The Woodcutter, is the guardian of the twelve kingdoms, in a realm where magic, folklore and myth come to life. He must keep the realms of magic and the realms of the ordinary separate and at peace.
The story begins with the killing of a young princess, and it soon turns out this is not an isolated incident and something evil is on the loose. The Woodcutter begins his quest to find out what it is, how to stop it, and who unleashed it. It's not long before he finds himself battling for the very existence of the world in which he lives.
This book is absolutely packed full of the classic storybook characters we all know and love, as well as some from less well know folklore. Everyone from Snow White to Baba Yaga ends up embroiled in trying to save the twelve kingdoms. The way their stories are cleverly weaved together is a joy to read and a real treat to any avid folklorist.
Although the story line of this book is entirely none predictable, and very fast paced with dozens of little side-plots, the characters are somewhat more predictable. There were no big surprises with how the characters react to each situation they found themselves in,
I enjoyed this book a lot, and I think anyone who loved fairy tales as a child would.
Lily Rating: 4/5
