Wednesday, August 9, 2017

‘The Blue Girl’ by Charles de Lint

Charles de Lint is one of my favorite authors, for his infusion of magic and fantasy into everyday modern cityscapes.

Having recently read and enjoyed The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, it was an unexpected treat to discover an uncorrected bound proof of The Blue Girl (Firebird, 2006) in my favorite second-hand bookstore.

This book is ideally positioned for inclusion in a Young Adult library collection. The protagonists, Imogene and Maxine, face bullying from the “popular” kids, plus having to deal with their growing independence while living under a parent’s rules.

In addition, Imogene seeks a fresh start after being part of a gang in her old town. She’s determined to leave destructive behaviors behind and reinvent herself. But a well-meaning attempt by a ghost to make Imogene able to see fairies, brings her to the notice of terrifying creatures that consume the light of people’s souls.

Longtime readers of de Lint’s Newford series will appreciate seeing familiar characters. (The girls turn for insight to Christy Riddell, who collects and publishes people’s accounts of their encounters with fairies and other supernatural beings.)

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