Kim Wilkins is rapidly becoming my new favourite author. The Autumn Castle is the first in her Europa Suite - a trilogy of novels based on European myth and it is sublime.
Christine Starlight lives with her artist boyfriend in Berlin, tormented both physically and mentally by the memory of the car accident that killed her parents thirteen years earlier, as well as by the disappearance of her childhood friend May Frith. She finds out that Mayfrith has been living as Queen in the faery realm of Ewikgreis and for a short period until Ewikgreis moves into Winter, both Mayfrith and Christine are able to visit each other's worlds - Mayfrith to experience the excitement of the modern world, Christine to enjoy freedom from her pain. But unaware to both of them, they are being watched by a man who hunts faeries for their bones - and he wants Mayfrith's.
This book shouldn't work. Anything referring to "faeryland" seems twee and childish, particularly nowadays with the proliferation of the genre. But Wilkins has created wonderful worlds, inspired by Germanic myths, and skillfully blends the real and fantastic. Hexebart, the crazy witch imprisoned in a well, and Eisengrimm, shapeshifter and long-suffering counsel to Queen Mayfrith are two of my favourite characters, but not all of her creations are likeable. Queen Mayfrith, arguably the heroine, is spoiled and selfish and doesn't change from this throughout the novel. But that's one of the things I like most about Wilkins' writing - her characters are fallable and real. I never warmed to Mayfrith, but likewise, I did not want her to suffer the horrible fate that the faery hunter, Mandy Z, plans for her. Mandy Z is a psychopath, but in parts, Wilkins even manages to make you feel a little sorry for him. I loved the ending, which was pure fairy tale.
This book will appeal to anyone who doesn't like their fantasy novels clearly labelled into the genre. There is a little bit of everything - love, unrequited love, revenge, guilt, horror, shapeshifters, fantasy, faeries, pain, loss - all woven together to make one of the best books I've read in a long time.
