The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
Read in August 2010
I enjoyed this short novel, but found it hard to categorize since it crossed so many subgenres. Ghost, spirits or spiritwalkers, a smidgen of Native American shamanism, a pinch of paganism (Wiccans at the Witches’ Ball no less), Catholic saints, a peculiar Purgatory, existentialism, a dangerous delusional mother and a surprising touch of redemption wrapped in tattoos. Oh, and a brief romance kindled after the protagonist’s death. Trust me, it sounds strange (it is strange), but de Lint delivers.
You know, I’ve come back to de Lint several times. I want to like his writing. Moonheart begs me to like it, but I’ve never been pulled into his world. Maybe I’ll give this one a go and see what happens.
Moonheart was the first novel I read written by de Lint, and it’s still my favorite. I haven’t read the sequel yet, but I will someday. Moonheart was also my first urban fantasy novel, and something of a ‘gold standard’ for me with respect to that subgenre. Definitely give Mystery of Grace a try. It’s not long and an enjoyable read.