Memory and Dream

De Lint, Charles

ISBN 10: 0312855729 / ISBN 13: 9780312855727

Published by Tor Books, 1994

Seller Inventory # 0312855729-3-35084692

Synopsis:

From her mentor, Rushkin, Isabell Copley had learned to paint creatures that come to life--literally--and years after these creatures have ruined her life, Isabelle returns to painting, haunted by memories, dreams, and the threat of her mentor's return.

Reviews: The Otherworld tends to lurk just out of sight in DeLint's (Moonheart; Spiritwalk) works, waiting for some chink to appear in the facade of his characters' lives and allow its spirits entry. This latest work is no exception; here fantastic creatures gain access to the bohemian village of Newford through the work of Isabelle, a talented young painter. Apprenticing herself to the troll-like master painter Rushkin, Isabelle learns to paint amazing creatures-creations that subsequently take on a (possibly evil) life of their own. When circumstances cause a friend's message to reach out to her from beyond the grave, Isabelle must confront her own delusional revisionist history and decide if she has the strength to use her art, and the courage to do what she must. While Isabelle's delusions and the book's implication that artists are superior beings become somewhat repetitious, DeLint is otherwise in top form here. His multi-voiced, time-shifting narrative (the story spans 20 years) beautifully evokes a sense of creative community, making it almost possible to believe that the rarified aesthetic atmosphere might well be capable of conjuring up a spirit or two.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Five years after the untimely death of writer and social activist Kathy Mully, two of her longtime friends-editor Alan Grant and artist Isabelle Copley-come together to publish a final edition of Mully's stories, unaware that they are about to bridge the gap between the real world and the realm that lies just beyond most humans' perceptions. In his latest crossover, de Lint (Moonheart, LJ 3/1/94) returns to the fictional Canadian town of Newford, where magical creatures coexist (for those who can see them) with ordinary citizens. He moves gracefully through the borders between reality and imagination, weaving a powerful tale about the relationship between an artist and her work. A strong addition to fantasy collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

It is hard to imagine urban fantasy done better than it is by de Lint at his best, and this book shows his imagination and craft at their highest levels. This is the story of a young Canadian artist whose paintings free (or unleash) ancient spirits into the modern world. The story moves from the spirit world into the everyday during a 20-year panorama of contemporary Ontario history, and the characters are exceptionally well-realized, even though most of them do make one think of Puccini's La Boh{‚}eme. Finally, de Lint's folkloric scholarship is as outstanding as ever; he never lets it slide into academicism or pretension. More than any of the rest of de Lint's recent work, Memory and Dream deserves the highest recommendation and the widest readership. Consider it a mandatory acquisition for any self-respecting fantasy collection. Roland Green

Bibliographic Details

Title: Memory and Dream
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: 1994
Binding: hardcover
Condition: Good