A review by thestorydragon
What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

  Pros:
✨Interesting Concept
✨Character Development

Cons:
✨Slow Pacing (First 45%)
✨ Writing Style
✨Connection to / Interest in Characters
✨ Overall Intrigue

I would have DNFd at 25% if it weren’t for the high star rating from other reviewers. The first 45% of this novel is excruciatingly slow with a lot of basic character building and plot setup. It took way too long to get into the heart of the story, and while I’m glad I stuck around, this just didn’t do it for me. I never felt invested in the characters.

So much so that, when deaths were revealed, I didn’t feel the grief or loss I should have.

With a concept that had every opportunity for the writing to build a tense, creepy atmosphere, I truly think Gould missed the mark here. Especially having read books like The Dark We Know and Don't Let the Forest In. Both of these novels also use monsters in the wood as a personification of past trauma tied to grief/shame/mental illness, but they do it in a way that’s so visceral and character driven, I was hooked from the start and fully engaged with the characters’ journeys. In contrast, this novel took time to get into, and I felt a separation from the characters that was never fully resolved. There were some standout moments here for certain. I especially liked that, 

at the end, these teens held their parents accountable for the emotional damage done pre-wilderness therapy,

and that they built their own family through the friendships made. The back half of this book definitely picked up the plot and the pace. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make up for the mind-numbing beginning.

SEE FULL REVIEW: https://www.thestorydragon.org/ya-reviews/what-the-woods-took