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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
This book gave me the perfect amount of Blair Witch meets The Descent vibes which I was SO here for.
+ A horror novel set in English countryside! I love American horror however whenever it takes a British setting, I always feel more involved as I can picture forests that I've visited as the setting and it just adds to the atmosphere.
+ Barnett's scene setting was creepy and foreboding and made me read almost every page twice in case I had missed a little scrap of a clue, which gave me a really immersive perspective in the story.
+ The dual narratives from present day and three centuries ago worked really well and I loved how the characters in each setting seemed to map onto each other and you could see similarities (e.g. between Davies and Alice).
+ The constant undercurrent of tension throughout the book - probably due to the scene setting.
- Some of the narratives felt very similar and at times I had to go back to double-check who was narrating. I would have preferred more distinctive voices (Alice's was my favourite as her stream of consciousness really stood out).
- The first 30% of the book was very slow for me and I really struggled to get stuck in - if this was not an ARC there would have been a chance I would not have powered through. At times I found myself getting distractible and not being pulled into the story.
- The chapters became very repetitive as the characters were walking through the words (however I also understand that this was almost purposeful as they were getting lost).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
+ A horror novel set in English countryside! I love American horror however whenever it takes a British setting, I always feel more involved as I can picture forests that I've visited as the setting and it just adds to the atmosphere.
+ Barnett's scene setting was creepy and foreboding and made me read almost every page twice in case I had missed a little scrap of a clue, which gave me a really immersive perspective in the story.
+ The dual narratives from present day and three centuries ago worked really well and I loved how the characters in each setting seemed to map onto each other and you could see similarities (e.g. between Davies and Alice).
+ The constant undercurrent of tension throughout the book - probably due to the scene setting.
Spoiler
+ The time travel element - the idea of the woods being a "gatekeeper" really resonated and I absolutely loved this element. I wish this had been explored more as it really stuck with me however I am also aware this may have lost some of its mystery.- Some of the narratives felt very similar and at times I had to go back to double-check who was narrating. I would have preferred more distinctive voices (Alice's was my favourite as her stream of consciousness really stood out).
- The first 30% of the book was very slow for me and I really struggled to get stuck in - if this was not an ARC there would have been a chance I would not have powered through. At times I found myself getting distractible and not being pulled into the story.
- The chapters became very repetitive as the characters were walking through the words (however I also understand that this was almost purposeful as they were getting lost).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Walking around on a scale rivaled only by Lord of the Rings. Kind of a lot of buildup to what end but also! I liked it and the premise is very cool.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting concept with poor execution. I didn’t care about the characters and there was little tension or horror for a horror novel. Overall it felt long and boring
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
spooky atmosphere and timey-wimey shenanigans. No real resolution.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No