Review: Restrained, But Very Accomplished
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 20, 2013
A lot of urban fantasy isn't very "urban". It's often a mash up of Dark Ages tales, Welsh myths, Bible stories, Southwestern U.S. campfire and Indigenous Peoples stories, fey adventures and mystic formulas- all in a woodsy setting. That's great when done right, (Charles DeLint for example), and painful when done wrong, (overwritten artsy/fartsy blither). Well, this one is done right.The language is straight forward and the construction of the tale is not full of business and "oh, to hear the blackbird sing". The very best of these stories are spare, direct and honest. The secret heart of such stories is not gaudy description and breast beating - it is a certain feeling, an exquisite delicacy of touch that reflects lightness and ease in the telling. That's what you get here.The story is compelling. It is brisk. It hints at other and deeper stories. It is, in all the senses of the word, captivating. If you don't think you like myth, legend and stories, this one - with ancient roots but a modern touch in the telling - might be a nice place to start.