Subject: Review of A RED HEART OF MEMORIES by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

From: "David Brukman" <[email-masked]>
Date: 27 Dec 1999 14:50:54 -0500

A Red Heart Of Memories, Nina Kiriki Hoffman
	Book review Copyright 1999 David Brukman

This delightful, if a bit on the lightweight side, tale of enchantment and
painful memory in a modern Pacific Northwest benefits from a pleasant
protagonist and a fresh look at magic.

GENRE: Fantasy (Ghosts)

SYNOPSIS: Matt has been wondering around for years, happily talking to
inanimate objects, and trying to avoid people's dreams. Fortunately for
her continued liberty, she has learned to keep these conversations silent.
However, a man stepping out of a wall is a bit unusual even for Matt.

Matt's previously life of quiet magic and lonely contentment is overturned
by the flood of witchcraft and emotion that her visitor brings.

Full Review: Hoffman continues to bring her special style to the stories
occuring in the Northwest. Perhaps her most remarkable attribute is the
delight her magic brings to the lives of her characters. Not only is her
treatment of magic fresh, it is woven seamlessly into our own reality,
without either creating a new world or descending into the surreal of some
modern fantasies. While as perilous as a weapon and as hard to control as
a child, the magic nevertheless brings pleasure, amusement and beauty to
the lives of the protagonist and her friends.

The protagonist herself is an unusually pleasant, decent, wry and
self-reliant individual, and using her viewpoint the narrative is carried
effortlessly and evenly.

The plot itself is a bit thin. Perhaps the biggest flaw of this otherwise
excellent book is the lack of serious conflict in the plot: while old
memories bring pain, the new quest generally succeeds with little
sacrifice, an attribute more appropriate to juvenile fiction (though this
book uses adult themes).

In addition, the two major female characters seem to be suffering from the
same type of trauma: a somewhat strained coincidence.

In general, despite the weaknesses in the plot, the lively and likable
characters, the enjoyable style with occaional glints of humor, and most
of all the fresh and delightful magic permeating the book, make reading
this fantasy a remarkably pleasant experience.

RATING:
Overall: 7; Plot: 6; Characters: 7.5; Style: 7.5; World-building: 6;
Originality: 7.5;

%A Hoffman, Nina Kiriki
%D October 1999
%G ISBN 0-441-00651-5 
%I Berkley Publishing Group (Ace)
%O Cloth
%P 329 pp.
%T A Red Heart of Memories

          David Brukman    "Long live Jame Talissen!"
Email:    [email-masked]
http://InOtherWorlds.cjb.net    "Fantasy, SF & Mystery Reviews"