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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
The Dark Between the Trees is a gothic horror novel split between two perspectives - a group of English soldiers in the 17th century, who seek refuge in Moresby Forest after an ambush, and a modern-day team sent to the forest to find out what became of those soldiers so many years before. Locals do not go into Moresby Forest - they say that something dark lurks there, perhaps a monster, perhaps a witch, perhaps something even more sinister. Both parties encounter unexplainable events as they move through the woods, and find their attempts to leave thwarted at every turn. The longer they stay in the forest, the more dangerous their journeys become, and the parties begin to feel as if they are being stalked - by what, they do not know.
The gothic atmosphere of this book was so well done - it didn't flag for a minute. Creepy woods might be a bit overdone as far as horror goes, but this story was fresh and interesting and definitely kept up the tension. While the two groups are experiencing different things as they travel through the forest, they have parallel experiences. They find the same landmarks, and their groups experience the same terrors and hardships, although they react in different ways. I loved trying to guess what was going on, and I loved the little flashes of new information. In some places the writing lagged a little bit, as certain things were worded awkwardly, but that didn't take away from the overall atmosphere of the book. The characters aren't very deep or well-rounded, but I found I didn't really mind - the forest is really the main character of this book, and it's definitely interesting enough to keep the plot moving and the reader interested.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The gothic atmosphere of this book was so well done - it didn't flag for a minute. Creepy woods might be a bit overdone as far as horror goes, but this story was fresh and interesting and definitely kept up the tension. While the two groups are experiencing different things as they travel through the forest, they have parallel experiences. They find the same landmarks, and their groups experience the same terrors and hardships, although they react in different ways. I loved trying to guess what was going on, and I loved the little flashes of new information. In some places the writing lagged a little bit, as certain things were worded awkwardly, but that didn't take away from the overall atmosphere of the book. The characters aren't very deep or well-rounded, but I found I didn't really mind - the forest is really the main character of this book, and it's definitely interesting enough to keep the plot moving and the reader interested.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A good story. I enjoyed shifting between time periods and seeing the places where the narrative overlapped, much like the forest itself. Time not being linear makes perfect sense for what the place seems to be.
Left me thoughtful about what new legends might come from this expedition.
Left me thoughtful about what new legends might come from this expedition.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Drags in the early to middle of the book but picks up during the end. Doesn't quite fufill the potential of the premise but interesting nontheless,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Medical content
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Great atmospheric build-up in the first half and an interesting premise to have some Civil War history mixed with present-day. Then it started to plateau, as the characters weren’t really fleshed out and the narratives became repetitive. The ‘reveal’ was anticlimactic.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dark and creepy
This was a compelling read, but I can’t say if I enjoyed it, and I found the end pretty unsatisfying.
I was really drawn in by the premise of five modern women, scientists, historians, naturalists, setting out on an outdoor adventure to perhaps solve an ancient mystery. All the parts were there but the writing was not quite up to par. I had a lot of trouble distinguishing the characters until about 75% through the novel, and I didn’t realize care much about them (I felt more for the men, like Davies and Harper, who were more distinctly drawn). And although it should have been terrifying or at least nerve-wracking, I never even found myself scared.
I did like the creativity the author drew upon in crafting the forest and the Corrigal, but I never felt like I got a clear understanding of it all. I’d love to hear others’ takes on this creepy novel.
I did like the creativity the author drew upon in crafting the forest and the Corrigal, but I never felt like I got a clear understanding of it all. I’d love to hear others’ takes on this creepy novel.