Dingo

Summary: In the small town of Point, literally nothing goes on inbetween the time the turistas are there. Miguel lives his ordinary life in this town all year around, he hangs out with friends, he goes to school, he helps at his Dad’s shop. All ordinary. Until the day Lainey and her strange “dog” walks into the store doors and he feels immediately attracted to her. Turns out Lainey feels the same connection. Too bad things can’t just go normal for them. Lainey can turn into a dingo and her “dog” is a dingo who is really her twin sister who can also turn human when she wishes. The girls are hiding from their father and Dingo, the first dingo who is trapped in a tree. Now Miguel must help save Lainey and her sister Em with the help of an unexpected ally in Johnny Ward. Together the two boys will try to save the girls they love.

Review: Wow that’s one of the quickest summaries I’ve ever written. Probably because this book is very simple. Now I enjoy absolutely any Charles De Lint book, he is a great writer (one of the best fantasy writers of his time). Dingo was very very straightforward and very predictable, which I really hated. However, it was so fast-paced I couldn’t put it down. That’s the thing I did like about this book, it was very clear and to the point. The plot didn’t twist and turn at every edge but it still managed to weave in an entirely different world right in the midst of our normal society. De Lint wrote fast-paced and straight forward book that I did enjoy. The main character, Miguel, annoyed me a bit. He was a bit too perfect; however, he was sweet and a hero at heart (even though he denies it). Johnny Ward was much more appealing he was such a complex character, I am still left wondering about him. Basically, although the book was predictable it was enjoyable. I think it was just an okay book, nothing completely astonishing but another enjoyable read by Charles De Lint.

Rating: 4/5

Reviews from the Pros:
Winner of the World Fantasy Award

“De Lint is a romantic; he believes in great things, faith, hope, and charity (especially if love is included in that last) but he also believes in the power of magic—or at least the magic of fiction—to open our eyes to a larger world.” –Edmonton Journal

“A master storyteller, he blends Celtic, Native American and other cultures into a seamless mythology that resonates with magic and truth.” –Library Journal

“There is no better writer than Charles De Lint at bringing out the magic in contemporary fiction.”-Orson Scott Card, author of Ender’s Game