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195th out of 612 books
—
1,313 voters
The Autumn Castle
by
Kim Wilkins (Goodreads Author)
In this first volume of Wilkins' Europa Suite, a woman's world is turned upside down when her childhood friend, abducted as a young girl into a place of magic and myth, rerturns. But now jealousies and betrayals threaten to destroy them both.
Paperback, 560 pages
Published
March 1st 2005
by Aspect
(first published October 1st 2002)
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This has been on my TBR list for a long while but I finally grabbed it while redeeming some gift cards at Borders. I tore through this book in under two days; I could barely put it down. I have to say that this is the best urban fantasy I've read in a long time. It ranks right up there with War for the Oaks by Emma Bull. For starters, it takes place in Berlin, rather than the usual New York, London, or other big city in the English speaking (excepting Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and Irelan...more
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As a child, Christine's best friend was abducted; as an adolescent, Christine's parents were killed in a car crash that left Christine with chronic pain. Now, autumn in Berlin, living with her lover in an artist's hotel, Christine is confronted by the return of her childhood friend--who has spent the intervening years as a faery queen. The Autumn Castle is an urban fantasy-cum-portal fantasy with a gleeful sense of the grotesque, and could easily be too frivolous for my tastes--but to my surpris...more
i can't rate this from my kindle but would give it 4.5 stars. another emjoyable read Kim
Review from my blog: http://rosesandvellum.blogspot.com/
Kim Wilkins makes me proud to be an Australian. Why? Because she is the author of the most amazing dark, twisted adult fairytale I have ever read. Taking all the elements that make us love fairytales, the darkness, the death, wicked witches, fairies, forbidden love, Kim Wilkins weaves a magical tale set in modern day Berlin. Christine, an ordinary girl with whom the reader can relate, is staying in Berlin with her boyfriend, Jude. Jude is a...more
Kim Wilkins makes me proud to be an Australian. Why? Because she is the author of the most amazing dark, twisted adult fairytale I have ever read. Taking all the elements that make us love fairytales, the darkness, the death, wicked witches, fairies, forbidden love, Kim Wilkins weaves a magical tale set in modern day Berlin. Christine, an ordinary girl with whom the reader can relate, is staying in Berlin with her boyfriend, Jude. Jude is a...more
This is a really well written modern day faerie story. Set in Germany, Christine and her Boyfriend Jude who is on an art fellowship think they have a fairly normal happy life. Living in Germany many unhappy memories are reappearing for Christine who spent some of her childhood here until her friend was kidnapped.
After an accident Christine ends up seeing her childhood friend but in a strange dreamlike place - faeryland. It turns out Little May wasn't exactly kidnapped but went to live in faeryla...more
After an accident Christine ends up seeing her childhood friend but in a strange dreamlike place - faeryland. It turns out Little May wasn't exactly kidnapped but went to live in faeryla...more
This was an intriguing mix of fantasy, relationship drama with a little horror thrown in though it wasn't nearly as disgusting as I was expecting.
Christine, the main character, has a run in with the faery realm when she meets up with an old long-lost friend. She was too naive and doormat-like for me and the rest of the characters were all unlikable to me for various reasons but despite all that I still found it an interesting book. Mandy Z., a madman hellbent on destroying all fairies in the mo...more
Christine, the main character, has a run in with the faery realm when she meets up with an old long-lost friend. She was too naive and doormat-like for me and the rest of the characters were all unlikable to me for various reasons but despite all that I still found it an interesting book. Mandy Z., a madman hellbent on destroying all fairies in the mo...more
This has to be one of my favourite books. I bought it for the terrible reason that I liked the cover and I am so glad that I did. It introduced me to a whole new genre of fiction. I could not stop reading this book it is addictive.
Autumn Castle is one of the loveliest fantasy stories I've ever read. Although I've only recently immersed myself in fantasy, this book will stay with me for a long time and I'm glad to have it as part of my collection.
I love this book - it is definitely a favourite of mine. It takes you through the story of an Australian artist living in Germany who comes across an alternate realm where faeries exist. Not faeries in the traditional sense but more a magical realm where life is grand. However an evil artist comes across this world and uses its inhabitants to procure success as an renound sculpter in the real world. It might sound lame but believe me it is full of lust, adventure, excitement and horror. A great...more
One of my favorite books.
I have no complaints.
3 or 4 out of 5..
4 is my personal rating..
Compared to other books that exist, maybe a 3.
Let's see..
This is a modern day fairy tale..
There is a wonderful flow and depth to this story.. ^_^
I love the characters, the way they develop, the way they interact..
I think this is a good read for teenagers.
The book is solid/whole..
I believe you will be satisfied after you spend your time reading this book.
[this is one of the few books I read more than once.. :...more
I have no complaints.
3 or 4 out of 5..
4 is my personal rating..
Compared to other books that exist, maybe a 3.
Let's see..
This is a modern day fairy tale..
There is a wonderful flow and depth to this story.. ^_^
I love the characters, the way they develop, the way they interact..
I think this is a good read for teenagers.
The book is solid/whole..
I believe you will be satisfied after you spend your time reading this book.
[this is one of the few books I read more than once.. :...more
After enjoying Kim Wilkins’ novel Veil of Gold last year, I decided to seek out her backlist. Similar to how Veil of Gold pulled from Russian folktales, The Autumn Castle delves into German folklore, with overtones of Grimm fairy tales. It is not a retelling of any particular Grimm fairy tale, but characters’ backstories contain familiar elements: a bargain too eagerly made and soon regretted, quests to undo curses, talking magical animals.
Kim Wilkins apparently has a knack for creating characte...more
Kim Wilkins apparently has a knack for creating characte...more
I talked up The Veil of Gold so much when it came out that my children's librarian friend at work lent me her ARC of this earlier, UK-published book. I had a hard time getting in to it at first because I didn't care for faery May. I never found her as likable as the other characters; she was always too self-involved to be truly sympathetic. Then again, this isn't really a fault with the book, and I enjoyed the ending, where the happiness May imagined and schemed for doesn't quite live up to real...more
What a fantastic story!
Christine lives with Jude in modern day Germany. Christine has lived a tragic life, losing her famous parents in a horrific car accident when she was younger, leaving her with a back injury that causes excruciating pain every moment of her life. One day she accidentally slams her injured back into the corner of the kitchen table causing so much pain that she is rendered unconscious. She wakes seconds later in a wondrous land where she feels no pain. Thinking that she is un...more
Christine lives with Jude in modern day Germany. Christine has lived a tragic life, losing her famous parents in a horrific car accident when she was younger, leaving her with a back injury that causes excruciating pain every moment of her life. One day she accidentally slams her injured back into the corner of the kitchen table causing so much pain that she is rendered unconscious. She wakes seconds later in a wondrous land where she feels no pain. Thinking that she is un...more
This is old school urban fantasy, something Charles de Lint might have written if his faeries were Germanic rather than Celtic/Native American. It is also alternately brutal and lovely. Christine Starlight is living in Berlin with her artist boyfriend Jude, when she encounters a childhood friend who had mysteriously disappeared. It turns out little May---now known as Mayfridh---actually vanished into a fairyland, Ewigkreis, where she is now queen. Christine, sole survivor of a car accident that...more
This dark urban fantasy novel was all right given I am not a huge fan of urban fantasy. It deals with a changeling child who has become the Queen of the Faeries and the complicated course of events that occurs when she makes contact with an old friend from the Real World.
For starters I guessed what the basic shape of the ending was going to be at least 200 pages before it actually happened. This was tiresome to say the least.
Even more tiresome at times were the main characters. Most of them wer...more
For starters I guessed what the basic shape of the ending was going to be at least 200 pages before it actually happened. This was tiresome to say the least.
Even more tiresome at times were the main characters. Most of them wer...more
Feb 08, 2008
Ann
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
dark fantasy lovers
Recommended to Ann by:
Journeywoman
Shelves:
wpf-masters-reading
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
It was unique. It was slightly disturbing with all of Mandy's memoir excerpts. For a dark story though, the ending was almost saccharine, and predictable at about the mid-point of the book, once May starts hanging around with Christine and Jude's friends. Hexebete was a surprise though.
The little epilogue was quite sweet.
The little epilogue was quite sweet.
This was a wonderful dark urban fantasy with a nice fairy tale like quality to it -- but a Brother's Grimm fairy tale rather than a pretty Disney version.
However, it is a bit predictable. I'd already figured out the last 2 plot resolutions halfway through the book. Luckily, knowing the ending rarely spoils a book for me, as long as the writing quality is good.
It's not quite on the same level as de Lint or Neil Gaiman, but it is definitely worth the time to read it.
However, it is a bit predictable. I'd already figured out the last 2 plot resolutions halfway through the book. Luckily, knowing the ending rarely spoils a book for me, as long as the writing quality is good.
It's not quite on the same level as de Lint or Neil Gaiman, but it is definitely worth the time to read it.
I found this book accidently while haunting the 'w' section looking for Jules Watson, and was completely suprised that I actually enjoyed it! I usually can not stand fantasy. Although I did find myself skimming over the journal entries by Mandy Z.
This is the second Kim Wilkins book I've read and I really enjoyed it. It's dark I didn't like any of the major character's although I ended up rooting for Christine towards the end.
Terrible clunky writing style; vaguely interesting if extraordinarily predictable plot.
Fairy-tale associated, no direct retelling.
Author to avoid.
Fairy-tale associated, no direct retelling.
Author to avoid.
This was amazing. Kim Wilkins took the conventions of the European fairy story and used them to write a compelling contempory thriller.
Best ever!! Never wanted this book to end - it took me to places I never wanted to return from. Awesome page turner...
An oldie but a goodie. A different take on alternate fairy worlds, love, and growing and taking responsibility for your actions.
I haven't decided whether I'm a fan of urban fantasy, but I rather enjoyed this.
Some parts were predictable, but still an enjoyable read.
Some parts were predictable, but still an enjoyable read.
It was just such a weird and mostly seriously creepy story, I can't say enjoyed it that much. The only sections that held my interest somewhat were those set in Berlin (but let's not talk about the pronunciation of the Berlin street names and landmarks by the narrator... :( ). The 'diary of Mandy Z' sections were just a bit too horror-like and creepy supernatural for me... Not really my thing.
I think I prefer reading her historic family sagas, published under her pseudonym Kimberley Freeman.
I think I prefer reading her historic family sagas, published under her pseudonym Kimberley Freeman.
Feb 03, 2009
Michele
added it
My favourite, favourite, favourite. Never wanted this book to end.
Orphaned Christine returns to Berlin when her artist boyfriend Jude wins a fellowship offered by wealthy but repulsive sculptor Mandy Z. Christine lived in Berlin with her musician parents, years before they were killed by a hit-and-run driver who left Christine with injuries that cause her constant pain. Her best friend in Berlin, a little English girl named May, disappeared at age 8 and was never heard of again. Now that Christine is in Berlin again, the tragedies of her past seem to be reawak...more
Be still beating fairy wings
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Also writes under the name of Kimberley Freeman.
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Jul 30, 2007 01:43am