Jack the Giant Killer by Charles de Lint

Having recently witnessed the murder of a gnome by evil bikers, Jacky's meeting with Finn inspires her with the renewed vitality to embark upon a quest to save the daughter of a Laird of Kinrowan, who is being held in a Giant's Keep. Feeling empty, confused and rejected, Jacky meets Dunrobin Finn, a gnome who introduces her to a parallel reality, Faerie, which she can see and enter into by wearing a magic red cap. Jacky Rowan's boyfriend of three months has just dumped her because she has begun to bore him. In his eighth fantasy novel, the author of Moonheart and Yarrow turns the stories of 'Jack the Giant Killer'' and ``Jack and the Bean Stalk'' into a contemporary tale set in Ottawa. It is a joy to watch her grow from a timid frightened girl into a resourceful hero, and she makes a darn good role model, too. The characters are (mostly) likable and lively, and Jacky is a heroine after anyone's heart. The backdrop of Ottawa adds a delicious dimension as mortals and sidhe coexist on the streets, the former unable to see that latter among them. This volume is a good place to start if you're unfamiliar with de Lint's writing, and just as pleasurable to return to after a few years' absence.ĭe Lint keeps the pace going full tilt, involving the reader immediately. Winner, YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (Young Adult Library Services Association)ĭe Lint has a deceptively casual writing style, but his ability to pull in the reader's sympathy and suspension of disbelief is entirely artful. Winner, Canadian SF/Fantasy Award (Aurora) for Best Work in English

This Triskell Press e-book contains a new Afterword by the author. Cleverly mingling folklore, fairy tale and modern life, the novel points to a fine connection between what is seen and what is not, and the importance of belief, compassion, and loyalty.

Jacky's daring and quick wit make for an exciting story that is impossible to put down. Luck, magic, and love bring to life a perilous, rollicking adventure involving Jacky, her best friend Kate, nefarious giants, nasty bogans, a trickster, a whimsical wizard, a small hob, and the last of the Swan Princes. The cap shows Jacky an unimaginable side of Ottawa and sets her on an impossible quest to save the good fairies from their evil counterparts. She's startled out of her reverie by a faceless gang of bikers attacking a small man whose body disappears, leaving behind only a red cap. In a fit of angst she chops off her long blond hair then goes out to wander the streets of Ottawa. When Jacky's boyfriend walks out, her life changes more than she could ever imagine.

Jack the Giant Killer by Charles de Lint