Rate this book

The Painted Boy (2010)

by Charles de Lint(Favorite Author)

4 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0670011916 (ISBN13: 9780670011919)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Viking Juvenile

review 1: The Painted Boy was original and cute. The best part of the story was the weaving of the environments and folklore. De Lint really excelled at fusing these well known tales, making them fresh and interesting. However, de Lint tried to sound young and hip so often that it was a little embarrassing and it detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I understand that this is a young adult book, but the amusement young people find in those who try to sound cool is probably not the amusement Charles de Lint was going for. "Ramon let her chill for a few more minutes, then he straitened up and took her hand". The characters were always 'chilling' and it never felt natural. And while the gangs mentioned ever page or so where central to the story, I cringed a little every time... more a character's mentioned the "'bangers". Cap that with the Myspace comment and you have a very dated dialog.
review 2: As I've gotten older and De Lint's characters have gotten younger, I have a harder time getting into his books.Still, they're generally worth the effort and this is no change.Not a really 3 stars but not 4 either and there are no half marks.De Lint's characters follow his usual formula of discovering the fae in the urban setting. In this case, a boy discovers that he is part of a Dragon Clan and is in fact, a dragon himself.He must learn to live his new life, on his own in a new town with new troubles, far from home.De Lint has always created excellent urban fantasy, though his best work is in Newford, and he continues that trend here. less

Download links for: The Painted Boy

Advertising