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Ottawa and the Valley #5
Greenmantle
Not far from the city there is an ancient wood, forgotten by the modern world, where Mystery walks in the moonlight. He wears the shape of a stag, or a goat, or a horned man wearing a cloak of leaves. He is summoned by the music of the pipes or a fire of bones on Midsummer's Evening. He is chased by the hunt and shadowed by the wild girl.
328 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1988
76 people are currently reading
2323 people want to read
About the author
Charles de Lint
447 books4,006 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 125 reviews
October 11, 2022
In Greenmantle, author Charles de Lint mixes fantasy and the mob and creates something new.
Invisible in the shadows of the side of his house, a small figure stirred. A smile touched her fox-thin features." pg 67
Ali and her mother, Frankie, recently won the lottery and used the money to move to a house out in the country. Their neighbor, Tony, has a checkered past and has moved out to the country for reasons of his own.
Together, they'll explore a mysterious force in the woods that is connected to haunting music as well as face threats from a far more earthly menace.
I enjoyed Greenmantle quite a lot.
"Where it passed sleepers, dreams were suddenly filled with resonances never sensed before, while those who were awake, paused in their conversations for that one moment it took for the stag to go by, resuming them again then, knowing they weren't quite the same, but not knowing why." pg 100
The fantasy portions of the story were my favorite. Lint writes them well- making the fantastical seem as if it is actually possible.
Easy to see why he was one of the first writers of the modern urban fantasy genre.
Highly recommended for fantasy readers.
Invisible in the shadows of the side of his house, a small figure stirred. A smile touched her fox-thin features." pg 67
Ali and her mother, Frankie, recently won the lottery and used the money to move to a house out in the country. Their neighbor, Tony, has a checkered past and has moved out to the country for reasons of his own.
Together, they'll explore a mysterious force in the woods that is connected to haunting music as well as face threats from a far more earthly menace.
I enjoyed Greenmantle quite a lot.
"Where it passed sleepers, dreams were suddenly filled with resonances never sensed before, while those who were awake, paused in their conversations for that one moment it took for the stag to go by, resuming them again then, knowing they weren't quite the same, but not knowing why." pg 100
The fantasy portions of the story were my favorite. Lint writes them well- making the fantastical seem as if it is actually possible.
Easy to see why he was one of the first writers of the modern urban fantasy genre.
Highly recommended for fantasy readers.
March 23, 2017
This was yet another book that was not what I was expecting. I thought a lot more of it would be about mythology and I wasn't expecting the mafia component at all. While I did have fun with the book, the mafia part got to be a bit excessive. It might actually be worth buying the ebook to see how many times "fercrissakes" was used.
My only other complaint is that the bad guys were a little too much of a stereotype of nauseous character traits.
Although I did have issues with it by the end, it was a very unique book and I enjoyed it. Fun reading :)
My only other complaint is that the bad guys were a little too much of a stereotype of nauseous character traits.
Although I did have issues with it by the end, it was a very unique book and I enjoyed it. Fun reading :)
February 13, 2019
Поредицата на де Линт за долината на река Отава е насочена към читатели обичащи по-остри ръбове от тези на Нюфорд. Магията пак е тук, но сюжетите са доста по-натуралистични. Чудех се извесно време дали да я започвам, но така любимите ми нюфордски книги намаляват и трябва да се разрежда. При всички положения не съжалявам.
Грийнмантел е книга за вярата. Ама не някоя специфична, въпреки че има доста любопитна критика към християнството, а за човешката вяра и в чудеса, и в себе си, и в другите.
Франки е живяла доста проблемен живот, но късметът и се усмихва когато печели от лотарията. Решава да купи старата бащина къща в провинцията, въпреки че е избягала от там като малка, и да се заесели с 14 годишната си дъщеря Алиса.
Тони е насилствено пенсиониран мафиот, който се е покрил в канадсакта провинция и вече две години живее в усамотение. Всичко се променя, когато в съседство се нанасят Франки и Али. Тони завързва приятелство с тях, ала когато се появява бащата на Алиса, прясно излязаъл от затвора и искащ печалбата на бившата си, той бива разпознат и изпявт на мафията.
От там следва здрав екшън, но:
В долината на Отава се крие една от последните останали на света Тайнства – Пан, Зеленият човек, Зелената мантия и с още много имена. Едно село не точно в нашия свят го задържа с помощта на вярата си и музика. Музика, която героите постоянно чуват и им въздейства различно. Алиса е единствената, която може да освободи Тайнството от все по-стесняващият се кръг на обитание. Докато майка и и новият и приятел се опитват да оцелеят от изпратените по Тони килъри, на нея ще и се наложи да води собствена битка, която е далеч по-странна и с много по-голямо значение.
P.S. Де Линт винаги затваря всичките си сюжетни линии,дори третостепенните и винаги ги преплита на финала. И тук гледната точка през главите на десет различни герои е изпълнена перфектно. Направо граничи с магия това му умение.
Грийнмантел е книга за вярата. Ама не някоя специфична, въпреки че има доста любопитна критика към християнството, а за човешката вяра и в чудеса, и в себе си, и в другите.
Франки е живяла доста проблемен живот, но късметът и се усмихва когато печели от лотарията. Решава да купи старата бащина къща в провинцията, въпреки че е избягала от там като малка, и да се заесели с 14 годишната си дъщеря Алиса.
Тони е насилствено пенсиониран мафиот, който се е покрил в канадсакта провинция и вече две години живее в усамотение. Всичко се променя, когато в съседство се нанасят Франки и Али. Тони завързва приятелство с тях, ала когато се появява бащата на Алиса, прясно излязаъл от затвора и искащ печалбата на бившата си, той бива разпознат и изпявт на мафията.
От там следва здрав екшън, но:
В долината на Отава се крие една от последните останали на света Тайнства – Пан, Зеленият човек, Зелената мантия и с още много имена. Едно село не точно в нашия свят го задържа с помощта на вярата си и музика. Музика, която героите постоянно чуват и им въздейства различно. Алиса е единствената, която може да освободи Тайнството от все по-стесняващият се кръг на обитание. Докато майка и и новият и приятел се опитват да оцелеят от изпратените по Тони килъри, на нея ще и се наложи да води собствена битка, която е далеч по-странна и с много по-голямо значение.
P.S. Де Линт винаги затваря всичките си сюжетни линии,дори третостепенните и винаги ги преплита на финала. И тук гледната точка през главите на десет различни герои е изпълнена перфектно. Направо граничи с магия това му умение.
April 5, 2010
I enjoyed it overall but I did not expect it to be practically half mafia story, half deep woodland story as the book cover and info on the back does not hint at the mafia involvement whatsoever. If I had picked the book up in a shop I may have read the first couple of pages and been put off by the beginning mafia scenes and not purchased it so I am glad I bought it offline and was not put off when I persevered with it thinking it was probably just setting a scene and the woodland scenes would soon occur, which is portrayed by the beautiful cover (which thankfully happens) . That said it worked well and it even got my pulse racing in some scenes, I came to enjoy the mafia scenes. The chapters involving Ali and Mally were the highlights for me as was any mention of what they call in this book greenmantle, also know as the greenman/cernunnos/pan etc. :)
Some lines I remember from the book I enjoyed reading are:
‘All roads lead to the same end. So it’s not so much which road you take, as how you take it.’
‘Some things can’t be explained, some shouldn’t be and some lose their heart when they are.’
‘It wasn’t the magic of the mystery that was important or the finding of it, but the quest itself.’
‘He has always been a reflection of what one brings to him.’
‘It’s important to know what a person was, but it’s more important to know what they are now.’
‘Talking is not everything Ali, sometimes just being together is enough.’
“Thank God, you’re okay,” she murmured into Ali’s ear.
“Let’s thank ourselves,” Ali said. “We’re the ones that did it.”
AND I need to make a cloak like this one, it sounds lovely: ‘She could see that the cloak now appeared to be made of hundreds of pieces of cloth in the shapes of leaves, all sewn together.’
I would like to read some more stories by Charles De Lint in the future
Some lines I remember from the book I enjoyed reading are:
‘All roads lead to the same end. So it’s not so much which road you take, as how you take it.’
‘Some things can’t be explained, some shouldn’t be and some lose their heart when they are.’
‘It wasn’t the magic of the mystery that was important or the finding of it, but the quest itself.’
‘He has always been a reflection of what one brings to him.’
‘It’s important to know what a person was, but it’s more important to know what they are now.’
‘Talking is not everything Ali, sometimes just being together is enough.’
“Thank God, you’re okay,” she murmured into Ali’s ear.
“Let’s thank ourselves,” Ali said. “We’re the ones that did it.”
AND I need to make a cloak like this one, it sounds lovely: ‘She could see that the cloak now appeared to be made of hundreds of pieces of cloth in the shapes of leaves, all sewn together.’
I would like to read some more stories by Charles De Lint in the future
March 22, 2017
This one was okay, though not as captivating to me as Moonheart was.
The world was easy to build since I've lived in Ottawa my whole life and am familiar with Calabogie and Lanark. Also, I grew up rural in an age before the Internet and cell phones, so I could better appreciate the fear of having bad things happen when no one is around to help.
I still had a hard time integrating Italian mafiosos with the setting, though I know the intention of Tony was to hide out in the least likely place for an ex-mafioso.
Also, small peeve here, but I found the term "fercrissakes" got a little too much page time. Also, it sounds more Ottawa Valley than Italian gangster, so it was weird coming out of their mouths.
Overall ok, though I'd recommend Moonheart first.
The world was easy to build since I've lived in Ottawa my whole life and am familiar with Calabogie and Lanark. Also, I grew up rural in an age before the Internet and cell phones, so I could better appreciate the fear of having bad things happen when no one is around to help.
I still had a hard time integrating Italian mafiosos with the setting, though I know the intention of Tony was to hide out in the least likely place for an ex-mafioso.
Also, small peeve here, but I found the term "fercrissakes" got a little too much page time. Also, it sounds more Ottawa Valley than Italian gangster, so it was weird coming out of their mouths.
Overall ok, though I'd recommend Moonheart first.
August 14, 2012
This is the second book by Charles de Lint that I've read, and I'm totally hooked. The story was not at all what I expected, in the best possible way. How many fantasy novels have you read that started off depicting the aftermath of a mafia hit? I'm guessing none. And yet de Lint is such a masterful storyteller that he manages to weave together the backgrounds and needs of a wide variety of characters without ever letting the reader feel confused, lost, or disinterested. Before long, it's making perfect sense that our protagonists include a retired mafia hit man, a recent lottery winner, and a little girl. It makes perfect sense that we also learn about the inhabitants of a hidden village, a mysterious entity that may or may not be a god, a small time thug who wants to be much bigger than his britches can handle, a random local guy who's just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a forest "secret" that sometimes seems like a raggamuffin girl and sometimes like an ancient faerie.
Besides the technical prowess, I think what I enjoyed most about this story was that, despite the elements of fantasy, it could just as easily been categorized as mainstream fiction. Sort of how Stephen King started off as horror but became so popular he transcended the genre. Like King, de Lint blurs the edges of the real world to show us a possibility that might exist right under our noses. However, his writing is also extraordinary, literary and lyric, authentic and easy.
This was so enjoyable, I got depressed when I finished it! I can't wait to read more of de Lint's work.
Besides the technical prowess, I think what I enjoyed most about this story was that, despite the elements of fantasy, it could just as easily been categorized as mainstream fiction. Sort of how Stephen King started off as horror but became so popular he transcended the genre. Like King, de Lint blurs the edges of the real world to show us a possibility that might exist right under our noses. However, his writing is also extraordinary, literary and lyric, authentic and easy.
This was so enjoyable, I got depressed when I finished it! I can't wait to read more of de Lint's work.
April 2, 2019
I found this to be an incredibly fast, breezy read (I finished it in about 24 hours) though the concept of the book is rather odd: Italian mobsters clashing with ancient mysteries in the deep woods outside of Ottawa. de Lint's characters, as always, as realistic and complex. There's a mobster framed for a don's murder, living in hiding; a divorced mom graced with a big lottery win, and her bright teenage daughter; a cast of baddies include the mom's ex-husband, a callous murderer who finds out about her jackpot; and in the backdrop of everything, soul-touching music that drifts from the woods, and a magnificent stag who is not always a stag.
The ending didn't quite satisfy me, though I understand why de Lint took it the direction he did. The magical angle doesn't seem like it will be as memorable for me as the Italian mob angle. Even with my criticism, though, I am reminded that I need to read more of de Lint's work.
The ending didn't quite satisfy me, though I understand why de Lint took it the direction he did. The magical angle doesn't seem like it will be as memorable for me as the Italian mob angle. Even with my criticism, though, I am reminded that I need to read more of de Lint's work.
April 13, 2012
Meh. A bunch of different characters like a former mafia hitman, a divorced wife and her bright daughter, a bunch of neopagan villagers, and a mysterious wild girl all live in the wilds of Canada. They all are touched by a gigantic stag as the past of several of them come to a violent head.
It starts out well, but then drags on. I'm sure for the time the neo-paganism was groundbreaking, but it feels really tired and cliche here, especially the typical "Christianity is bad m'kay" vibe. I'm not against the idea of functioning paganism in fantasy, but a good book doesn't greenwash it: it acknowledges that the deity itself is not perfect. A good example in modern film is Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, with the wolf-goddess Moro. She is wild, pagan, capricious, but tender and long-lived. This just felt very one-sided a book to me, especially when they revealed the dogs chasing the stag.
The plot is okay, but after awhile I was just wishing they'd get to the resolution. The pagan aspect was straightforwards and displayed early, so it's just a lot of waiting for Earl vs Tony or what have you. Surprisingly I found myself differing from the reviewers here, and I would have loved it just being a story about Tony, Frankie, and Ali discovering a wild pagan god in their forest. The rest of the characters or subplots honestly felt redundant, and those characters to me were the only ones that mattered. The neopagan village especially was a dumb idea, as it robbed a lot of the mystery of the book. I'll still try later books, but this one isn't really selling me on the author.
It starts out well, but then drags on. I'm sure for the time the neo-paganism was groundbreaking, but it feels really tired and cliche here, especially the typical "Christianity is bad m'kay" vibe. I'm not against the idea of functioning paganism in fantasy, but a good book doesn't greenwash it: it acknowledges that the deity itself is not perfect. A good example in modern film is Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, with the wolf-goddess Moro. She is wild, pagan, capricious, but tender and long-lived. This just felt very one-sided a book to me, especially when they revealed the dogs chasing the stag.
The plot is okay, but after awhile I was just wishing they'd get to the resolution. The pagan aspect was straightforwards and displayed early, so it's just a lot of waiting for Earl vs Tony or what have you. Surprisingly I found myself differing from the reviewers here, and I would have loved it just being a story about Tony, Frankie, and Ali discovering a wild pagan god in their forest. The rest of the characters or subplots honestly felt redundant, and those characters to me were the only ones that mattered. The neopagan village especially was a dumb idea, as it robbed a lot of the mystery of the book. I'll still try later books, but this one isn't really selling me on the author.
January 24, 2022
I first read this novel over 20 years ago. On re-reading it didn't seem quite as good as I thought I remembered it to be. Greenmantle is something of a combination of an Italian mafia story and mythological fantasy set in a forest somewhere near Ottawa, Canada. Either story would have been ok, but the combination was just a bit jarring, especially since there wasn't much overlap between the different stories.
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April 29, 2012My opinion isn't objective, since I first laid my hands upon his books, but I will try my best anyway.
This book took me longer to finish than others, something in the plot seemed more different than his usual "style" of writing. Maybe it's just because I don't like much action, guns and violence in my books, maybe he took a different path of storytelling.
Anyhow, no matter how much I was disappointed with the whole "Godfather" mess that he described here and gave less space for the magical line of events to develop, when I finished the last page I had the same feeling as I always do when I finish his books - the crave for more.
I give it 3 out of 5, but nonetheless will continue searching, reading and collecting his books.
This book took me longer to finish than others, something in the plot seemed more different than his usual "style" of writing. Maybe it's just because I don't like much action, guns and violence in my books, maybe he took a different path of storytelling.
Anyhow, no matter how much I was disappointed with the whole "Godfather" mess that he described here and gave less space for the magical line of events to develop, when I finished the last page I had the same feeling as I always do when I finish his books - the crave for more.
I give it 3 out of 5, but nonetheless will continue searching, reading and collecting his books.
December 7, 2012
This book is freaking weird! Its like mobsters mixed with fairy tales. I dont really know how to describe it but it's different. I loved the characters. And I also love the random extremely sexual scenes because they actually work in this book.
December 31, 2008
This was the first of de Lint's books that I read. I didn't know what to expect and I just couldn't put it down. I find that de Lint has a simple style that just draws me in.
April 9, 2020
Just because you can write a mob-fantasy crossover, doesn’t mean you should.
February 11, 2025
3.5 stars
14-year old Ali and her mom, Frankie, have moved to Frankie’s old house after she won the lottery. They are going to fix the house up and stay. But when Frankie’s ex, Earl, learns that Frankie won the lottery, he’s coming after her for the money. Meanwhile, Ali is making friends with their neighbour, Tony. They don’t know at first, but Tony is hiding from the mafia, which he used to be involved in until there was a “hit” out for him. But Ali can tell Tony’s a good guy. In the forest behind their homes are some odd things though: a piper that plays eerie music that makes people do odd things, a stag that appears, a young girl who is a little odd…
This was good. I’m not always a fan of fantasy, but this is urban fantasy (though not an urban area, the bulk of the story is in the “real” world, with parts of fantasy in the forest), and I usually do better with this type of fantasy. Based on the description and cover, there was less fantasy that I expected, so I was happy about that. The book followed many different characters at different points, and I’m not always as interested in the “bad guys’” perspectives when books do this. This was the case, once again, particularly following Tony’s crew. Overall, though, I did like the story, and I like Ali and Frankie, especially. And even Tony. There were some pretty terrible characters, though (looking at you, Earl! For one).
14-year old Ali and her mom, Frankie, have moved to Frankie’s old house after she won the lottery. They are going to fix the house up and stay. But when Frankie’s ex, Earl, learns that Frankie won the lottery, he’s coming after her for the money. Meanwhile, Ali is making friends with their neighbour, Tony. They don’t know at first, but Tony is hiding from the mafia, which he used to be involved in until there was a “hit” out for him. But Ali can tell Tony’s a good guy. In the forest behind their homes are some odd things though: a piper that plays eerie music that makes people do odd things, a stag that appears, a young girl who is a little odd…
This was good. I’m not always a fan of fantasy, but this is urban fantasy (though not an urban area, the bulk of the story is in the “real” world, with parts of fantasy in the forest), and I usually do better with this type of fantasy. Based on the description and cover, there was less fantasy that I expected, so I was happy about that. The book followed many different characters at different points, and I’m not always as interested in the “bad guys’” perspectives when books do this. This was the case, once again, particularly following Tony’s crew. Overall, though, I did like the story, and I like Ali and Frankie, especially. And even Tony. There were some pretty terrible characters, though (looking at you, Earl! For one).
August 24, 2019
This is one of Mr. de Lint's earlier works. It showcases his style but is much earthier than most of his writing. It incorporates the mythology of Pan/the Green Man with a mafioso-like story that feels odd at times but is still a very enjoyable read.
Frankie and her daughter have moved into an old farmhouse out in the wilds of Ottawa. Their nearest neighbor is a retired mobster. All of them hear magical piping at times coming from the woods behind their homes. When their past lives come back to haunt them, they find more than trouble in a world where legends become real.
Frankie and her daughter have moved into an old farmhouse out in the wilds of Ottawa. Their nearest neighbor is a retired mobster. All of them hear magical piping at times coming from the woods behind their homes. When their past lives come back to haunt them, they find more than trouble in a world where legends become real.
October 10, 2021
We have left Ottawa now, and are in the Valley, where a very old Mystery dwells. He is known to few but a handful of those who knew him in the Old World, and a handful of newcomers who have heard his pipes. It is the newcomers who need him so badly, just as he needs them, and their coming together will change all of them, from the Mystery, to the retired mafioso, to the woman on the run from her past, to the woman's daughter...on the run to her future.
January 30, 2022
This is a amazing work by Charles de Lint. To be honest, I still do not understand why this book is often called "dirty", in my opinion everything written about the mafia and about life is appropriate, and Charles de Lint also did it magically. It was an absolute pleasure to read this story!🖤💚
May 30, 2020
I loved the mythic sections, the stag and Mally. The Mafia sections I could have done without... they were jarring and a strange juxtaposition with cringey dialogue.
March 11, 2017
It didn't occur to me until finishing the book but chances are XTC's "Apple Venus Vol 1" album would have a made a good soundtrack to this book, consumed as it is with old times and green men and people shooting at each other in the forest with rocket launchers.
And while that sounds like the plot of a great novel that was hijacked halfway through by your five year old cousin who's totally into first person shooting video games, it doesn't come across as completely awkward as it sounds and in fact is quite enjoyable in parts. Once again De Lint writes another story set in the lush wilderness of Canada featuring mostly actual Canadians despite none of them doing what Americans imagine they do all way, which is discuss hockey and be unreasonably nice to each other.
This time he does throw a curveball in the very beginning by having the story open with a Mafia hitman named of course Tony Valenti getting screwed over by the new bosses and having to go on the run. Instead of doing the obvious thing and coming here to New Jersey where he would blend right in, he sequesters himself in a safehouse in Canada he's had prepared for just this occasion. Meanwhile, Frankie and her daughter Ali come into some money through the lottery and move in practically next door (it seems like it must be a feature of De Lint novels where he goes out of his way to ensure that none of his characters actually have to work for a living). This could be a blissfully serene scenario or at least the foundation for a romantic comedy starring latter day Robert De Niro except that Frankie's ex-husband Earl gets word that she's sort of loaded (its about two hundred grand, which even in the eighties wasn't "retire forever" money which to the book's credit it does acknowledge) and since he's a hardcore criminal himself, he makes plans to pay her a visit and convince her to sign some (i.e. all) of the money over to him so he can spend it on whatever psychotic Canadian criminals spend money on. Giant vats of poutine to drown their enemies in? If only. Oh, and don't forget, Tony's former mob buddies are still looking for him because calling attention to your criminal activities by engaging old men in a pitched firearm battle is the best way to stay incognito and not have the authorities come after you.
And while all of this sounds like the first draft of a Coen Brothers fan-fiction script, the author's name on the cover should clue you that we're supposed to be involved with the fantasy and since the main setting of the book is on the edge of a large mysterious forest it doesn't take too long before we're introduced to a group of nearby villagers bordering on senior citizens. Every night of their residents plays a mysterious melody that calls the mystery to them (in the US we experience something similar when we call customer service and listen as we're told our call is very important), which appears to them as a large deer that roams around until the night is over or an equally mysterious hunt arrives. There's also a seemingly ageless lady that tends to come visiting quite a bit that likes to be read to and steals stuff and calls herself Mally or a secret.
Such disparate scenarios sound like it would take some trouble to integrate them and De Lint doesn't really seem to try that hard, which works to the book's benefit. Unlike "Moonheart" which seemed like it was trying to be every shade in the fantasy spectrum all at once, he keeps the focus mostly on the main characters and their travails, which helps to keep the plot from spinning off down every possible side trip at once. Much of the book is devoted to the growing friendly relationship between precocious fourteen year old Ali and bloodsoaked mob veteran Tony and its to De Lint's credit that he never makes Ali truly annoying considering how she likes to namedrop books and be generally exuberant. It plays off Tony and winds up being more interesting than the idea of romance between Frankie and Tony, although the concept of two damaged adults attempting a second chance at moving forward does have its merits. Unfortunately the guns and random magical deer constantly popping in with the Jethro Tull soundtrack tends to detract from the human drama going on.
You also have to swallow the novel's conceit that despite Tony's past as an unrepentant mob hitman, he's a good and gentle man who was only doing his duty and apparently only shooting really bad people in the head all these years. I know this is fantasy and I know being from Jersey doesn't automatically make me an expert on the mob, but the book's gyrations it undertakes to insist that the old school Mafia were just good and decent criminals because they never hurt women and children and never sold drugs is sometimes amusing to watch, like having your daughter come home to tell you she's dating a convict in jail for multiple strangulations but he's just misunderstood (and just bought her this swell choker!), whereas the only thing the book fails to understand is exactly what "racketeering" is. The characters are likeable enough that it kind of wallpapers over these concerns but there are moments when it seems like the stuff with the magical forest is more realistic than a nice man who happens to have a house full of well oiled automatic weapons.
For all that though, the book does move at a nice clip and while De Lint could be accused of padding at various moments (he has a habit of introducing characters that seem like they're going to be prominent, who hang around for a bit and then sort of drift out of the plot) as long as the book stays focused on at the very least Ali and Tony things work fine. The more it delves into the magical fantasy stuff the wobblier it gets, as the book is so concerned with retaining the "mystery" that except for one scene where we visit the Lord Dunsany-esque forest, its mostly people talking about how magical everything is. He's able to conjure a sense of quiet grandeur in some of those moments (when Malley the secret isn't being Junior Lady Wolverine) but after a series of scenes where people simply react to the music you wonder if the whole thing isn't some Pavlovian experiment. The care devoted to the old hitman and the fresh faced teenage kid tends to give everyone else the shaft in terms of development, either they don't hang around long enough to make an impression (every mobster and even the village could fall into this category) or when they do they don't go much further beyond that (Frankie's ex starts out as singlemindedly psychotic and while that might have been entertaining, without any escalation its just threats and racial slurs . . . way to pick 'em, girlfriend!).
In that sense it becomes difficult to tell what the book is actually about. Is it about Frankie and Tony learning to trust again and become new people informed but not tethered to their pasts? Ali learning about the world in general? The village learning when its time to move on? All of these are good ideas for a plot but none of them require a magical forest and for the most past he seems so intent on not explaining the mystery that he fails to remember there's a fine line between "mysterious" and "vague". The climax inevitably involves shooting, except for a simultaneous magical climax but its hard to see how the latter matters beyond sidelining one of the main people (the conflict they overcome was only barely hinted at in the book) and so while action rules the day its sort of weird that winds up being the case considering the cover of the book features a giant tree, a man with a deer head and more green than Kermit the Frog bathing in a pit on money set in a field of freshly cut grass. Subtract the village and its hard to see what effect they'd even have on the overall outcome of the story (other than Mally serving as a convenient deus ex machina whenever some lethal muscle is needed . . . this happens twice!).
But it reads fast, the relationships between the principals are genuinely touching (I will give De Lint credit for writing a teenage girl that comes across as a smart kid without being a bundle of hastily assembled quirks . . . in fact if Frankie had more of a personality beyond reacting to weird crap and wishing she were more independent the book would probably worked as some a strange proto-"Gilmore Girls" . . . it almost veers that way at some points and all the elements are there) and there's enough charm involved that even if all the pieces don't mesh together as well as they should, the individual parts are well done enough to make it a pleasant experience at the very least. It'll scratch the fantasy itch for some but De Lint to me for the most part still feels like the difference between a Renaissance Faire and living in actual medieval times.
And while that sounds like the plot of a great novel that was hijacked halfway through by your five year old cousin who's totally into first person shooting video games, it doesn't come across as completely awkward as it sounds and in fact is quite enjoyable in parts. Once again De Lint writes another story set in the lush wilderness of Canada featuring mostly actual Canadians despite none of them doing what Americans imagine they do all way, which is discuss hockey and be unreasonably nice to each other.
This time he does throw a curveball in the very beginning by having the story open with a Mafia hitman named of course Tony Valenti getting screwed over by the new bosses and having to go on the run. Instead of doing the obvious thing and coming here to New Jersey where he would blend right in, he sequesters himself in a safehouse in Canada he's had prepared for just this occasion. Meanwhile, Frankie and her daughter Ali come into some money through the lottery and move in practically next door (it seems like it must be a feature of De Lint novels where he goes out of his way to ensure that none of his characters actually have to work for a living). This could be a blissfully serene scenario or at least the foundation for a romantic comedy starring latter day Robert De Niro except that Frankie's ex-husband Earl gets word that she's sort of loaded (its about two hundred grand, which even in the eighties wasn't "retire forever" money which to the book's credit it does acknowledge) and since he's a hardcore criminal himself, he makes plans to pay her a visit and convince her to sign some (i.e. all) of the money over to him so he can spend it on whatever psychotic Canadian criminals spend money on. Giant vats of poutine to drown their enemies in? If only. Oh, and don't forget, Tony's former mob buddies are still looking for him because calling attention to your criminal activities by engaging old men in a pitched firearm battle is the best way to stay incognito and not have the authorities come after you.
And while all of this sounds like the first draft of a Coen Brothers fan-fiction script, the author's name on the cover should clue you that we're supposed to be involved with the fantasy and since the main setting of the book is on the edge of a large mysterious forest it doesn't take too long before we're introduced to a group of nearby villagers bordering on senior citizens. Every night of their residents plays a mysterious melody that calls the mystery to them (in the US we experience something similar when we call customer service and listen as we're told our call is very important), which appears to them as a large deer that roams around until the night is over or an equally mysterious hunt arrives. There's also a seemingly ageless lady that tends to come visiting quite a bit that likes to be read to and steals stuff and calls herself Mally or a secret.
Such disparate scenarios sound like it would take some trouble to integrate them and De Lint doesn't really seem to try that hard, which works to the book's benefit. Unlike "Moonheart" which seemed like it was trying to be every shade in the fantasy spectrum all at once, he keeps the focus mostly on the main characters and their travails, which helps to keep the plot from spinning off down every possible side trip at once. Much of the book is devoted to the growing friendly relationship between precocious fourteen year old Ali and bloodsoaked mob veteran Tony and its to De Lint's credit that he never makes Ali truly annoying considering how she likes to namedrop books and be generally exuberant. It plays off Tony and winds up being more interesting than the idea of romance between Frankie and Tony, although the concept of two damaged adults attempting a second chance at moving forward does have its merits. Unfortunately the guns and random magical deer constantly popping in with the Jethro Tull soundtrack tends to detract from the human drama going on.
You also have to swallow the novel's conceit that despite Tony's past as an unrepentant mob hitman, he's a good and gentle man who was only doing his duty and apparently only shooting really bad people in the head all these years. I know this is fantasy and I know being from Jersey doesn't automatically make me an expert on the mob, but the book's gyrations it undertakes to insist that the old school Mafia were just good and decent criminals because they never hurt women and children and never sold drugs is sometimes amusing to watch, like having your daughter come home to tell you she's dating a convict in jail for multiple strangulations but he's just misunderstood (and just bought her this swell choker!), whereas the only thing the book fails to understand is exactly what "racketeering" is. The characters are likeable enough that it kind of wallpapers over these concerns but there are moments when it seems like the stuff with the magical forest is more realistic than a nice man who happens to have a house full of well oiled automatic weapons.
For all that though, the book does move at a nice clip and while De Lint could be accused of padding at various moments (he has a habit of introducing characters that seem like they're going to be prominent, who hang around for a bit and then sort of drift out of the plot) as long as the book stays focused on at the very least Ali and Tony things work fine. The more it delves into the magical fantasy stuff the wobblier it gets, as the book is so concerned with retaining the "mystery" that except for one scene where we visit the Lord Dunsany-esque forest, its mostly people talking about how magical everything is. He's able to conjure a sense of quiet grandeur in some of those moments (when Malley the secret isn't being Junior Lady Wolverine) but after a series of scenes where people simply react to the music you wonder if the whole thing isn't some Pavlovian experiment. The care devoted to the old hitman and the fresh faced teenage kid tends to give everyone else the shaft in terms of development, either they don't hang around long enough to make an impression (every mobster and even the village could fall into this category) or when they do they don't go much further beyond that (Frankie's ex starts out as singlemindedly psychotic and while that might have been entertaining, without any escalation its just threats and racial slurs . . . way to pick 'em, girlfriend!).
In that sense it becomes difficult to tell what the book is actually about. Is it about Frankie and Tony learning to trust again and become new people informed but not tethered to their pasts? Ali learning about the world in general? The village learning when its time to move on? All of these are good ideas for a plot but none of them require a magical forest and for the most past he seems so intent on not explaining the mystery that he fails to remember there's a fine line between "mysterious" and "vague". The climax inevitably involves shooting, except for a simultaneous magical climax but its hard to see how the latter matters beyond sidelining one of the main people (the conflict they overcome was only barely hinted at in the book) and so while action rules the day its sort of weird that winds up being the case considering the cover of the book features a giant tree, a man with a deer head and more green than Kermit the Frog bathing in a pit on money set in a field of freshly cut grass. Subtract the village and its hard to see what effect they'd even have on the overall outcome of the story (other than Mally serving as a convenient deus ex machina whenever some lethal muscle is needed . . . this happens twice!).
But it reads fast, the relationships between the principals are genuinely touching (I will give De Lint credit for writing a teenage girl that comes across as a smart kid without being a bundle of hastily assembled quirks . . . in fact if Frankie had more of a personality beyond reacting to weird crap and wishing she were more independent the book would probably worked as some a strange proto-"Gilmore Girls" . . . it almost veers that way at some points and all the elements are there) and there's enough charm involved that even if all the pieces don't mesh together as well as they should, the individual parts are well done enough to make it a pleasant experience at the very least. It'll scratch the fantasy itch for some but De Lint to me for the most part still feels like the difference between a Renaissance Faire and living in actual medieval times.
March 7, 2016
Tony was a hitman in New York City before he was set up and a price was put on his head. Frankie and Ali are a mother and daughter team who are hoping that the money from a lotto win will help them finally settle down and restore Frankie's childhood home and they can live a normal life. By accident, the three meet and quickly discover that there are things living in the woods behind their Canadian home. Some things are friendly and want to help while other things are there to only cause hurt. Together, the three must unite and each must learn how to defend themselves and stand up to the ones trying to hurt them.
This was my first time to read Charles de Lint and I will definitely be picking up more by this author. I stick to my opinion that sometimes books mean more to a certain reader when they are read at the perfect time in one's life. And maybe that is what has happened to me with this book. For me, it also combined two of my favorite subjects - Italian Mafia and Folklore. I know those two things have nothing in common but de Lint manages to bring them together and create a fast-paced story full of mystical moments and mafia-madness. My only complaint would be that ending was rather rushed and not all the ends tied up neatly. But it had reached so high in the beginning, I am still a huge fan.
This was my first time to read Charles de Lint and I will definitely be picking up more by this author. I stick to my opinion that sometimes books mean more to a certain reader when they are read at the perfect time in one's life. And maybe that is what has happened to me with this book. For me, it also combined two of my favorite subjects - Italian Mafia and Folklore. I know those two things have nothing in common but de Lint manages to bring them together and create a fast-paced story full of mystical moments and mafia-madness. My only complaint would be that ending was rather rushed and not all the ends tied up neatly. But it had reached so high in the beginning, I am still a huge fan.
July 22, 2011
Actually, this was the first De Lint I read, some time in the late '80s. His blending of Celtic pagan themes in the modern era resonated with me. Maybe not as good as his later Newford cycle, it has a special place in my heart.
August 8, 2017
I initially had some trouble getting into this book as it was not at all what I was expecting. As the story progressed it became more interesting and enjoyable. I liked the characters but felt the story didn't spend enough time in the woods and spent too much time in the mafia.
May 28, 2008
Yet another of the Ottawa Cycle of novels.
July 11, 2021
Another reread, enjoying revisiting books that were davoritea from decades ago.
March 27, 2019
I do like Charles de Lint as a rule; this one had too much mafioso in it and not enough mystics.
January 12, 2023
This book pits the old ways of doing things against the new, it two different contexts which come together. First, there is the old way of viewing the world at large, which celebrates the reality of Fey and magic. It's clear here that magic isn't necessarily good -- it has several frightening manifestations here. It gets contrasted, however, with the new way of living, which denies the magical and is empty of wonder as a result, and at least as likely not to be good.
This aspect of the story involves the Stag (the mystery), the fairy (the secret) and the magic flute (the music/art). It's familiar territory for de Lint and while it's always pretty cool, in the end the "mystery" ends up being so neutral that it might actually be irrelevant, except as a kind of deus ex machina.
The other old vs. new way has to do with the mafia. The old gangsters believed in loyalty and the family as a way to bring order to an otherwise chaotic and hostile world. In the old way, reliability and one's word matter. Again, the old way is not good. There's lots of murder and avarice. The new way, however, discards any idea of loyalty or family, and is simply reduced to violence, greed, and lust for power.
Tony, who has been betrayed by the people who actually killed his don, represents the old ways (along with his mentor). Earl and the current mob boys mostly adhere to the new ways.
The book brings all of these elements together and lets them combust. It makes for a fairly fast paced book compared to the little else I've read by de Lint. An interesting point here is that the age of the "ways" has almost nothing to do with the age of the character. Much is made of the fact that the teenage girl, Ali, is basically 14 going on 35 (and it might as well be 350). In every way, she is an old soul, and thus the character most open to magic, and to accepting the old ways of the mafia.
I'm probably making too much of this. But without that contrast, this is simply a fun book, which is quite a lot of fun on its own terms. With it, however, it becomes just a little more and I thought it was well worth my time.
This aspect of the story involves the Stag (the mystery), the fairy (the secret) and the magic flute (the music/art). It's familiar territory for de Lint and while it's always pretty cool, in the end the "mystery" ends up being so neutral that it might actually be irrelevant, except as a kind of deus ex machina.
The other old vs. new way has to do with the mafia. The old gangsters believed in loyalty and the family as a way to bring order to an otherwise chaotic and hostile world. In the old way, reliability and one's word matter. Again, the old way is not good. There's lots of murder and avarice. The new way, however, discards any idea of loyalty or family, and is simply reduced to violence, greed, and lust for power.
Tony, who has been betrayed by the people who actually killed his don, represents the old ways (along with his mentor). Earl and the current mob boys mostly adhere to the new ways.
The book brings all of these elements together and lets them combust. It makes for a fairly fast paced book compared to the little else I've read by de Lint. An interesting point here is that the age of the "ways" has almost nothing to do with the age of the character. Much is made of the fact that the teenage girl, Ali, is basically 14 going on 35 (and it might as well be 350). In every way, she is an old soul, and thus the character most open to magic, and to accepting the old ways of the mafia.
I'm probably making too much of this. But without that contrast, this is simply a fun book, which is quite a lot of fun on its own terms. With it, however, it becomes just a little more and I thought it was well worth my time.
January 3, 2018
Alice (Ali) Treasure has moved around more times than she cared to remember ever since her mother, Frankie, left her abusive husband. Now, Frankie won the Wintario Lottery which gave her enough money to purchase the old home she grew up in and renovate it. This way, she hoped that Ali would finally have some stability in her life. Unfortunately, Frankie's ex, an abusive drug dealer named Earl, has discovered her windfall and plans on taking it from her to help finance a big drug deal. What Earl doesn't know is that Ali and Frankie have befriended their neighbor Tony, who turns out to be a former mafia hitman who is on the run after being falsely accused of murdering his padrone. After Earl's first attempt to get the money from Frankie, he recognizes Tony and reports his location to the family. Now, Frankie and Ali, as well as Tony are in deep trouble.
What none of them know, is that deep in the forest behind Frankie and Tony's houses, is a small village, hidden from view where the Old Religion is still being practiced and Mystery lives. The only clues that Ali and Tony have is beautiful piping music coming from the forest and a mysterious wild girl named Mally who pops up.
From what I've read, this is one of de Lint's earlier books and it was still pretty good. De Lint does a great job at creating lively and vivid charactes and beautiful scenery that I can easily picture in my head as I read. The book does focus a lot on the Mystery, a Pan-like sort of being that the little village worships. It was a nice pagan story intertwined with the main story. I really liked this book and would recommend it, but I still think his more recent books are better.
What none of them know, is that deep in the forest behind Frankie and Tony's houses, is a small village, hidden from view where the Old Religion is still being practiced and Mystery lives. The only clues that Ali and Tony have is beautiful piping music coming from the forest and a mysterious wild girl named Mally who pops up.
From what I've read, this is one of de Lint's earlier books and it was still pretty good. De Lint does a great job at creating lively and vivid charactes and beautiful scenery that I can easily picture in my head as I read. The book does focus a lot on the Mystery, a Pan-like sort of being that the little village worships. It was a nice pagan story intertwined with the main story. I really liked this book and would recommend it, but I still think his more recent books are better.
June 17, 2017
Not far from the city lies an ancient wood, forgotten by the end of the world, where mystery walks in the moonlight. He wears the shape of a stag... a goat... a horned man wearing a cloak of leaves.
Greenmantle.
He is summoned by the music of the pipes, or a fire of bones on Midsummer's Evening. He is chased by the hunt, and shadowed by wild girl. When he touches your dreams, your life will never be the same again...
I read this book as part of the 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge (a book about a mythical creature). I enjoyed the idea behind a mystical creature being called by the pipes to join his loyal followers. I enjoyed the side story of Valenti and his past. However I found that the book ended too quickly and could have explained itself a little bit better. I felt that the book didn't really have all of the answers at the end. And the character of Mally confused the heck out of me.
Greenmantle.
He is summoned by the music of the pipes, or a fire of bones on Midsummer's Evening. He is chased by the hunt, and shadowed by wild girl. When he touches your dreams, your life will never be the same again...
I read this book as part of the 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenge (a book about a mythical creature). I enjoyed the idea behind a mystical creature being called by the pipes to join his loyal followers. I enjoyed the side story of Valenti and his past. However I found that the book ended too quickly and could have explained itself a little bit better. I felt that the book didn't really have all of the answers at the end. And the character of Mally confused the heck out of me.
January 18, 2021
The synopsis simply did not prepare me for what this fantasy novel was about. I am not sure what this book wanted to be to be honest. The mixture of a mobster/criminal storyline and fey-type fantasy characters really did not work that well for me. The contrast of the two elements was too jarring.
I did sympathise with the two main characters, one a young girl and the other a retired mobster dude, but it was not enough to save this story. It was also a pretty sexist book and it was pretty clear throughout that it was written by a man and probably for men as well. Women were very much objectified. And showing a young girl lecherous scenes… Erm… no.
It was not all bad and the story definitely held some interesting concepts, but it was not enough to redeem its flaws. It did not work for me.
I did sympathise with the two main characters, one a young girl and the other a retired mobster dude, but it was not enough to save this story. It was also a pretty sexist book and it was pretty clear throughout that it was written by a man and probably for men as well. Women were very much objectified. And showing a young girl lecherous scenes… Erm… no.
It was not all bad and the story definitely held some interesting concepts, but it was not enough to redeem its flaws. It did not work for me.
April 28, 2018
Not as good as the collection The Very Best of Charles De Lint which is the only other book I've read by this author. Still an intriguing modern Fantasy.
Well written, although not what I expected at all. It still had a flavour of the De Lint I've come to love, but felt like his early work where he's still working on what he wants his story to convey.
There's a fair amount of violence, sexual assault and mentions of drugs in this book which means it won't be suitable for all readers. Not an upbeat read. But if you'd like a different type of urban fantasy which leaves you room to think for yourself, I'd recommend it.
Well written, although not what I expected at all. It still had a flavour of the De Lint I've come to love, but felt like his early work where he's still working on what he wants his story to convey.
There's a fair amount of violence, sexual assault and mentions of drugs in this book which means it won't be suitable for all readers. Not an upbeat read. But if you'd like a different type of urban fantasy which leaves you room to think for yourself, I'd recommend it.
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