Moonheart by Charles DeLint

Moonheart is a tale of magic and romance, something that those familiar with the fantasy genre have seen many times before. However, this book is not set in some far away imaginary land, but rather the very real streets of 1980 Ottawa. The plot revolves around a quirky young woman, an apprentice mage, a house that is truly an oddity of architecture, and a fifteen-hundred year feud between mages. As if that were not enough, let’s toss in some government conspiracy, star-crossed lovers, mythology come to life, and hit men. Spanning both the world as it is and the fields beyond fields, this book captures the imagination and makes us consider the mysteries (little and Great) that surround us.

Tamson House
Sara Kendell and her eccentric, wealthy uncle Jamie Tamson are residents of Tamson House. The House is an oddity of architecture that occupies an entire block over four acres large in downtown Ottawa. From the exterior, it appears no different from other blocks in that district of the city: townhomes pushed directly next to each other so that there are not even the slightest gaps between the facades. Behind the doors of the townhomes (and most of them do work) is a single labyrinthine construction, complete with three towers, an enormous library, and park-like gardens. But there are secrets within the very mortar holding the walls of the building together that neither the owners nor the constant menagerie of guests can fathom.

A Silence Like Music
Nomadic guitarist, part time deck hand, and apprentice mage, Keiren Foy abandons his simpler life in the maritime provinces and is headed straight for Ottawa when a strange feeling tells him that his mentor, the wizened scholar Thomas Hengwr, is in danger. Keiren is not given a moment to rest as betrayal reveals a government conspiracy that may be the cause of Tom’s disappearance. But power draws power and Keiren stumbles upon Sara, who has unexpectedly found herself in the possession of a strange gold ring, and the duo are quickly swept off into the mysterious Otherworld in a flash of magefire.

Threads Intertwine
The plots and strains of thought within this one novel are plentiful, but distract from one another. DeLint tries to weave many themes into his novel to the point where they almost overwhelm the reader and cause the reader to lose focus. While the divergent plot allows for very interesting tales told by the main characters, the secondary characters are not given the spotlight that they deserve and certain events and relationships appear to develop in no time at all. That being said, the vast majority of the plot threads are tied up in the end, leaving just enough open to the reader’s interpretation to ensure that it remains a novel to think about once the final page has been turned.

Why You Should Read This Book
Between the vividly constructed main characters, interesting setting and eccentric world view, this book should definitely make it onto your “to read” list at some point. It causes you to sit back and think about what lies in the realms beyond our ken. What personally interested me the most was the way in which mythology and folklore played such a huge role in the plot and setting of this book. If you have ever thought about reading urban fantasy, I strongly recommend this book as a great step into the subgenre.

Chris is a 21 year old education major finishing off his degree in secondary science education. Chris, like many children, saw reading as a chore for many years. However, after much prompting, cajoling and threatening from a close relative, Chris started reading the Belgariad series by David Eddings and fell in love with the fantasy genre. What little free time Chris has, he uses to spend time with his fiancé, play the occasional video game or enjoy the outdoors.

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