The Blue Girl - Charles de Lint This review was originally posted in 2008 after I had read the book for the first time:

"The Blue Girl" by Charles de Lint has been one of the most satisfying snatches from the fantasy shelves for me last year.

Is has it all:

1. A very warm-hearted and detailed description of a forming unlikely friendship between tough punk-girl Imogene, who had a criminal gang-member-record in her hometown and a childhood spent mainly on her own because of her drug-consuming carefree hippy-parents, and anxious, smart and conservative outsider Maxine, who has difficulties coming out of her shell because of her ever-present controlling mother.
2. Dark, mysterious fantasy tightly interwoven with reality. Imogene's imaginary childhood friend Pelly - something in the middle between hedgehog and boy with bunny ears and a monkey's tail - turns up in flesh after a long absence and warns her: Somehow Imogene has angered the malicious band of faeries living on the school grounds and therefore her life is suddenly on stake. In her efforts to get light into the matter, she meets the ghost of a former high-school-student whose death was caused by faeries as well. Imogene finds out that faeries are by far not the most dangerous creatures in town. Bonded with Pelly and Maxine the long-time loner learns a lot about trust and friendship and wins in the end.
3. Last but not least there are some interesting sub-plots like Imogene's dealings with the school's bullies, her relationship with her brother and the slowly growing romance with a music-shop-guy - whose granny comes from Ireland and believes in faeries as well...

I will definitly read more books by this author and recommend for anyone who likes finely tuned characters and dark fantasy to have a try as well.