The Woodcutter is a man of legend. He is the keeper of peace between the Twelve Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of the Faerie. So when a young woman is killed under mysterious circumstances, it is up to the Woodcutter to discover the cause. However, a dark new force is moving through the Twelve Kingdoms, and the stories of legend are changing. Magic, itself, has been perverted, and a war between the Realm of the Faerie and the Twelve Kingdoms is imminent. All that stands in its way is the Woodcutter.
The Woodcutter
Kate Danley
47North
November 6, 2012
Imagine every fairy tale you've ever read. And not the modern versions that are all about happy endings, but the dark, original tales where men and women were maimed, blinded, and killed. Then roll them all together into one story, a fairy tale that combines them all, and you might come close to describing The Woodcutter.
The entire story is written in the same, almost lyrical style of Grimm's Fairy Tales, which was initially a bit off-putting for me. But once I became accustomed to the writing, I barely noticed it, as I was completely enraptured by the story.
Despite the book drawing heavily on famous tales like Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, the story itself is wholly original. The ease with which the writing slips between and combines these classics is amazing.
But even if the book hadn't drawn on these time-honored tales, the core story would still strike me as belonging with those favored classics. Honestly, I loved how intricate the writing was.
The Woodcutter is definitely going into my list of favorites, and I encourage anyone who loves those old fairy tales to read this book.
