The Wood Wife

Rating:
Summary: Lyrical.
Review: What makes Terri Windling's novel "The Wood Wife" so good? She presents a believable and subtly observed cast of characaters which could form the basis of an interesting novel if set in a mundane world. Instead, she places them in a heady mix of magic, mystery and suspense to produce a spectacular fantasy. Her unerring sense of place, which serves as a theme in the lives of the characters, adds to the beauty of the story. Too many fantasy books that I have picked up recently use the genre to hide mediocre character development. Instead, Terri Windling uses fantasy to transcend the limits of the ordinary novel. I'm hoping to see more of her books in the future!