Forests of the Heart

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In the Old Country, the Gentry are ancient, magical spirits of the land, amoral and dangerous. When the Irish emigrated to North America, some Gentry followed but found the New World inhabited by its own spirits, known as manitou among Native tribes. Generations later, the Irish have settled, yet the Gentry remain homeless, lurking in city shadows, dreaming of power. As their ambitions grow darker, they manifest as men in black to those who can see them. Bettina, part Indian and part Mexican, has been raised by her grandmother to understand the spirit world. Living in Kellygnow, an arts colony in Newford, she often observes these dark figures, whom she calls los lobos, until one night, one follows her into the woods. Ellie, an independent sculptor with magic in her blood, also sees the dark men but refuses to acknowledge it. Summoned to Kellygnow by a strange old woman, she must create a mask based on an ancient Celtic artifact—the mythic Summer King—despite her disbelief. Her former lover, Donal, knows the truth of the old myths and aims to exploit the mask and the Gentry. Meanwhile, Donal's sister Miki, a punk accordion player, realizes that more than her brother's soul is at stake, as the very fabric of Newford is threatened. Charles de Lint masterfully intertwines diverse mythic traditions, folklore, and memorable characters in a contemporary urban setting.