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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
A+ atmosphere up top. Unfortunately, it falls into tedium as the plot completely and totally refuses to develop. Couple that with an overly-serious, overly showy writing style and you’ve got yourself a slog of a read.
A super weird one for sure! I think I liked it though? The author did a good job of making the book feel like a disjointed dream.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
I LOVE THIS BOOK! If you're looking for something so creepy and beautiful you can't put it down, this is it. Finished in one sitting. Beautifully formatted--has all the intensity through text of HOUSE OF LEAVES, and all the complexity of THE THIRTEENTH TALE. But it's a book all its own. My favourite so far of Dawn's
I originally intended to read this in October because it seemed a fitting book to go with the creepy holiday season. I didn't get to it until yesterday and I knew I'd made a mistake not reading it sooner because it was creepy. I really had no idea where the book was going and it wasn't outright frightening, but more subtly creepy. I didn't expect it to go the way it did and now I'm sad, so wtf, creepy book?
I did not enjoy this book. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over and over again on a loop, and I got very frustrated that the story wasn't advancing. There was no payoff to this mode of storytelling, in my opinion. I don't usually regret reading books, but I regret reading this one.
I absolutely devoured Dawn's first novel, The Dead House, and was ecstatic when I found out she was publishing a new novel. Dawn has the ability to get inside your head and truly freak you out. And not the kind of freak out where you hide under the covers from the monsters, but where you question everything.
And the Trees Crept In starts out normal enough, but slowly take on a turn for what the fuck is happening?! Silla and her young sister Nori escape their abusive father by traveling to their aunt's house in the middle of the woods. At first, everything is great. They're safe, fed, loved. Then one day their aunt goes up to the attic and never comes back down. They can hear her moving around up there, doing who knows what, but she never descends back down.
It's then up to Silla to keep herself and her sister alive, but it becomes harder with each passing day. Food is running out, the land is dying, and the trees are getting closer. Just when things seem beyond helpless, Gowan mysteriously appears from the woods - with food. Nori automatically takes to him, but Silla is (naturally) wary.
The narrative of And the Trees Crept In is beyond excellent. Not only is Silly possibly descending into madness, but we are along with her. She's your quintessential unreliable narrator - or is she? Are the trees actually getting closer? Is there a voice coming from the basement through the floorboards? Is her sister playing with the Creeper Man?
When it comes to this novel, there are two reading styles: You pick it up and you don't put it down because Dawn doesn't let up or you pick it up and you put it down every once in a while because holy creepy. I am in the former group, but a good friend of mine is in the latter. I couldn't get enough of Silla's narrative and Dawn's writing. He, on the other hand, needed to break every now and then because the trees around his house started creeping in.
If you are looking for the perfect psychological thriller with the right about of creeps and creaks, you do not want to pass up And the Trees Crept In. Dawn quickly became an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
Read this review and more at Bookish Lifestyle
And the Trees Crept In starts out normal enough, but slowly take on a turn for what the fuck is happening?! Silla and her young sister Nori escape their abusive father by traveling to their aunt's house in the middle of the woods. At first, everything is great. They're safe, fed, loved. Then one day their aunt goes up to the attic and never comes back down. They can hear her moving around up there, doing who knows what, but she never descends back down.
It's then up to Silla to keep herself and her sister alive, but it becomes harder with each passing day. Food is running out, the land is dying, and the trees are getting closer. Just when things seem beyond helpless, Gowan mysteriously appears from the woods - with food. Nori automatically takes to him, but Silla is (naturally) wary.
The narrative of And the Trees Crept In is beyond excellent. Not only is Silly possibly descending into madness, but we are along with her. She's your quintessential unreliable narrator - or is she? Are the trees actually getting closer? Is there a voice coming from the basement through the floorboards? Is her sister playing with the Creeper Man?
When it comes to this novel, there are two reading styles: You pick it up and you don't put it down because Dawn doesn't let up or you pick it up and you put it down every once in a while because holy creepy. I am in the former group, but a good friend of mine is in the latter. I couldn't get enough of Silla's narrative and Dawn's writing. He, on the other hand, needed to break every now and then because the trees around his house started creeping in.
If you are looking for the perfect psychological thriller with the right about of creeps and creaks, you do not want to pass up And the Trees Crept In. Dawn quickly became an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
Read this review and more at Bookish Lifestyle
I don't usually read horrors, I'll be honest, but the synopsis intrigued me.
This book is about Cilla and Nori, Two sisters, who flee their abusive family situation to go and live with their aunt Cath in her huge manor, La Baume, located beside Python Wood. Aunt Cath starts off quite normal when the girls arrive but grows more crazy until one day she goes to the attic never to return.
The first third of this book really freaked me out and I was scared walking at night. I also really enjoyed the way it was written, with flashbacks, narrative from both sisters at times and the typography.
I struggled with the plot. *spoliers ahead* and was gunning for a happy ending. I mean the girls had been through enough. The huge twist that people keep going on about really frustrated me and made me quite angry.
I mean the book was really good up to a point but the ending was shit.
This book is about Cilla and Nori, Two sisters, who flee their abusive family situation to go and live with their aunt Cath in her huge manor, La Baume, located beside Python Wood. Aunt Cath starts off quite normal when the girls arrive but grows more crazy until one day she goes to the attic never to return.
The first third of this book really freaked me out and I was scared walking at night. I also really enjoyed the way it was written, with flashbacks, narrative from both sisters at times and the typography.
I struggled with the plot. *spoliers ahead* and was gunning for a happy ending. I mean the girls had been through enough. The huge twist that people keep going on about really frustrated me and made me quite angry.
I mean the book was really good up to a point but the ending was shit.
Fast paced, and very suspenseful, but a disappointing ending.
3.5/5
Okay, this audio book was done so well! Honestly I don't think I would have enjoyed this novel as much as I did if I had read it rather than listened to it.
Through majority of this book I was confused as to what was going on because it jumps around quite a bit but toward the last 25% I started to get it. And let me tell you, it's a really cool idea. The whole book is a terrible nightmare come to life.
It's creepy, unsettling and messed up. I think it would make a pretty good movie too.
Okay, this audio book was done so well! Honestly I don't think I would have enjoyed this novel as much as I did if I had read it rather than listened to it.
Through majority of this book I was confused as to what was going on because it jumps around quite a bit but toward the last 25% I started to get it. And let me tell you, it's a really cool idea. The whole book is a terrible nightmare come to life.
It's creepy, unsettling and messed up. I think it would make a pretty good movie too.
