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Jack In The Green (2014)

by Charles de Lint(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1596066415 (ISBN13: 9781596066410)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Subterranean Press

review 1: Here's a book that I've probably read a half dozen times or more, in a new addition from Subterranean Press,that has a new dust jacket and new illustrations by Charles Vess. I thought those additions made it worth another read, and might make it something worth going back to on a regular basis. Both things proved to be true. I loved everything about this edition and will definitely go back to it for a quick touch of magic when its needed.Robbing from the poor,giving back to the rich is a familiar tale. The fact that its happening now and Maria Martinez knows one of the gang doing the robbing is the twist that starts this story. Maria recognizes Luz Chaidez as one of the crew breaking into the house next door to the one she is working as a maid in. Her one time best friend ... morenow part of a gang? When the gang uses crow bar on the door of that house she also experiences another kind of recognition when her eyes meet with those of the leader of that gang, "a promise.....of everything". Robin Hood, gangs, frightened neighborhoods and corrupt cops are just some of the ways this story finds its way, but at the bottom of it all is magic, and a love story that has been told in many ways over the years. If you already know de Lint then you know how much fun this mix is going to be, if you dont I envy you getting to read this for the first time.The two Charles have now teamed up several times, in both childrens books and fantasy tales, all are worth looking for, and reading.
review 2: A nice, little retelling of Robin Hood that is told in de Lint's plain, straight forward writing, Jack in the Green finds Robin Hood brought to the modern day Southwest barrio. I've still not read that much de Lint, but I do like how he handles magic in his stories: that there really isn't an explanation for how it works, you just accept it how it is. However, I found the socio political context of the story a little heavy handed; given that it's a Robin Hood retelling, we already know it's about how the rich are oppressing the poor (this time seen from the point of view of the recent recession), but to have it made such a large point in the story, so many times, felt too much like de Lint was simply writing this to express his views and was trying to poorly hide it in this novella. I'm not sorry I read it, I'm just not sure this will ever rank up there as a favorite for me. I want to mention a little on the physical book itself. It's beautiful. Charles Vess' cover illustration is fantastic, and fits the tone of the story quite well, as do his interior illustrations. Subterranean Press did an excellent job with the production of the book. The green, leaf embossed endpapers are gorgeous and the graphic design of the book is really top notch. This book is another of the reasons I think Sub Press is one of the finest small print press runs in the country. less

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