The Woodcutters and Their Messes

Trix and the Faerie Queen is the second book staring Trix Woodcutter, and the sixth book in the books of Arilland. This is one where you will probably need to read at least Trixter to follow what is going on, but for someone who has read all of the previous books this is a nice addition.

Trix Woodcutter is the youngest son of the Woodcutter family, not the youngest child as that honor goes to Sunday, but the youngest son. In a family with many magically gifted members, Trix stands out as being a child of prophecy and the boy who talks to animals.  The whole Woodcutter family are rather famous, and their actions are told and retold throughout all the lands. I’m sure you’ve heard some version of their adventures. Especially the stories about the eldest son Jack. Trix is less famous, so his stories are a little less well known and so for the most part I can’t recognize any specific fairytale in these books. There are a lot of elements from various stories about fairies that are woven into this book that make it familiar and thus similar in tone to the rest of the Arilland novels.

In this novel Trix is on his way to seek out his birth father (technically he was adopted by the Woodcutters)when he receives a distress call in the form of a vision from the Faerie Queen. Faerie magic has been bound and her people are in danger. She asks Trix to save them. Trix and his companions go deep under The Hill to release the Fey magic before the imbalance destroys the world.

I enjoy these books quite a bit. They’re fun, light and just familiar enough that they can be comfort reads. This particular tale was self-published due to various issues that Kontis has had with her previous publisher, however it’s clear that Kontis takes careful pride in the work that she puts out. This book doesn’t feel like there were any shortcuts taken in it’s production, and I appreciate that.

If you’re fan of fairytales I highly recommend this series. And Trix and the Faerie Queen is a solid addition.