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The Wishing Well
This gripping novella set in Newford is a cautionary tale about Brenda Perry, who bears deep scars from the loss of her father. Poor body image and low self-esteem lead to the resurgence of Brenda’s eating disorder and a collapse in the structure of her life. Ghosts, water spirits and wraiths all appear in this tale where there are no easy answers—only opportunities to live and fight another day.“The Wishing Well” was first published by Axolotl Press, 1993. Copyright (c) 1993 by Charles de Lint.Cover art by Kel Flowers (www.kelfae.com)I can never recapture the feeling of first arriving in Newford and meeting the people and seeing the sights as a newcomer. However, part of the beauty of Newford is the sense that it has always been there, that de Lint is a reporter who occasionally files stories from a reality stranger and more beautiful than ours. De Lint also manages to keep each new Newford story fresh and captivating because he is so generous and loving in his depiction of the characters. Yes, there are a group of core characters whose stories recur most often, but a city like Newford has so many intriguing people in it, so many diverse stories to tell, so much pain and triumph to chronicle.— Challenging DestinyCharles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.— Alice HoffmanCharles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.— Holly BlackDe Lint is probably the finest contemporary author of fantasy– Booklist, American Library Association Unlike most fantasy writers who deal with battles between ultimate good and evil, de Lint concentrates on smaller, very personal conflicts. Perhaps this is what makes him accessible to the non-fantasy audience as well as the hard-core fans. Perhaps it’s just damned fine writing. – Quill & Quire De Lint’s evocative images, both ordinary and fantastic, jolt the imagination.– Publishers Weekly It is hard to imagine urban fantasy done with greater skill– Booklist, American Library Association
69 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1993
21 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Charles de Lint
446 books4,019 followersCharles de Lint is the much beloved author of more than seventy adult, young adult, and children's books. Renowned as one of the trailblazers of the modern fantasy genre, he is the recipient of the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, conducted by Random House and voted on by readers, put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100.
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 18, 2017
Minimalist creepy works.
Charles de Lint’s 1993 novella keeps the paranormal and scary just out of reach in this story set in his Newford series of stories. Any author can go over the top with scary and / or gory and try to bash us over the heads with horror. De Lint opts for a more subtle approach and he is effective, creating this fantasy with a strong horror structure.
Brenda has some weight issues, or at least she thinks she does, and goes on a diet and stops smoking in the same week. If that’s not enough to drive her crazy, strange voices and possible ghosts do their part to drive her over the edge. When she begins to behave extraordinarily strange, her friends take notice and try to help.
De Lint is able to weave strands of myth and legend into a strange tale of psychological terror. One of his better stories.
Charles de Lint’s 1993 novella keeps the paranormal and scary just out of reach in this story set in his Newford series of stories. Any author can go over the top with scary and / or gory and try to bash us over the heads with horror. De Lint opts for a more subtle approach and he is effective, creating this fantasy with a strong horror structure.
Brenda has some weight issues, or at least she thinks she does, and goes on a diet and stops smoking in the same week. If that’s not enough to drive her crazy, strange voices and possible ghosts do their part to drive her over the edge. When she begins to behave extraordinarily strange, her friends take notice and try to help.
De Lint is able to weave strands of myth and legend into a strange tale of psychological terror. One of his better stories.
August 7, 2016
I am amazed at de Lint's mixture of the story of the seriousness of anorexia with the spookiness of ghosts and things that go bump in the night; I would never have thought that possible. Then again, a gifted writer *could* make a story like that not only possible but also believable, of course, and de Lint is an extraordinary talented writer. In some parts of this little gem of a novella, his prose is hauntingly beautiful.
February 13, 2016
Great story of trepidation and courage.
Charles de Lint has written a great story about a young woman with a troubled past initially snowed by society's expectations about how she should look and what she should want. Set in Newford with two of its great characters including Jilly Coppercorn, the story has its fantasy aspect secondary to its human drama about a soul caught in society's and her own webs as they intersect in an eating disorder and self-esteem crisis. For readers who like Newford this is a tale not to be missed.
Charles de Lint has written a great story about a young woman with a troubled past initially snowed by society's expectations about how she should look and what she should want. Set in Newford with two of its great characters including Jilly Coppercorn, the story has its fantasy aspect secondary to its human drama about a soul caught in society's and her own webs as they intersect in an eating disorder and self-esteem crisis. For readers who like Newford this is a tale not to be missed.
March 11, 2022
There was a good lesson in this book, although it is a sad story, but it ends with hope. Another good read from Charles de Lint.
October 23, 2017
Is the wishing well magic, or haunted, or a portal for evil supernatural beings to enter the world? Or maybe it's just an old, over-grown well in back of an abandoned motel. For Brenda, it can be any or all of these as she struggles with the obsessions that drive her toward madness. Master story-teller de Lint often teases us with different versions of reality, which in this case is the ambiguous reality seen by a woman in crisis.
June 2, 2018
Be forewarned: this one isn’t pretty
This tale a sad one, but carries a promise of hope. Friends, true friends, will help you to find yourself when you are wandering. And sometimes that help you find reasons behind the seemingly inexplicable. Why do we lose control of our lives? What is it we’re seeking that makes us overspend, hide our true feelings, try to change ourselves? This tale brings us things to consider.
This tale a sad one, but carries a promise of hope. Friends, true friends, will help you to find yourself when you are wandering. And sometimes that help you find reasons behind the seemingly inexplicable. Why do we lose control of our lives? What is it we’re seeking that makes us overspend, hide our true feelings, try to change ourselves? This tale brings us things to consider.
March 6, 2026
Ik houd van urban fantasy met folklore elementen, dus dit sloot daar goed bij aan. Het was een leuke novelle en ik ga zeker meer van Charles de Lint lezen.
May 22, 2021
Trigger warning: eating disorder, fatphobia, body image issues, death of a loved one
This is very captivating and I love how disconcerting the atmosphere was, how unreliable the narrator was that we didn't know what was real or not. I also love how caring people in Brenda's life actually were. But I think this book can be very triggering for people with ED and the ending was really abrupt- from the change in Brenda to the "message" of the book.
This is very captivating and I love how disconcerting the atmosphere was, how unreliable the narrator was that we didn't know what was real or not. I also love how caring people in Brenda's life actually were. But I think this book can be very triggering for people with ED and the ending was really abrupt- from the change in Brenda to the "message" of the book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews