Spiritwalk by Charles de Lint

Spiritwalk by Charles de Lint is the sequel to a wonderful novel I read not too long ago, Moonheart. Though it is a sequel in the strictest sense, it is not necessary to read Moonheart to be able to understand the goings on in Spiritwalk. Most of the characters that the newer book deals with are new to the Tamson House, where both books spend a great deal of time. Tamson House is a magical place that draws the odd characters of society, artists, musicians, magicians, religious of all kinds, and just the general outcast but the house has a way rejecting those that might be there be nefarious reasons and drawing closer in those that are seeking something beautiful from life.

While I loved Moonheart and had that I-can't-put-this-down feeling, I just had the hardest time getting into Spiritwalk. Part of the reason may be that it was originally 4 different short stories. Just as I was getting into it, it was over and something new was happening. I didn't know this before I picked up the book and it was fairly annoying. Maybe knowing this, it would have been a more enjoyable read. I do like short stories. But I picked this up looking forward to another de Lint novel and instead I got some serious repetition when the new story began. I hate repetition in novels. It makes me feel as if the author thinks his audience is stupid and doesn't remember when he said that 10 pages ago. I've know other short stories that have been made into novels and didn't get this feeling. I wonder why de Lint and his editor didn't make the stories flow better when they decided to put them together as one novel. Maybe they thought all they had to do was bind them in one book and say "He ya go, the sequel to Moonheart!" If so, that's just laziness. I can't say that I've absolutely loved every single de Lint book I've read, though I do tend to go on and on about them, but this is the first that I feel seriously let me down.