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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
We follow two parties, three centuries apart. Captain Davies with his group of English soldiers and Dr Alice Christopher with her team of scientists, as they enter a British woodland that has been shrouded in tales of witchcraft and monsters. Moresby Wood is not all that it seems, who will escape it's grasp and tell the tale of what lies between the darkness of the trees.
This is an eerie, supernatural read, where as the reader you are plunged into the depths of the unknown. You experience what happens in the eyes of the characters, you see what they see though sometimes not the why or the how. I felt it was very much like the Blair Witch, where you felt the fear of the characters and understood they were running from something, but never quite knowing what it was they were running from.
I liked how the chapters flicked between the two different parties enabling you to start piecing things together. The two main characters were mirror opposites, Captain Davies who was brave but compassionate, looking out for his men and showed imence remorse for the situation he had but them in. Dr Alice Christopher on the other hand was head strong, determined and would stop at nothing for her research, even when that would put her party in jeopardy.
This story started off very promising, with the build up of intense supernatural eeriness that at times was spine chilling. I felt the ending left me wanting more, I had many questions that were left unanswered.
This is an eerie, supernatural read, where as the reader you are plunged into the depths of the unknown. You experience what happens in the eyes of the characters, you see what they see though sometimes not the why or the how. I felt it was very much like the Blair Witch, where you felt the fear of the characters and understood they were running from something, but never quite knowing what it was they were running from.
I liked how the chapters flicked between the two different parties enabling you to start piecing things together. The two main characters were mirror opposites, Captain Davies who was brave but compassionate, looking out for his men and showed imence remorse for the situation he had but them in. Dr Alice Christopher on the other hand was head strong, determined and would stop at nothing for her research, even when that would put her party in jeopardy.
This story started off very promising, with the build up of intense supernatural eeriness that at times was spine chilling. I felt the ending left me wanting more, I had many questions that were left unanswered.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh man…. Thank god I’m free. I mean it in the nicest way possible. This book almost destroyed reading for me, and I feel terrible about that as it’s a debut in this genre at the least. I truly did think I’d like it. It was a 5 star prediction! On paper I should have loved it. Folk horror, creatures, and an ever changing forest! What’s not to like?
I’ll keep this short, and say the main issue is that the author made this sooooo painfully boring. Like literally I think I got a migraine from how bored I was at one point. Literally nothing happened that was even remotely interesting ever.
The pacing genuinely made me feel like I was in my own personal hell. And that’s saying something because I usually love a slow burn. 95% of this was literally two timelines of characters just walking around and talking about the trees.
With the creature in this I think there was supposed to be a feeling of being stalked and an atmosphere of otherness. But the author just didn’t deliver because it was always interrupted by really long drawn out and unnecessary dialogue or stream of consciousness. I wanted to skim so badly.
The cast in both timelines was also HUGE and the author just made it so confusing because she tried to flesh them out but at the same time I really couldn’t tell you anything about anymore than 3 out of like 20 of them.
The last 5% started to get interesting but the ending was soooo unsatisfying.
If this author spent less time talking about the trees or did something a little different with the past timeline, this could have been so interesting. It had the makings to be great, it just failed in literally every way.
I never rate things this low unless they’re offensive or I literally have nothing positive to say….. so there’s that.
Not sure I’ll write this author off completely but I definitely won’t rush to read her next book. This literally took me most of the month to read. I kept hoping it would get better or the answers to everything would make it worth it. I’m so let down.
I’ll keep this short, and say the main issue is that the author made this sooooo painfully boring. Like literally I think I got a migraine from how bored I was at one point. Literally nothing happened that was even remotely interesting ever.
The pacing genuinely made me feel like I was in my own personal hell. And that’s saying something because I usually love a slow burn. 95% of this was literally two timelines of characters just walking around and talking about the trees.
With the creature in this I think there was supposed to be a feeling of being stalked and an atmosphere of otherness. But the author just didn’t deliver because it was always interrupted by really long drawn out and unnecessary dialogue or stream of consciousness. I wanted to skim so badly.
The cast in both timelines was also HUGE and the author just made it so confusing because she tried to flesh them out but at the same time I really couldn’t tell you anything about anymore than 3 out of like 20 of them.
The last 5% started to get interesting but the ending was soooo unsatisfying.
If this author spent less time talking about the trees or did something a little different with the past timeline, this could have been so interesting. It had the makings to be great, it just failed in literally every way.
I never rate things this low unless they’re offensive or I literally have nothing positive to say….. so there’s that.
Not sure I’ll write this author off completely but I definitely won’t rush to read her next book. This literally took me most of the month to read. I kept hoping it would get better or the answers to everything would make it worth it. I’m so let down.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
dark
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I honestly really enjoyed this although it did drag at some points.
I liked that the ending was left slightly open and not every question was answered
Definitely got across the creepy vibe
I liked that the ending was left slightly open and not every question was answered
Definitely got across the creepy vibe
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book started out creepy and ominous but as I got further into the story it just became confusing and repetitive. There were so many interchangeable characters it was crazy and none of them were very likeable at all!
I didn't really enjoy the ending, I don't mind when things are left open but I think in this case too many things were. It's like the author set up this big mystery and didn't really know how to solve it herself.
I wouldn't really call this a horror novel, more of a slow mystery with a few creepy parts.
I didn't really enjoy the ending, I don't mind when things are left open but I think in this case too many things were. It's like the author set up this big mystery and didn't really know how to solve it herself.
I wouldn't really call this a horror novel, more of a slow mystery with a few creepy parts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Blood