• The Woodcutter

  • By: Kate Danley
  • Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
  • Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (1,137 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Woodcutter  By  cover art

The Woodcutter

By: Kate Danley
Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Deep within the Wood, a young woman lies dead. Not a mark on her body. No trace of her murderer. Only her chipped glass slippers hint at her identity.

The Woodcutter, keeper of the peace between the Twelve Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of the Faerie, must find the maiden’s killer before others share her fate. Guided by the wind and aided by three charmed axes won from the River God, the Woodcutter begins his hunt, searching for clues in the whispering dominions of the enchanted unknown.

But quickly he finds that one murdered maiden is not the only nefarious mystery afoot: one of Odin’s hellhounds has escaped, a pixie-dust drug trade runs rampant, and more young girls go missing. Looming in the shadows is a malevolent, power-hungry queen, and she will stop at nothing to destroy the Twelve Kingdoms and annihilate the Royal Fae…unless the Woodcutter can outmaneuver her and save the gentle souls of the Wood.

©2012 Kate Danley (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Woodcutter

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    485
  • 4 Stars
    314
  • 3 Stars
    188
  • 2 Stars
    74
  • 1 Stars
    76
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    549
  • 4 Stars
    224
  • 3 Stars
    131
  • 2 Stars
    41
  • 1 Stars
    54
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    407
  • 4 Stars
    257
  • 3 Stars
    182
  • 2 Stars
    85
  • 1 Stars
    70

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fantasy for fairy tale lovers

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, it made me cry. But I'm not going to tell if those were happy tears or sad tears. Listen for yourself.

Any additional comments?

If you see any of my other reviews, you’ll start to notice a pattern. I read other reviews. Well, I skim them. I browse through them before and after I’ve read/listened to a book. Sometimes, when I’m in the middle of reading, I go through them again wondering if anyone has had the same thoughts that I’m having.

I don’t remember why I picked this one. Probably because I’m DIY renovating and love to listen to books while I work. This was free with Kindle Unlimited with narration.

Reading the blurb, I’m like others who thought The Woodcutter is something that it’s not. (Of course, now I want to write the book I was expecting and random thoughts keep popping into my head about that!)

Other reviewers also mentioned the writing style. It does feel like Kate Danley hasn’t found her own voice. It feels as if she’s borrowing a voice. My suggestion is to listen to it. All the old fairy tales are dry, emotionless things to which you have to add your own responses. Listening to the narration really brings The Woodcutter to life. Although I wasn’t very fond of Sarah Coomes’s voice, she really adds something to the story.

Maybe because I’ve read all those stories in their various forms and I’ve analyzed them for a thesis I could recognize them easily and nothing was confusing. I felt like I’ve been in that forest before and I was returning to a place I called home for a little while. (Also watch, Into the Woods: Stories just seem to revolve around a forest. I remember when I first read Grimms back in high school, I wondered briefly why the characters didn’t run into each other. They were all talking about the woods. They all went on a quest or got lost or whatever didn’t involve staying home.)

What makes The Woodcutter interesting for me is that his character is the wise helper found in many of the fairy tales. He never intervenes. He does his job perfectly allowing the fairy tale to play itself out.

Other reviews complain that the characters are not filled out. In fairy tales, the story is about the plot and the lesson. We don’t need a road map into the hearts and minds of every single character. The Wolf is bad. Red Riding Hood is innocent and naïve. Cinderella lived through a horrible period before meeting her prince. In the original story, we never know why the Evil Queen wanted Snow White dead, other than the fact that she was Evil and jealous. Seriously, Maleficent cursed Sleeping Beauty with death because she wasn’t invited to a party! We don’t bitch at the Grimms for lack of character development.

The main character, the Woodcutter is the one we need to care understand. And I found that I did.

This is a neat place to visit. Let your mind go and just listen. There are a lot of things happening here, but it really is all tied together. If you can follow Game of Thrones (the book, not the show), this is easy peasy. Especially if you’ve already read and re-read all the fairy tales you can get your hands on.

My suggestion as with all things: listen to other opinions, but if you’re interested in something, delve into it yourself and make your own opinion. The Woodcutter is completely worth reading.

When I sat down to write this I didn’t know what I was going to say. The only thing that I could come up with was that it made me cry. And all I thought to write was True love conquers all…true love comes in many forms. It’s the purity of the love that makes it magic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not for me

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I simply did not care for this. I felt it was formulaic and suffered some internalized misogyny. For example, the woodcutter (detective) finds the body of a dead princess and remarks out loud, "What did you get yourself into, girl?"

I did not like the narrator. It was very breathy and forced almost as if it was a fake English accent. I don't know if she really is English, but it sounded like a college freshman who just landed the part of Wendy in a stage play of Peter Pan.

I actually missed my junction because I was so focused on turning this book off. The good news is that I got back on the right highway and also remembered how much I liked the Dresden Files. I listened to Dead Beat for the rest of the five hour car trip. Excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fairy Tale Noir

I found this book interesting enough to finish, so I gave it 3 stars. I like fantasy and mythology and enjoyed the weaving of traditional fairy tale characters into this mystery in which the Woodcutter plays detective, judge, and executioner based on an eternal agreement between him (and his paternal ancestors) and the Fay, the trees, and the earth. A subtle religious undertone erupts at the very end. The power of the earth, trees, and magic should have been sufficient to effect the happily-ever-after ending without invoking a resurrection. However, regardless of the plot, thematic, narrative flaws, it was the reading that was the worst aspect. This was truly a story to be read aloud, but the characters' voices, especially the woodcutter's, were forced and irritating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

FRACTURED FAIRYTALES RETOLD FOR ADULTS…I LOVE IT!

What happens when someone or something interferes in fairytales? Well, this is not your typical Disney or Mother Goose story but knowledge of the classic fairytales your mother read you is the absolute key to recognizing characters like Cinderella, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, etc. and identifying their basic fairytale-patterns. Those familiar will appreciate the weaving together of several different tales. In truth, part of the fun is in figuring out the connections and how the author shifts each story from its original telling.

This is a unique book and the twists in Kate Danley’s story of ‘many stories’ take you down dark paths, making The Woodcutter engrossing and entertaining for adults. The plot is well thought out, the writing is fast-paced and there is plenty of action. You can't help but fall in love with the unusual man who is this story's main character and true 'Prince Charming'. Although he does not cut wood he is known simply as the Woodcutter. He understands magic and the balance between the fae and mortals. He is the protector of the enchanted creatures and trees. He struggles to right the many fairytales-gone-wrong, ultimately sacrificing the greatest thing he possesses in order to keep the twelve kingdoms free from the sinister designs of the evil 'Gentleman and Queen'.

It is not hard to see why this book took so many awards, such as the Garcia Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year. It does not disappoint and so I recommend this audiobook as a quick, fun listen for anyone who is grown up but nostalgic for those once upon a time, fairytale days.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Repetitive and lacking imagination

What would have made The Woodcutter better?

If the author had developed an internal storyline more than just merging a collection of fables, it would have been intensely more commanding. Unfortunately, I found myself groaning at the "introduction" of each expected character.

Has The Woodcutter turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, fables/fairy tales/folk lore is such a rich and imaginative form of literature. I cannot imagine missing out on great extensions of the classics just because this was such a mash up.

How could the performance have been better?

I found myself distracted by the attempted character voices.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Give it a chance! i Entertaining and imaginative!

I didn't know what to expect as I was reading the first chapter. But the author creates a world where the characters from the fairy tales we grew up with interact in unique and unexpected ways. The Woodcutter is on the archetypal hero's journey: think Odysseus meets The Hobbit! It's really kind of fascinating!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely story, overly breathy Narration

I really enjoyed this story, a rehashing and a nice interweaving of classical fairytales. The characters were unique, their desires understandable, the world an exciting mix of familiar and new.

But the narration really threw me out of it. The narration was over done the ENTIRE time. For critical moments, it would have been fine, after listening it to hours and hours, it really wears down on a person. I found I couldn't take this story very seriously, because I found the narration for baffling.

I want to recommend this so much, but I can't recommend the narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Woodcutter gets his own fairytale!

What did you love best about The Woodcutter?

I thought that was amazing as Kate Danley managed to bring dozen fairytales with numerous characters combining into many small of the cast along with The Woodcutter as one story. The Woodcutter is a compelling character with great honor, kindness and bravery!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Woodcutter?

At the almost very ending when all Woodcutter friends join him in celebration after all his troubles.

Which scene was your favorite?

The two scenes with Oberon and Titania (king and Queen of The Fey) were both beautiful described… I literally could envision in my mind as I listened The Narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes I actually did listen during one day. It was a beautiful story and the chapters are pretty short.

Any additional comments?

I loved Sarah Comes' voice !!! She has such a pleasant voice, plus her accents French and I guess I should Slavic (could be Russian or another slavic country) were really good. Her voice males were also well done. She has done an excellent job, I guess I should look for any of her work as a narrator. Now more about the book: although this is based upon numerous fairytales and a tiny bit of Norse Mythology, the author took her imagination to blend in many well known fairytales: Snow White, Red Ridding Hood, Jack and The Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Rumpelstilskin, Beauty and The Beast and other less famous. I must say this isn't one of those sweet Disney Fairytale either, THERE ARE SOME VIOLENT DEATHS… BUT NO SEXUAL CONTENT. In truth most original fairytales have death or some bad moments.. so in my opinion if your child can accept death in stories this is an excellent book that shows the bravery, generosity, compassion and endurance of the hero, The Woodcutter. Now unless I'm mistaken its never revealed his true name… although some characters do try to find out his name. The Woodcutter plays the part of hero, but also of a detective and in someways of a sort of godmother?!?! I guess its pretty clear I loved the book…almost wish there's a sequel but I'm also happy with the standalone book. I totally recommend it ! Enjoy it !!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting story and overall a fun listen

Would you consider the audio edition of The Woodcutter to be better than the print version?

I didn't particularly like the way the book was read. While I thought some voices were beautifully done, overall I found it to be too dramatically read. For almost everything, including the chapter titles, she used a dramatic breathy voice. So I guess the answer to this would be yes, but conditionally.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the way the author played with the different fairy tales and wove them into the story. It was fun to recognize the stories...and yet...not. And to think about some kind of presence in the background making sure everything happens as it should and things don't spin out of control. Except they did...and that is the story :)

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator could have chosen her moments to heighten the drama with her voice more carefully.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't want to give away any of the good bits. There were lots of moving moments. It is a fairy tale so there is lots of excitement.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fairy Tales with a twist

Where does The Woodcutter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not one of my favorites but it was still very good. To be fair, this is definitely a different audiobook than I usually go for.

Did Sarah Coomes do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

She tried but her attempt to do the male voices came off...weird. The Woodcutter's voice was different at times...it had an Irish? accent one minute than it was gone. Sometimes it was scruffy then not. It was slightly distracting. It was more like I was being read to as opposed to immersing me in the story.

Any additional comments?

I loved how there was a twist to familiar Fairy Tales and how they crossed paths. I mean murder mystery among the happily ever afters?...what's not to like but there were several times that I was confused as to what was going on. I mean why was someone alive that I thought was dead? Without any spoilers, there were several loose ends that I don't feel got resolved. To be fair, I was listening at work and could have missed an important page or two but overall I felt that there was a few holes left to explain.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful