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5.0 out of 5 stars
Enthralling!, Feb 29 2004
This will never be Charles de Lint's defining or best-loved work, but it really is extremely good. If you're a fan of his later work, and haven't read his darker stuff originally published under another nom de plume, the graphic - well, gore - especially right at the beginning may be a bit shocking. But the book itself is not terribly gory - just compelling, like a decent thriller, though it's not that, either. The glimpse into the world of the Rom makes for fascinating backstory, the characters are mostly well fleshed-out and believable (even the aging stereotypical hippie - but not, unfortunately, the aging stereotypical hard-boiled cop), and the story is strong and unpredictable. Hurray for unpredictable! Bless de Lint's publisher for re-releasing this older work under the de Lint banner, or we might have missed it. BUY THIS ONE!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Edge-of-your-seat horror, Feb 8 2004
Mulengro, a long out-of-print novel by Charles de Lint, has been reissued -- and it's about time. The story focuses on the Rom, modern gypsies living in Canada, who -- despite some modern adaptations, such as big, gas-guzzling cars instead of caravan wagons -- continue to live outside the mainstream: secretive, mysterious and distrustful of strangers. But, insular or not, de Lint has written about the Rom society like a native, delving deeply into customs, traditions and psyches -- and mysticism, an exotic belief system very different from the Celtic and Native American mythologies more frequently tapped in de Lint's work. The novel unfolds as a killer stalks Rom and Gaje alike; the murders grow increasingly horrific and bloody, and a solution to the threat he presents seems increasingly elusive. The climax is a whirlwind of violence -- readers may be shocked by some plot developments along the way -- but the ultimate closure comes abruptly. The final twist is startling and is not the ending I expected -- but de Lint knows what he's doing, and the desperation of the concluding pages feels appropriate to the circumstance.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Rarely have I had a chill rundown my spine while reading, Nov 30 2003
This book has made me think of Charles De Lint in a whole new fashion. His typical, if you can say that word towards this man, style of light/comidic/fantasy is nowhere to be seen in this novel. He takes the concepts of horror and twists them to meet his own needs and desires.
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