The two stories set along the far Cornish coast don't up to a whole for me. Neither seemed quite as fully realized as it should have been, with lots of arbitrary actions and basically uninteresting horrid villains. The fairie realm itself is sort of a wee appendage. The unifying music is a fine idea, but if drums aren't involved, it doesn't work for me, and while it's cool that Crowley came from Cornwall and all, a corner of a British Isle isn't where I'd set a tale of universal music. ( )

A great book about worlds within worlds and the music that permeates them. Set in modern-day (well, 1980-1990's) Cornwall, the story unfolds with a mysterious book written by the best friend of the Gaffer, a former fisherman and grandfather to musician Janey Little. Other friends of Janey's play a role, and then there are some enemies who come looking for this mysterious book as a bit of a magic talisman.

There are standing stones, and a concurrent story with a young girl who is changed into a Small, the Widow who changes her (and her sad story), and lots of romps through the countryside and the town.

Each of the chapter headings points to a musical piece which gives an idea of what's going on in that particular chapter. ( )

An astonishing, amazing, spectacular literary accomplishment. Still one of my very favorites to this day. ( )

I suppose I would put this book into the category of one of those that a person is either going to like or hate. A fantasy sort of plot set in our "reality." Some people might be thrown off the way it goes back and forth in time, and some might not be able to suspend their disbelief. I found it fun, but not compelling. ( )

Perhaps switching from Modernist to fantasy wasn't such a great idea. Through this I kept thinking, Oh really. But overall the book is good, although not Mr. De Lint's best. Directed more to the younger reader, some of the themes are very adult however. ( )