A review by thestorydragon
Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Pros:
✨Atmosphere
✨Character Development and Relationships
✨Interwoven Plots
✨Pacing
✨Heavy Topics Handled with Care
✨ Prose and Craft

Cons:
✨Extremely Ambiguous Ending (Could be frustrating for some)
 

If you loathe ambiguous or open-ended novels, this one will drive you mad. I, for one, enjoy the insanity of such storytelling and thought this was a brilliant piece centered on grief, mental illness, and the ways we embrace darkness. The intensity of this book held until the very end, and I inhaled all of it it in a single day. Not only was the storyline immersive, but the characters captured my heart. This book made me pause and think. Difficult topics of loss, mental disorders, identity, and more we tackled in an eloquent manner that didn’t shy away from the gritty, messy side of such a discourse. The use of stories, art, and folklore to create even more separation between the logical and the fantastical drove the atmosphere into a surreal, gothic imagining. These characters are hooked in my mind, just the way they were intended to be. Consider me an unequivocal fan of C.G. Drews and their craft.

SEE FULL REVIEW: https://www.thestorydragon.org/ya-reviews/dont-let-the-forest-in