The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Blue Girl
Book Review: Didn't give me the Blues...
Summary: 4 Stars
I heard of Mr. de Lint when I stumbled across him at Amazon for his Painted Boy book (which I just recently ordered). I checked out this book from the library while my book I order is being sent to test de Lint out. I think I made a good choice in a purchase (that review will come later). There are many plus for The Blue Girl. The main protaganist, Imogen, whom the title is names after, isn't your typical, average, ordinary girl. She was a gang member. She lived like one. Fought like one. I think one of the factors I liked about this book was how her relationship with her friend, Maxine, changed her and vice versa. Though it wasn't shown well in certain parts, I got the point that they were good for each other. Their strengths picked up for the other's weakness.
The urgency in the book was high for most of the book, especailly towards the end. There were small moments of stalling ( a few of Ghost Boy's scenes) but they played a part in the the story's plot. The beginning took a few pages to take off but once I was immersed into the story, those few pages didn't seem to matter.
I liked de Lint's writing. I read the first page and thought, 'Yeah I can read this.' And here it is:
"It starts with this faint sound that pulls me out of sleep: a sort of calliope music played on an ensemble of toy instruments. You know, as though there's a raggedy orchestra playing quietly in some hidden corner of my bedroom... Rinky-dink piano, tinny horns and kazoos, miniature guitars with plastic stringsm weird percussion. I don't really wake up until I hear a creak from inside my closet. I know exactly what it is: the old woodedn chest where I store my childhood treasures. I lie there, staring up at the ceiling, straining to hear more over the insistant whisper of the music, because now I know that all these nursery rhymes and fairy tales are creeping out of the books I used to read when I was a kid."
There's a voice here. Imogen's voice. For me, there was this creepyness to this scene (especially in the next few paragraphs), and yet there's also this sense of lost. For most to the book, you get the chatacter's voice. de Lint's author voice doesn't come in. Yes there are moments where the book loses its uniqueness but overall I thought the ideas were creative. The origins of the plot issue was a stretch, but I was willing to side aside my disbelief. And it was the same as the ending, the solution, I had to stretch my acceptance a bit, but I believed it.
Verdict: I would recommend the book. I would also buy this book, though it wouldn't be a first choice. More like hey I'll add this, since I want to add more to my library. Read it is my recommendation.
Book Review: Even Fantasy Should Be More Believeable...
Summary: 2 Stars
Let me start by saying that I have never read a deLint book before, but I've heard very good things. After reading Valiant by Holly Black I was looking for another Urban Fantasy and the Blue Girl has an intriguing plot. It lacks nothing in the imagination department and the writing of the first page drew me in immediately.
**It went down from there. Be warned. I bought this book instead of Terry Pratchett(my heart) and was not happy with the purchase. This is going to turn toward half focused rant. Skip to the bottom for a quick summary.**
Imogene started out a great character - witty, rebellious, sort of girl I personally would befriend. But I felt as the book pregressed that deLint was out of his element portraying a high school 'punk grrl'. Her language - as if! - was hardly representative of any teenager _I_ have seen in all my 17 years, one or two curses strangely placed. Now not all teenagers curse, but most are consistent (Dang one day and damn the next?) Her life within the real world was entirely too simple. Perfect friendship, perfect boyfriend, perfect mother and brother (no arguments ever?), perfect behaviour despite having run with a gang? There's nothing to make the supporting characters likeable and only Imogene's alleged tough girl personality (I say alleged because it's apparent in word not in action) makes her interesting.
I feel part of a young adult novel is conflict, a certain amount of teen angst, some sort of realistic difficulty deLint just doesn't fully allow Imogene. Vapid bitchy cheerleader? Violent football star? The real world was never so fake and cliche.
I found it incredibly dissapointing, perhaps because of my high expectations or because I read Holly Black just before, whose teenagers I found to be on the wild side though immensly more relatable.
Two stars for imagination - an intresting blend of fantasy themes - but no stars for characterization and real world plot.
Book Review: Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
Being the huge fan of de Lint as I am, I came into this book fully expecting to be wowed. Disappointed I was not. Although stunningly original and awe-inspiringly creative, I find a touch of humanity in his work, which comes out particuluarly well in Blue Girl. Such skill is to be commended, and applauded. So here's my standing ovation to Mr. de Lint and his yet again, outstanding work.Book Review: Fantastic young adult literature.
Summary: 5 Stars
Yet another choice book for my college Young Adult Literature class. In this book, seventeen-year-old Imogene decides to reinvent herself when she moves to Newford with her mother and brother. She keeps her punk look, but tries to avoid the trouble she was always immersed in prior to the move. After making friends with the resident nerd and catching the attention of school bullies, she encounters further difficulties when attracts the attention of the school ghost and some less than friendly fairies. In order to survive, she must learn to accept the parts of herself she tried to leave behind.
The Blue Girl is one story told in first person by three different characters. This alone, I felt was a good reason to read the book. In my YA Lit class it was mentioned that many young readers don't fully understand point of view in a story, often thinking that the narrator is always the author. Not only does this book have three different characters narrating, but there are parts in the book in which a single event is narrated by more than one character, allowing for the reader to experience and compare differing points of view. In addition to the book's value in explaining point of view, it contains themes that are valuable to young adult readers. Primary among these are acceptance, be it of others, yourself or of a specific event as well as the coming of age theme that is so common in the young adult genre.
Once again, adult readers need to keep in mind that this is a young adult book and as such is written to appeal to a teen audience. While it is good literature, the characters do reflect the fact that they are teens and they act and react as such. This is not to say that it isn't a good book, or a worthwhile read, but adult readers especially should remember that they are reading a book in the young adult genre and so shouldn't expect characters to act as one might expect in adult fiction.
Book Review: Good teen book with dark faeries
Summary: 5 Stars
The book was excellent! If you enjoyed the Holly Black faerie books, you will really enjoy The Blue Girl. Imogene and Maxine are great characters and the faeries are dark. Definitely recommend!