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desiree930 's review for:
The Darkest Part of the Forest
by Holly Black
This is the first Holly Black book I’ve read. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I have to say I’m still not sure what I think about it.
What I liked:
1. The atmosphere. I think the dark, creepy fairy tale vibe is really intriguing.
2. The premise. I haven’t read many fae stories, and I liked that the human characters in this book were aware of the fae. It wasn’t some huge shock to them that they exist. Tales of them are told very candidly and I really liked all the little anecdotes told by different townspeople.
I also liked the idea that Hazel had made a deal with a fae for her brother.
What I didn’t like:
1. Pacing. After the intriguing opening, I found myself bored. Not a lot really happens in this book. Then at the end, we’re treated to a couple of chapters that felt really info-dumpy to me.
2. Lack of focus. I say this specifically in reference to the number of characters in the story. There are just so many different characters that I had a difficult time keeping everyone straight, which probably comes from a lack of development on the part of the author.
I also felt like the author was attempting to build up to something big and for me, the climax fell really flat. I didn’t feel any sense of high stakes and was surprised when we got to the end and it just...ended.
3. Loose ends. Now, this could be because I listened to this book on audio and I missed something, but this book didn’t feel complete. I’m not even sure I can come up with a concrete example, but it just felt like so many different ideas were thrown out there and not all of them were explored in a satisfying way. This could tie into the previous point I suppose.
Other odds and ends:
1. I liked Ben and the fact that there is a M/M romance in this book, but I didn’t like how it was executed. It’s instantaneous, and I don’t feel like either of them were particularly well-written.
2. The whole reason Hazel feels guilty about the deal she made is flicked away with almost no follow up. I wish there had been more tension around her reveal to her brother.
I really wanted to like this book, and I did appreciate Black’s ability to create a creepy world. I will try another of her books in the future and hope that I enjoy it more.
What I liked:
1. The atmosphere. I think the dark, creepy fairy tale vibe is really intriguing.
2. The premise. I haven’t read many fae stories, and I liked that the human characters in this book were aware of the fae. It wasn’t some huge shock to them that they exist. Tales of them are told very candidly and I really liked all the little anecdotes told by different townspeople.
I also liked the idea that Hazel had made a deal with a fae for her brother.
What I didn’t like:
1. Pacing. After the intriguing opening, I found myself bored. Not a lot really happens in this book. Then at the end, we’re treated to a couple of chapters that felt really info-dumpy to me.
2. Lack of focus. I say this specifically in reference to the number of characters in the story. There are just so many different characters that I had a difficult time keeping everyone straight, which probably comes from a lack of development on the part of the author.
I also felt like the author was attempting to build up to something big and for me, the climax fell really flat. I didn’t feel any sense of high stakes and was surprised when we got to the end and it just...ended.
3. Loose ends. Now, this could be because I listened to this book on audio and I missed something, but this book didn’t feel complete. I’m not even sure I can come up with a concrete example, but it just felt like so many different ideas were thrown out there and not all of them were explored in a satisfying way. This could tie into the previous point I suppose.
Other odds and ends:
1. I liked Ben and the fact that there is a M/M romance in this book, but I didn’t like how it was executed. It’s instantaneous, and I don’t feel like either of them were particularly well-written.
2. The whole reason Hazel feels guilty about the deal she made is flicked away with almost no follow up. I wish there had been more tension around her reveal to her brother.
I really wanted to like this book, and I did appreciate Black’s ability to create a creepy world. I will try another of her books in the future and hope that I enjoy it more.