Atrix Wolfe, mage and shapechanger, in an attempt to save his homeland, made a terrible mistake-- one that destroyed a number of people, and, it seems, continues to tangle others in its strands. Saro, unspeaking kitchen pot-girl. Talis, shapechanger student and son of the dead king of Pelucir. The Hunter. The Queen of the Wood. And perhaps Atrix Wolfe himself. The answers might lie in a book of magic written by Atrix Wolfe-- but everything Talis tries out of it backfires dangerously.
McKillip's usual bright flashes of poetry dart in and out of this fairy tale, with flickering ghosts of destruction and fleeting glimpses of another world-- but to more purpose than in some of her books; you can follow the story. There is a large helping of 'people don't communicate when that would be helpful' in this story (another trend in McKillip), but that's achingly familiar to those who have grown up in the tangles of someone else's old trauma.
Talis isn't as vivid as most of McKillip's heroes, but Saro makes up for it. Saro, and Saro's world, the kitchen of a great house.

https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2021/11/2021133-book-of-atrix-wolfe-patricia.html ( )

There are scraps of this fantasy that always stay with me. And it is so rich that it has always been a fulfilling read. ( )

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Title: The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Series: ------
Author: Patricia McKillip
Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 254
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

Atrix Wolfe, a powerful mage, is drawn into a conflict between 2 Kingdoms. One fateful night he uses his magic to put an end to the conflict and things go horribly wrong. He conjures The Hunter, a living nightmare of pain, terror and death. One king dies, the other flees, broken completely.

Many years later, the 2nd son of the dead king, is attending the Wizards School. He is recalled home and takes a book with him. His elder brother, unable to have heirs, makes him the heir and wants him to settle down and begin stabilizing the royal line, ie, get married and start making babies. Prince Talus agrees but still wants to study the magic book he brought home, little realizing it is the Book of Atrix Wolfe and the words contained are twisted by Wolfe's despair at what he had done all those years ago.

In his mucking about, Talus calls the attention of the Hunter again, gets kidnapped by the Queen of the Faeries and is the fulcrum upon which turns the fates of many. The Hunter's nightmare must end, the Faerie Queen's daughter returned, Atrix Wolfe atoning for his misdeeds and Talus saving his brother's life.

Just like a fairytale, there is a satisfying ending, even if not a happy ending, for everyone's storyline.

My Thoughts:

The Book of Atrix Wolfe was my first McKillip book. I read it back in '05 and over the next 2 years gobbled up her back list of books. I had never come across an author who wrote like this and it blew my mind. I became a fan of hers with this book and it holds one of those special places in my mind.

So it was with trepidation that I began my re-read. Things change in 12 years. My “little cousin” was in first grade and a bossy little boy when I first read this. Now he's 6'4” and graduated highschool. I am now married, bald [well, shaved. Receding hairline isn't fun for anyone] and about 25lbs more muscular [hahaha]. Of course, most of the changes are inside and not always easy to see or for me to even know. * insert Zen aphorism about mirrors and the back of one's head *

My concerns were well founded, unfortunately. The story was just as good, the writing even better. But I could not accept the lack of communication between the various characters. The Faerie Queen's lover and her daughter have disappeared on the fateful night and she has been looking for them ever since. She knows that Atrix Wolfe is responsible, but instead of asking for his help, she kidnaps Talus, uses him as a go between and even then STILL doesn't actually tell him what is wrong. Atrix Wolfe won't tell anyone about the Hunter, even while it is active again. Talus won't tell his brother about the Faerie Queen and just goes off and does his own thing.

It was all extremely fairy tale like, so that type of thing is expected. But it really bothered me this time around and I couldn't get past it. I knocked off half a star for that. It didn't help that I'd been dealing with a sore back, lack of work and issues at church. I didn't have the patience or reserves to accept the foibles of fictional characters.

Other than that issue, this WAS just as good as before. McKillip is a master wordsmith and her use of the english language is enchanting. She doesn't just use words and sentences “correctly”, she knows them and the rules well enough so that she can “weave” them. It is the difference between a paint by numbers picture of the Mona Lisa and the actual Mona Lisa.

★★★★ ½ ( )

This was not mere escapist fantasy, but ideas, poetry in prose form. I felt wrapped in fire, surrounded by silk, drowned in darkness and raised by light. I must read more... ( )