Author Kim Wilkins spins an enchanting tale of modern magic in The Autumn Castle, where fairy tales meet the real word of Berlin, Germany. Wilkins writes in the tradition of Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman a page-turner about a woman named Christine Starlight who lives in a world of pain - until she discovers another world where pain does not exist. But magic does.
Christine has a loving boyfriend, Jude, good friends, and a somewhat exciting life in Berlin living with struggling artists, but when a childhood friend named May shows up , everything changes. May, it seems, was abducted as a child into a world of magic, and now Christine has access to that world. Surprisingly, when she is there in May’s world, she feels none of the chronic pain that has plagued her since her parents were killed in an accident years ago. Even more surprisingly, her childhood friend May is now Mayfridh, the fairy Queen of the magical realm, where things can change as fast as the fall of an autumn leaf.
The story deepens as Mayfridh comes into Christine’s world, falls in love with Jude, and betrays her friend. But there is even more darkness to contend with, for in their presence is a man with a horrific secret. A man who has a passion for killing fairies.
But Jude has a secret of his own, just as horrific, and it could put an end to his and Christine’s relationship, which is just what Mayfridh wants.
The Autumn Castle weaves a vivid web of two worlds intersecting, falling short only with some rather stilted dialog that seems a little too formal at times, but Wilkins’ succeeds at creating intriguing storylines, interesting characters and descriptive settings. I enjoyed the book, and that’s saying a lot because, as a reader, I am just beginning to discover the world of urban fantasy. This book combines those elements, plus some convincing romance and friendship issues that everyone can relate to, including backstabbing and betrayal.
This is one castle you’ll want to explore every nook and cranny of.