The Faerie Tree – Jane Cable

Published March 2015 by Matador




From Amazon:

How can a memory so vivid be wrong? 


I tried to remember the first time I’d been here and to see the tree through Izzie’s eyes. The oak stood on a rise just above the path; not too tall or wide but graceful and straight, its trunk covered in what I can only describe as offerings – pieces of ribbon, daisy chains, a shell necklace, a tiny doll or two and even an old cuckoo clock. 


“Why do people do this?” Izzie asked. 


I winked at her. “To say thank you to the fairies.” 

In the summer of 1986 Robin and Izzie hold hands under The Faerie Tree and wish for a future together. Within hours tragedy rips their dreams apart. 

In the winter of 2006, each carrying their own burden of grief, they stumble back into each other’s lives and try to create a second chance. But why are their memories of 1986 so different? And which one of them is right? 

With strong themes of paganism, love and grief, The Faerie Tree is a novel as gripping and unputdownable as Jane Cable’s first book, The Cheesemaker’s House, which won the Suspense & Crime category of The Alan Titchmarsh Show’s People’s Novelist competition. It is a story that will resonate with fans of romance, suspense, and folklore.

* * *

Having really enjoyed Jane’s debut novel, The Cheesemaker’s House (you can read my review here), I was really looking forward to reading this, her second book – and I wasn’t disappointed.  

Her writing seems to have changed slightly with this book – it’s still excellent, as before, but this time its also a little bit edgier which fits perfectly with the two main characters – Robin and Izzie.

Izzie and Robin haven’t had the best of lives – Izzie is now widowed at only 44 and Robin has had his share of heartbreak and loss too.  When the two meet again after 20 years apart, they seem to fit together so well – and Robin finds a fan in Claire, Izzie’s teenage daughter.

However there is something troubling about their stories – both have different memories of the first time they met and fell in love – why would that be, surely even after 20 years apart, you would still remember?

This is a lovely story of lost love, relationships and also grief and how it affects us all in different ways.  The characters are expertly drawn – to the extent that I was sometimes shouting in my head at the older Izzie not to keep picking a fight – it isn’t every author that can you make you feel about the characters and really care about them.  I have to admit I fell a little in love with Robin myself and Claire, whilst being a typical teenager, was wise beyond her years in many ways and was so often the voice of common sense and reason.

Both Robin and Izzie are complex characters and both know what they want … and don’t want from a relationship. They fell in love once but can they do it again and make it work this time – or should they just admit that too much has changed between them and walk away.  

Don’t be put off by the folklore aspect, although this is an integral part of the story it is not overpowering and whatever your beliefs, I’m sure you will find, as I did, that this added a little bit of magic to the story.  I loved the idea of children writing letters to the fairies….and that they were being answered!  

I really enjoyed The Faerie Tree and was delighted to be asked to take part in Jane’s recent blog tour for this book – you can read more about the Faerie Tree itself here.

My thanks to the author and publisher for the copy to review via Netgalley.

About the author:

The Faerie Tree is set to be as gripping and unputdownable as Jane’s first book, The Cheesemaker ‘s House, which won the Suspense & Crime category of The Alan Titchmarsh Show’s People’s Novelist competition.

Following the success of her debut novel, The Cheesemaker ‘s House Matador, 2013, Jane Cable divides her time between writing and her chartered accountancy business. Although born in Cardiff, Jane now lives on the Hampshire/Sussex border and The Faerie Tree is set nearby.

You can find out more from Jane’s website, or follow on Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads