Isabelle Copley, as the young student of the cruel, brilliant artist Vincent Rushkin, discovered that she could paint images so vividly real that they brought her wildest fantasies to life, freeing ancient spirits. But when the forces she unleashed brought tragedy to those she loved, she turned her back on her talent and her dreams.
Now, twenty years later, Isabelle must come to terms with the shattering memories she has long denied and unlock the slumbering power of her brush. And, in a dark reckoning with her old master, she must find the courage to live out her dreams and bring the magic back to life.
This is a tale of love, courage, and the transforming power of imagination.
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"Overall, I enjoyed Memory and Dream. My biggest complaint is that it lingered quite a bit in the middle, taking its time to develop and get moving towards the climax. Overall, though, a very good read with the trademark style and approach that De Lint brings to his fantasy fiction. I like the reoccurring characters in his work like Jilly Coppercorn and others. If you are a fan of De Lint and like strong characters in your urban fantasy, look no further than De Lint and Memory and Dream. The reading was quite good on the audiobook as well." — Patrick (4 out of 5 stars)
"Overall, I enjoyed Memory and Dream. My biggest complaint is that it lingered quite a bit in the middle, taking its time to develop and get moving towards the climax. Overall, though, a very good read with the trademark style and approach that De Lint brings to his fantasy fiction. I like the reoccurring characters in his work like Jilly Coppercorn and others. If you are a fan of De Lint and like strong characters in your urban fantasy, look no further than De Lint and Memory and Dream. The reading was quite good on the audiobook as well."
“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.”
“Easily Canada’s top fantasy scribe…a major international force in the genre. Here is a biped who has steadfastly avoided stereotyping in his work from the beginning…de Lint has developed a considerable talent for injecting magic into everyday contemporary life.”
“Using the colorful, mythical North American city of Newford as his background, de Lint draws up a rich tapestry of myth and magic, using painting—and, on a deeper level, creation—as a metaphor throughout the book.”
“De Lint takes a hard look at reality in Memory and Dream, especially at the personal burdens we all carry. He seamlessly blends urban landscapes, with all their sometimes ugly complications, with a magic that feels so true it's hard not to believe he knows something the rest of us don't.”
“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.”
“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. De Lint's folkloric scholarship is as outstanding as ever; he never lets it slide into academicism or pretension…Memory and Dream deserves the highest recommendation and the widest readership.”
“A soulful journey into art, friendship, and love…Kate Reading tackles the shifting story and lyrical prose with a tenderness that brings the characters to life…The stories are all linked, and each one is given a distinctive voice through the modulating tones of Reading’s narration.”
" His best. Probably the birth of a genre, the urban/fantasy. I loved everything about this book. "
" I really loved the premise of this book and couldn't put it down while I read it. The only complaint I have is about the ending - while it was good, it wasn't great like the rest of the book. But what an interesting story and great writing! "
" Probably my all time favorite book "
" One of my good friends lists Charles de Lint as one of his favorite authors, but something about his writing style left me a bit cold. The story was creative and certainly interesting, but there was an edge of ice to the book that I just didn't like. "
" After finshing this book for the first time, I flipped back to the front and started reading it all over again. I have never done that with another book. It is one of my "desert island" books and I read it at least once a year. "
" Actually wasn't as crazy about this Newford Book. "
" This is one of my favorite fantasy novels. It has everything: compelling characters, a wonderful plot, beautiful prose and it will make you misty eyed throughout. Wonderfully well layered plot as well. You won't go wrong with any of De Lint's books, this one especially. "
" One of De Lint's earlier works, i loved the imagery and allusions to my favorite magical city. "
" Characters take on a life of their own, and de Lint takes this to its logical conclusion in a story about the responsibilities and dangers of the creative process. It also serves as an excellent introduction to the city and people of Newford, for those who have never been. "
" Wow. How did I not know about this author before?? So good -- the characters, the way the story unfolds, the tension and suspense -- all of it. 5 stars for sure. "
" I picked this one up and put it down for a long time, chiefly because I found the heroine so stoooopid. But the story stayed with me and once my irritation had faded, I felt compelled to finish it. "
" This was my first Charles De Lint, and I think it was a good one to start with. It's a fantastic metaphor for what it is to be artist, whatever your chosen medium. It's also a great bit of Urban Fantasy, something I don't think we see enough of honestly. "
" A bit sentimental but a beautiful urban fantasy that, at its heart, tells a moral tale about opening yourself up to the people that you love and making human connection as the most important part of life. "
" I just bought this book last night, already 30 pages into it, and I can't stop, it's like a drug. I think I just found my new favorite author!! "
" Named my cat after the main character. Yep, that's where "Copley" came from. He is nothing like Isabelle, though. Oh, god. I AM a crazy cat lady. Sorry. But anyway, the book is awesome. Easy read. Very typical DeLint. "
" Pretty poorly written, but damned if it isn't memorable; I can recall the book practically down to the page. Vivid ideas and characters, just not pulled together at all well. Terrible, cheesy ending! "
" Once I took the time to really get into this book it was really good. It is written from many peoples perspective so it can get quite complicated. "
" There are only so many graphic depictions of battered women that I can take and this book exceeded my threshold. "
" A friend recommended that I read this and I fell in love with Charles De Lint's writing...plus being a fellow Ottawa resident only added to my interest in his novels. "
" My all-time favorite book. I've read this sooooo many times :-) "
" This was actually the first book of de Lint's that I read and after that I was pretty hooked. He has an understanding of creative people, in this book mostly artists. It's amazing. A must read! "
" Weird sort of fantasy. Unlike anything I've read. Really good, but very dark "
" I love the way De Lint walks between the worlds and writes in such a way that makes you wonder if you're missing something that's just out of sight in the corner of your eye. "
" I plan to come back to this one someday because so many people recommended it but I found the 1st chapters to coy and cliched with all the "I can't remember, and yet I must!" angst. I may just not be in the right mood for it - perhaps this is better as Fall reading than summer. "
" The concept for this story is great and I love the discussions about art and theory. The telling of this story is not so great. The flashback sequencing is just annoying and distracting. I can't help comparing this book (unfavorably) to Cornelia Funke's Inkheart. "
" I actually bought this book based on the cover art (yes i do occasionally judge a book by it's cover) AND because I had heard good things about de Lint. Unfortunately it did NOT live up to my expectations. It wasn't terrible, but it was entirely forgettable. "
Charles de Lint is the award-winning author of fantasy fiction, including urban fantasy, contemporary magical realism, and mythic fiction. He is best known for his fantasy novels in the Newford series, but he also writes novellas, short stories, poetry, lyrics, literary criticism, and a children’s book. Among his many awards are the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award, the Great Lakes Great Books Award, the Canadian SF/Fantasy Award, and the 2000 World Fantasy Award. His evocative novels have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim as a master of contemporary mythic fiction.
Kate Reading has recorded hundreds of audiobooks across many genres, over a thirty year plus career. Audie Awards: The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter (mystery), Breasts (non-fiction), Bellwether (fiction), and Words of Radiance (fantasy). Among other awards, she has been recognized with: the ALA Booklist best of 2019 for Bowlaway (fiction), AudioFile Magazine Voice of the Century, Earphones Awards, Narrator of the Year, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Publisher’s Weekly’s Listen-Up Award. She records at her home studio, Madison Productions, Inc., in Maryland.
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