The Mystery of Grace
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The Mystery of Grace
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Narrated by:
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Richard Powers
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Tai Sammons
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By:
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Charles de Lint
On the Day of the Dead, at the Solona Music Hall, Altagracia Quintero meets John Burns—just two weeks too late.
Grace, as her friends call her, has a Ford Motor Company tattoo running down her leg and grease worked deep into her hands. She works at Sanchez Motorworks customizing hot rods. Finding the line in a classic car is her calling. Now Grace has to find the line in her own life. Grace loves John, and John loves her, and that would be wonderful, except that John, like Grace, has unfinished business: he’s haunted by the childhood death of his younger brother. He’s never stopped feeling responsible. Before their relationship can find its resolution, the two of them will have to teach each other about life and love, about hot rods and Elvis Presley, and about why it’s necessary to let some things go.
©2009 Charles de Lint (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Critic reviews
“De Lint is a romantic; he believes in the 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)“This tale of attachments formed and relinquished is also about belief and hope. De Lint doesn’t endorse any particular religious system, but he writes passionately about the individual’s ability to discover an effective personal magic. The story develops through comforting, warm compassion to reach the inevitable, mostly satisfying solution.”
(Publishers Weekly)“Tai Sammons and Paul Garcia share narration duties for both Grace’s and John’s point of view. Sammons has a warm, rich voice; her Grace is tough, smart, and likable, while her John is tender and reserved. Garcia’s gentle tenor has sharp edges that keep one riveted. Between them, they make this a charming love story.”
(AudioFile)“De Lint is a master storyteller, and this work is no exception. His sense of place is uncannily magical. He has a knack for writing characters that will break your heart and the bittersweet mood of this book is just perfect. Set in the American Southwest and populated with hot-rodders and a rockabilly sound-track, this is definitely a stand-out in de Lint’s oeuvre.”
(RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!))Where does The Mystery of Grace rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Well on par. No criticism - an original and interesting tale well crafted.What did you like best about this story?
The concept of the story and characterizationWhich scene did you most enjoy?
No preference, I do prefer to see/listen to books as a whole.If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Not my job. I just read them.Any additional comments?
It is many years since I have read De Lint and I was not disappointed by this listen. Too often revisting an old favourite is disappointing, it is amazing how niaive and simple some old modern aurthors can apeear now. Not this one and I will keep a watch for further books by the aurthor. The characters were well constructed and it was easy to become involved in their lives no matter how strange.Original tale
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highly recommended
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This starts with alternate chapters, which are quite long from a listening perspective, read by either Grace or John, ending with all Grace, and underneath the love story, underneath the mystery of Grace, and Conchita, and Henry, and all the others, lies a moral tale about coping with grief and loss, about learning who we are, about moving on, and on the importance of friends.
I spent the first third or so wondering how de Lint was going to resolve the love story, reckoning I had it sussed. I was wrong, oh so very wrong, and I spent the final third wondering how this could end, and again, thought I saw how things might go, and was again wrong!
This builds both a credible love affair, and a very credible friendship, despite the whole thing hinging on the fairly incredible premise that Grace is dead, and yet able to meet, engage with and fall for John - who falls equally hard for Grace.
I loved the ending, loved the resolution of some issues and the fact that other issues didn't need resolution by that stage...
Why not 5 stars? Well, there are some longish internal monologues that I found I wanted over - if I'd been reading I'd have skipped a few pages!
Thought provoking and considered...
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