The Riddle of the Wren - Charles de Lint Book Review

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Review Summary

Minda has been plagued with nightmares that keep her from sleeping. In one such dream she ends up in the silhonell, the spirit realm, where the weren Jan gives her a charm to protect her from the dreams, which, he explains, are being sent by the evil Ildran. She learns of the gates that lead to many many different worlds and promises Jan that she would try to free him from the stoney prison Ildran had trapped him in. Minda sneaks away from her abusive father and gets thrown off course in the void between worlds by Ildran, just managing to reach a world that is an apocalyptic vision of our Earth. There she meets a loremistress, picks up a sword made for the Gods, meets a tinker and a badger wysling (aka wizard) who help her traverse the void again to find a being who would be able to help Minda find the way to Jan's prison. Eventually, and at seeming great loss, Minda makes it to Highwolding, where Jan is imprisoned, and manages to free Jan with the help of a wolf companion. They then make their way to High Tor where Minda ends up facing Ildran alone.....
Shawn Vaillancourt, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The Riddle of the Wren

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - a powerful magician
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - exploring the dreamscape
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - homemaker
Age: - a teen
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - healing
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - mage/magician
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - mind reading - mind control - can cast all sorts of spells
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Mountains - Forests
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society - empty, or nearly empty world
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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