Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking. Until one day, he does… As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? Lauren This is probably one of my favorite books--the writing style, characters, and slow unraveling of the plot is just so incredibly satisfying, and the author makes good use of both Hazel and Ben's perspectives. One of the best parts of the book is probably the town. It keeps the magical-realism feeling the whole book, from the way the townspeople react to supernatural events to the way charms and protections against faeries are common knowledge. The book's descriptions and the way things are described help with this feeling, like the book truly is in modern times. If you enjoyed "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby, "The Darkest Part of the Forest" definitely reminds me of it in tone. The characters were unique, and I loved how the author revealed the two main protagonists over the course of the book. Even if I didn't agree with their views, I at least understood them, and could respect them. None of the characters felt like imitations of each other, and the different personalities were interesting to see through their interactions. Truthfully, I was prepared to love the boy in the glass coffin from the very beginning. Anything that sounds the slightest bit like a fairy tale retelling has my complete attention, and though the coffin is nearly the only resemblance to Snow White, I was not at all disappointed. The way Holly Black writes faeries is fascinating, and similar to Sarah J. Maas' portrayal of them. It doesn't set up a wide, sprawling world like the faerie courts in "A Court of Thorns and Roses," as it is focused on the one town, but Holly Black's latest book "The Cruel Prince" allows a view into a different court and different characters (characters from "TDPotF" do make an appearance, and there are spoilers in "The Cruel Prince" if you haven't read it). Showing just enough of the world, "The Darkest Part of the Forest" keeps from being too focused on one aspect, or too widespread, allowing a nice balance of world building and character development. Excellently paced, enticing, and an all-around enjoyable read, "The Darkest Part of the Forest" is easy to fall in love with. 10/10, would strongly recommend. Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20958632-the-darkest-part-of-the-forest
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