?)
March 29, 2012
Shorter, less convoluted and with a smaller cast of characters than most of de Lint's novels, Medicine Road is perhaps even more charming and accessible as a result. The main human characters are the musical Dillard twins from Seven Wild Sisters (another de Lint novel), this time in the American southwest. They encounter Alice Corn Hair and Jim Changing Dog and are drawn into their real-life world of myth and magic. The story is charming and, yes, enchanting. The only thing it lacks (in comparison to most of de Lint's works) is a true bad guy, which isn't really a fault, as the characters have plenty of inner barriers and desires to keep the story moving along to its natural (but not inevitable) conclusion. When the tale ends, there is the promise of so much more to come, from all of the characters. And that's never a bad thing.
September 27, 2009
One of my top favorite authors, any book by Charles de Lint is a treat. This one was an especially wonderful treat as it is set in Arizona (Tucson, Prescott, Jerome, and Sedona in particular) and I read it partially while on vacation in Sedona. Twin sisters and musicians Bess and Laurel have left their home territory of Newford for a musical roadtrip in Arizona. Besides playing music, taking in the sights, and falling in love with the desert, they manage to get caught up in a curse Coyote Woman put on a Red Dog and a Jackalope. The resolution involves love, overcoming fear and prejudices, and discovery of the wild "cousin" lurking in the twins' souls. Past adventures are referenced and familiar people (both real and fictional) make cameo appearances much to this fan's delight.
May 15, 2011
I'm usually very enthusiastic about De Lint's books, but Medicine Road had things that made me hesitant to completely embrace it. I loved how he brought the desert and the Southwest to life, and the animal people in human skin (called "cousins") made for an enthralling mythology. Vess' artwork is fantastic.
I think my issue dealt mainly with the romance between Jim and Bess, and then Ramona's interference. All of it was a little too pat and felt resolved too easy. I also couldn't help but feel a little preached at with regards to tolerance of alternative lifestyles, sexual and otherwise, which I have never felt in his other books. Still, I found the book worth reading, although perhaps best from the library.
I think my issue dealt mainly with the romance between Jim and Bess, and then Ramona's interference. All of it was a little too pat and felt resolved too easy. I also couldn't help but feel a little preached at with regards to tolerance of alternative lifestyles, sexual and otherwise, which I have never felt in his other books. Still, I found the book worth reading, although perhaps best from the library.
February 1, 2012
Medicine Road by Charles de Lint is another beautiful addition to the Newford series with a mystical look at the world of magick from a Native American perspective. Alice Corn Hair (a shifter jackalope) and Changing Dog (Jim, a shifter red dog) are given one hundred years by Coyote Woman to discover their true love. If after one hundred years the two haven't succeeded, they must return to their animal form forever and leave behind the world of the two-leggeds. Time is running out. Alice has found her true love in Thomas, but Jim is still single. Will he find true love and be able to stay in the human world or will Alice have to say goodbye to her one true love forever? Read and find out. You're guaranteed to fall in love with this cast of whimsical characters.
July 6, 2014
Charles de lint books always remind me that there is a gentler more natural life to live. If we all connected more often with nature we would be better off. This book follows that theme.
Having read his books for around 15 years I have only just realised that the all the good guy characters live a very minimalist lifestyle. They don't tend to buy things, or own homes or cars. They are also able to go great distances and to great lengths without many possessions, but they always seem to have friends or make friends, that see them through.
His stories show that the good guys are usually the ones that have true friends and despite adversity, come out on top.
Having read his books for around 15 years I have only just realised that the all the good guy characters live a very minimalist lifestyle. They don't tend to buy things, or own homes or cars. They are also able to go great distances and to great lengths without many possessions, but they always seem to have friends or make friends, that see them through.
His stories show that the good guys are usually the ones that have true friends and despite adversity, come out on top.
November 3, 2010
This was a fun book. I have always enjoyed de Lint's stories and novels and this is no exception. Bess and Laurel Dillard are visiting the Southwest for the first time as traveling musicians. At the same time, life is altering greatly for Alice Corn Hair and Jim Changing Dog. They have made a deal that is finally about to fall through.
To say any more would ruin the story. If you haven't read de Lint, this is a good short book to start with. If you have already read and liked his books, you know why you should read this one.
To say any more would ruin the story. If you haven't read de Lint, this is a good short book to start with. If you have already read and liked his books, you know why you should read this one.
January 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this. Twins Bess and Laurel are visiting Tucson to play a few gigs when they meet some people who are very connected to the spirit world. De Lint is excellent at mixing folklore (in this case Native American) with modern life. Having been to Tucson a couple times, this story really resonated with me - I was familiar with quite a few of the places he mentioned. If you're interested in folklore with a modern twist, check this out.
Also I realized after starting this that it's part of his Newford collection so Bess and Laurel have a backstory that I'm very interested in!
Also I realized after starting this that it's part of his Newford collection so Bess and Laurel have a backstory that I'm very interested in!
January 6, 2017
Another solid de Lint book. This one is about the adventures of the Dillard Sisters while they are touring Arizona. They meet up with an unlikely duo who happen to be part of the animal/spirit realm. Bess falls in love with Jim, who is really a red dog called "changing dog." And an adventure follows because of their differences. This is an easy read, and it was fun to have a setting in the Arizona badlands. There is another book about the Dillard sisters called Seven Wild Sisters, which I am hunting down right now. As I gotta read it after I really enjoyed this novel.
August 24, 2009
I don't think that I have ever read something by Charles de Lint that I haven't enjoyed and Medicine Road is no exception. It was a bit more lighthearted than some of the other Newford books that I have been reading recently (Widdershins, The Onion Girl, Spirits in the Wires). It reminded of Terri Windling's The Woodwife... lots of southwest, native american-esque flavor with a healthy dose of music and art and romance.
March 9, 2012
The two musical twins from Seven Wild Sisters are back and touring in Arizona. I was just there for vacation, so it was fun to read the descriptions of the beautiful desert in that area. They encounter de Lint's version of the local faerie - spirits of the land - a red dog and a jackalope(!) who have been living as humans for the past 100 years. Taking it as pure fiction, it's a charming adventure. Part of me does feel niggled about de Lint writing about native American lore.
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