Tam Lin (novel)

infobox Book |
name = Tam Lin
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Cover of the 1992 softcover edition
author = Pamela Dean
illustrator =
cover_artist = Thomas Canty
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy and fantasy of manners
publisher = Tor Books (first edition, hardcover)
release_date = March 1991 (first edition, hardcover)
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (hardcover and paperback)
pages = 468 pp (first edition, hardcover)
isbn = 978-0312851378 (first edition, hardcover)
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Tam Lin" is a 1991 contemporary fantasy novel by U.S. author Pamela Dean based on the traditional Scottish border ballad Tam Lin.

It was originally published as one of the Fairy Tale Series edited by Terri Windling.

Plot introduction

The protagonist of "Tam Lin" is Janet Carter and the novel, written in the third person but from Janet's point of view, is set during her years as a student at Blackstock College in Minnesota in the early 1970s. The cast of characters are Janet's fellow students, professors at the college, her family, and a childhood friend. The plot combines the story of a young woman's life at college with a retelling of the traditional Scottish fairy ballad Tam Lin.

Characters in "Tam Lin"

* Janet Carter - the protagonist of the story, and the daughter of an English professor
* Molly DuBois - one of Janet's college roommates.
* Christina - another of Janet's college roommates.
* Nicholas Tooley - A Classics major who dates Janet.
* Thomas Lane - The famous Tam Lin of the story.
* Robert Armin - A strange Classics major who is close with Nick.
* Professor Medeous - Head of the Classics Department.
* Melinda Wolfe - A Classics professor and Janet's first study adviser.
* Victoria Thompson - A campus ghost originating in the late 19th century.
* Danny Chin - Janet's friend from childhood.

Major themes

"Tam Lin" is a late 20th century urban fantasy or fantasy of manners. The story touches on themes including college education, sexuality, contraception, abortion and pregnancy. Dean has referred to this novel as a "love poem" to "my college, and ultimately to the study of English literature." [cite web
last = Dean
first = Pamela
authorlink = Pamela Dean
coauthors = Mary Anne Mohanraj
title = Interview: Pamela Dean
work = Strange Horizons
publisher = Strange Horizons
date = 2001-01-01
url = http://www.strangehorizons.com/2001/20010101/pamela_dean.shtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-09 ]

References and allusions to other works

The novel "Tam Lin" is based on the traditional Scottish border ballad Tam Lin. [cite web
last = Acland
first = Abigail
authorlink =
title = Tam Lin: Child 39A
work = Tam Lin Balladry
publisher = Abigail Acland
date = 1997–2003
url = http://tam-lin.org/front.html
accessdate = 2007-03-09 ]

The novel also contains many quotations and allusions. Most of the quotations are from English literature and especially Shakespeare's plays,cite web
last = Strates
first = Felix
authorlink =
title = The Annotated Tam Lin
work = The Annotated Dean
publisher = Felix Strates
date = 2002-02-10
url = http://www.alittlebitofnotmuch.com/TAD/TL/index.html
accessdate = 2007-03-09 ] but there are also quotes from and allusions to other sources, including English folk songs. One chapter refers extensively to an in-story production of "The Revenger's Tragedy". There are references to the poetic works of John Keats and the complete text of "" is quoted by Janet, the novel's protagonist. Homer's "Iliad" is quoted and referenced by several characters, in the original ancient Greek and in English translations including those by George Chapman and Alexander Pope.

References to history and geography

The novel casually alludes to several historical events and figures in early 1970s U.S. history including the Vietnam War and Nixon. More importantly to the plot, Janet Carter, the protagonist, mentions the law ruling allowing legal abortions in the U.S. (see "Roe v. Wade").

Blackstock College is partly physically based on Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, which author Pamela Dean attended as an undergraduate (1971–1975). Dean states, in the "Author's Note" published in the back of every edition of "Tam Lin":

Readers acquainted with Carleton College will find much that is familiar to them in the architecture, landscape, classes, terminology, and general atmosphere of Blackstock. They are earnestly advised that it would be unwise to refine too much upon this. Blackstock is not Carleton. [cite book
last = Pamela
first = Dean
authorlink = Pamela Dean
coauthors =
title = "Author's Note", Tam Lin
publisher = Firebird Books
date = 2006-08-03
location =
pages = 457
url =
doi =
isbn = 978-0142406526 ]

Awards and nominations

* 1992, Mythopoeic Awards, Adult Fantasy category, finalist. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Nominees for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
work =
publisher = Mythopoeic Society
date =
url = http://mythsoc.org/MFAnoms.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-07-12 ]

Release details

* 1991, U.S., Tor Books (Tom Doherty Associates), ISBN-10: ISBN 0312851375, ISBN-13: ISBN 978-0312851378, March 1991, hardcover
* 1992, U.S., Tor Books (Tom Doherty Associates), St. Martin's Press, ISBN-10: ISBN 0812544501, ISBN-13: ISBN 978-0812544503, April 1992, paperback
* 2006, U.S., Firebird Books (Penguin Group), ISBN-10: ISBN 014240652X, ISBN-13: ISBN 978-0142406526, August 3, 2006, paperback

Notes

External links

* [http://www.alittlebitofnotmuch.com/TAD/TL/index.html A partial annotation of "Tam Lin" by Felix Strates]
* [http://tam-lin.org/front.html Lyrics of the traditional Scottish ballad Tam Lin (on a website devoted to the ballad)]