The novel was published in April 2010 and it was intended for an audience of 9-12 years of age.
This work provides examples of:
- Absent-Minded Professor: Well, some see Andrew as this, since he spends most of his time staring at a computer.
- Accidental Misnaming: Aiden keeps having people get his name wrong, especially the fae (which helps when they try to use it to lure him out). It's implied that there is literally a spell on his name preventing those that can't be trusted from remembering it.
- Barrier Maiden: Andrew is a rare Spear Counterpart
- Cold Iron: Fairies are called "those who don't use iron."
- Evil Counterpart: Nearly everyone has a fairy counterpart, though not all of them are evil. Tarquin and Puck, and Stashe and Titania are examples of good/evil counterparts; good/good examples are Shaun and Groil, and Andrew and Aidan.
- Fantastic Nature Reserve: The "field of care" is a magical area that keeps The Fair Folk hidden from the rest of the world.
- Foreshadowing: The names of the horses that rank in the daily races are Stashe's way of telling foreshadowing. Andrew thinks it works after meeting Rolf and WPC 92, since the horses that ranked on that day were "Dogdays" and "Heavy Queen."
- Half-Human Hybrid: Aidan appears to be this. It turns out at the end that he isn't so the fairies no longer want him.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Andrew accidentally did it to himself; a combination of his mother telling him not to listen to his grandfather and his own scholarly pursuits led to him blocking out everything he learned about magic until something actively reminds him again. Also what happens to the rest of the townsfolk after the storm passes.
- Lethal Chef: Mrs. Stock usually cooks cauliflower cheese every time she is disgusted with Andrew. Though, Aidan does not seem to mind eating this.
- Let's Get Dangerous: Andrew is generally mild-mannered unless you push him too far. Or threaten his field-of-care. In which case him may literally blow you off his land.
- The Masquerade: Weirdly, the general public seems to know that magic exists but not fairies.
- Must Be Invited: The Fair Folk have to abide by this rule. One memorable example was when Andrew hears Stashe asking to be let into his office, and tells her to come in. She enters and says something along the lines of "Thank you. We need to be invited in, you know." It wasn't Stashe. Cue massive Oh Crap.
- Not Using the "Z" Word: The Fair Folk are only referred to as "those who don't use iron">
- Offing the Offspring: What Oberon is trying to do to Aidan.
- Our Giants Are Bigger: A type of fairy that can change size at will.
- Our Werebeasts Are Different: They are a type of fairy that can change at any time.
- This Means War!: Andrew is really protective of his field-of-care.
- Your Mind Makes It Real: Tarquin's replacement leg. At one point his counterpart Puck causes him to fall down because he made him think it was gone.
