The intensity of this novel is good, but the plot left me with too many questions left unanswered. I'm not sure what motived the character who turns out to be the murderer. I think a bit more content and development would have made this one a true page turner.

Best known for her rich fantasy writing, Nancy Springer wrote early in her career this supernatural novella that tells the tale of a high school girl in love with a boy who may or may not be Satan's son. Taking place in the present day, Springer spins a fable both sweet and sinister about a pure and virginal girl, Angel, who falls head-over-heals with the town freak, Damnbanna, so named because of the bandanas he constantly wears around his head. This orphaned, teenage boy bears horrible scars from head-to-toe, all of which he attributes to his "devil" of a father. After saving Angel from a viscious dog attack, Damnbanna appoints himself Angel's guardian when they both realize some sinister force has chosen Angel as its prey. Angel's heart immediately goes out to her new savior, and the love affair begins, although menace lurks around every corner. Springer crafts a clean and simple story, that despite its lack of depth, hits the mark with any romatic who can appreciate the dark side of love. She has done so be creating achetypal characters. Angel is a meek, perpetual "good girl" confined by over-protective parents. Damnbanna is a tough-as-nails orphan and a rebel who can be chained by no one. His gentleness, caring and love come shining through to her alone. Angel looks to him as a protector. Damnbanna has given her his heart. By adding a touch of the spiritual realm into this work, Springer breathes a dark and slightly twisted and fantastical life into the old story of a girl from the upper crust falling in love with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Springer writes this story with a frank and almost careless style that works to keep this melodrama from going over the top and becoming sappy. "Damnbanna" is probably too intense for the younger crowd, however it is a quick, fun, and easy read that will be especially appreciated by anyone who has fallen for someone he or she shouldn't have. It will also touch the hearts of all of those who enjoy stories about the unstoppable power of love.

Let's see how many stereotypes we can throw together and see if we can make a story out of it. Just as we find out the gay brother is out of the closet, the grandmother goes in. All this while a 12 year old runs around New Yorkwith no planning of what a big city is really like. I'll not go into detail, but everyone rallies around a crazy woman who paints and raises box tuttles at the end.

I didn't really like this book... she goes to The Big Apple not even knowing if he still lives there. The grandma can't even think for herself!!! Get real!!!

The book, Looking for Jamie Bridger, was a very good book in my point of view. I liked the book because it was really easy for me to understand. I also liked it because the ending was nothing like I expected to happen. I thought the book was very good for a teen reader who is a female. I would recommend you to read this book!

I think that the best part of the book was when Jamie found out that Bridge was her brother. I liked it because it was very shocking and i didn't expect that to be the turn out. The author did a good job of telling this, so that i was not confused. This was mainly my favorite part of the book.

The story elements that were best explained by the author was the conflict and the resolution. She explained the conflict well by giving Jamie's point of view on every subject. I thought that the resolution was very unique because I didn't see it coming like it did. I thought that the author did a really nice job on writing the entire book.

Second part of a fine unconventional fantasy. No conventional material; little overlap in sources with anything else I've ever read. Themes are ecology, love, trust. This volume explores erotic love between god and mortal, and a triangular relationship, among many other things. Very fine.

I read this book with much interest, mainly because it has the same name of a wireless internet company that I've heard of in Hong Kong. This company, Mindbond claims to convert internet sites to the mobile phone, and uses this page to demonstrate it's capabilities. I think the story is well stated, and the figures are full of depth, but i could only hope that the interaction between them would be more tenseful and exciting.

I'm a little confused by the above review, which says the book is very fine but offers a one-star rating.

Otherwise, this book and this trilogy are books I am exceedingly happy to recommend.

The world they are set in appears to be at the far end of its days. It is clear from visions that there were civilizations in the past that were at least of a feudal level of technology, but the people of the last days are in six hunter-gatherer tribes, each named for an animal with whom they share traits (And in one case, the seal-folk, are rumoured to share blood via the selkies. This particular use of one of my favourite pieces of folklore isn't much like my own take on the beings, but it is a very well done variation). The main character mourns for the animals he recalls from his infancy, who have since vanished, one by one.

The first story, Madbond, involved Dannoc's quest to remember his past, how he came to go mad and run to the sea. In this second story, Dannoc intends to seek his father in the land of the dead, which in this world is a strange and distant underwater place. He is followed, as before, by his loyal friend, Kor the Sea-KIng, leader of the Seal folk, who has his own reasons for venturing into the deeps. The duo are also seeking the answers to why the winged devourers keep snatching more and more of the creatures form the world. There is also, of course, the mystery of Tass, the woman that both of them love, but who will not open up to anyone, and of the strange swords the duo found, linked to the far past and two ancient heroes.

Nancy Springer's world is decidedly her own. It is built on her more formal, somewhat mroe Tolkienesque early High fantasies, but takes on a newer and harsher direction, more personal and less pretty. I sometimes found the bluntness of some of the characters' words to be a little bothersome, but there was rarely a word out of character and I prefer the occasional bit of new harshness that is part of what makes this work something new and different, instead of another cookie-cutter high fantasy.

As this is the middle book of the trilogy, the ending is a distinct downward beat - but there is one more book to go.

Springer, best known for her fantasy fiction, makes a foray into poetry in this small press selection from previous chapbooks and more recent publications in genre magazines like Weird Tales and Star*Line. I got the book because I liked one poem called "To Be a Hero," reprinted in Datlow and Windling's 5th Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. It's the best poem in this book, and uncharacteristic of the rest. Springer would never have gotten this material published in real poetry magazines. It is not characteristic of her best work, for which she is deservedly known (e.g., "The Boy Who Plaited Manes" [1986]). Besides the above mentioned poem, I can recommend two others here: "So the Battle's Won," a meditation on what's left of love after the strife of life; and "Happily Ever," an amusingly modernized "Cinderella" ("Cinderella grew short of breath / And needed bifocals / And radical bladder surgery"). The rest is a mishmash of new agey world mythology. Springer should stick to what she does best: writing fiction.