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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
I think I just didn’t care about the characters enough to care if anything happened to them
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
It’s hard not to get strong Annihilation vibes as this book begins, what with a party of five women, each with different professional skillsets, entering a mysterious forest where things are not what they seem. To some extent that comparison continues as you go deeper into the book, even though this quickly turns toward gothic-folk horror and not cosmic sci-fi. Unfortunately, the comparison doesn’t do this novel too many favors, because this often feels like it is treading a similar forest path without discovering too many new treasures.
I really enjoyed this story, itself. The setup, the decision to tell multiple storylines/timelines simultaneously by switching back and forth between chapters, and even the ending, which may not be satisfying to everyone, but I felt was really fitting for this journey. However, I found myself repeatedly underwhelmed by the actual writing, as well as the character development, for both characters in both the contemporary and historical storylines. The characters all felt like they were defined by one trait, and that is fine for the considerable secondary characters, but I really wanted more for the primary four-ish characters. In the back half of the book there seems to be a sudden exposition dump giving more character explanation and motivation for one character in particular, but it felt like too little too late, and even with what was given it didn’t feel convincing, but instead somewhat expected. I would have been able to overlook somewhat flat characters if the writing was more compelling, but unfortunately it did not draw me in. It was plotted well enough, for the story it wanted to tell. But the writing just felt disjointed, moving back and forth between characters in a given chapter in a way that felt somewhat slipshod. The writing wasn’t offensive, and I will say that you could make an argument that the writing was trying to recreate the emotional experience of being lost and in disarray, paralleling the characters. But in the end, I just wanted the actual writing itself to be stronger, and the characters to be more robust, because I didn’t feel like I had any emotional connection to what anyone was doing, and nothing about the prose or the style was pulling me deeper in, leading down the paths to the heart of the wood, as it were.
The story itself is strong, and enjoyable, if not entirely new or groundbreaking. For story alone I would give it four stars. But the writing style feeling like it needed to be more focused and the characters all feeling somewhat underwritten unfortunately drops me down to three.
I want to thank NetGalley and Rebellion, Solaris, who provided a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this story, itself. The setup, the decision to tell multiple storylines/timelines simultaneously by switching back and forth between chapters, and even the ending, which may not be satisfying to everyone, but I felt was really fitting for this journey. However, I found myself repeatedly underwhelmed by the actual writing, as well as the character development, for both characters in both the contemporary and historical storylines. The characters all felt like they were defined by one trait, and that is fine for the considerable secondary characters, but I really wanted more for the primary four-ish characters. In the back half of the book there seems to be a sudden exposition dump giving more character explanation and motivation for one character in particular, but it felt like too little too late, and even with what was given it didn’t feel convincing, but instead somewhat expected. I would have been able to overlook somewhat flat characters if the writing was more compelling, but unfortunately it did not draw me in. It was plotted well enough, for the story it wanted to tell. But the writing just felt disjointed, moving back and forth between characters in a given chapter in a way that felt somewhat slipshod. The writing wasn’t offensive, and I will say that you could make an argument that the writing was trying to recreate the emotional experience of being lost and in disarray, paralleling the characters. But in the end, I just wanted the actual writing itself to be stronger, and the characters to be more robust, because I didn’t feel like I had any emotional connection to what anyone was doing, and nothing about the prose or the style was pulling me deeper in, leading down the paths to the heart of the wood, as it were.
The story itself is strong, and enjoyable, if not entirely new or groundbreaking. For story alone I would give it four stars. But the writing style feeling like it needed to be more focused and the characters all feeling somewhat underwritten unfortunately drops me down to three.
I want to thank NetGalley and Rebellion, Solaris, who provided a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
As always I want to start by saying that I was given a copy of this to review. My review is honest and left voluntarily and avoids spoilers. #Rebellion #Solaris #FionaBarnett #TheDarkBetweenTheTrees #Netgalley
I adore horror and it’s subgenres but the idea of folk and cosmic horrors are some of my favourites. The Dark Between the Trees merges these genres with elements of historical fiction and survival horror was to create a superbly atompsheric novel that is perfect for spooky season, or if you love horror all year.
Following dual narratives Barnett creates a bridge between time as we follow a small group of Parliamentarian soldiers in 1643 were seventeen men entered the woods but only two were ever found again and five women in present day in search of the evidence of the missing group and what really happened all those years ago.
Of course there are some tropes that may seem familiar, starting to feel watched while traversing the woods, the group beginning to fall out and so on but Barnett takes these tropes and makes them their own. The suspense is kept through-out and you are always left wondering who will survive or who will get out alive.
I particularly enjoyed the alternating chapters between past and present and seeing how both groups are seemingly following the same path as the other. It added to the sense of uncanny and unease. We already know that most of the soldiers are never seen again but we don’t know why and has the present day group follow the same route we begin to wonder if history will repeat itself.
I particularly loved the end. Again spoiler free, but how the idea of history continuing to repeat is presented in a sort of spiral starting again. Definitely one to read if you love folk horror and a well developed plot. The characters were not all likable and I did find myself a little detached from a few but it didn’t take away my enjoyment. I will definitely be recommending it to those who love a good atmospheric read.
I adore horror and it’s subgenres but the idea of folk and cosmic horrors are some of my favourites. The Dark Between the Trees merges these genres with elements of historical fiction and survival horror was to create a superbly atompsheric novel that is perfect for spooky season, or if you love horror all year.
Following dual narratives Barnett creates a bridge between time as we follow a small group of Parliamentarian soldiers in 1643 were seventeen men entered the woods but only two were ever found again and five women in present day in search of the evidence of the missing group and what really happened all those years ago.
Of course there are some tropes that may seem familiar, starting to feel watched while traversing the woods, the group beginning to fall out and so on but Barnett takes these tropes and makes them their own. The suspense is kept through-out and you are always left wondering who will survive or who will get out alive.
I particularly enjoyed the alternating chapters between past and present and seeing how both groups are seemingly following the same path as the other. It added to the sense of uncanny and unease. We already know that most of the soldiers are never seen again but we don’t know why and has the present day group follow the same route we begin to wonder if history will repeat itself.
I particularly loved the end. Again spoiler free, but how the idea of history continuing to repeat is presented in a sort of spiral starting again. Definitely one to read if you love folk horror and a well developed plot. The characters were not all likable and I did find myself a little detached from a few but it didn’t take away my enjoyment. I will definitely be recommending it to those who love a good atmospheric read.
dark
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes