Disney has ruined the integrity of Celtic mythology. People now believe that fairies are happy creatures that fly through the air spreading joy and happiness all the while looking cute as button. This is not the way these stories started. There was a darker edge to the mythology as two warring courts fought over the control of nature and didn’t really care about the humans who got in their way. A few authors keep the true spirit of this mythology in their stories, and the best one of them is Holly Black. This modern faerie tale is not one that you read to your children before you put them to bed at night. It focuses on the darker side of the human soul and toys around with the idea of what is the true nature of evil. I read this book for the first time twelve years ago, and the story of a girl who did not know she belonged to this darker world as she navigates through it has always stuck with me. If you want to get spooked during these chilly autumn evening while getting in touch with your Celtic heritage, this is the book for you.
John Collings 