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A review by cortanasreadingnook
Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends for sending me an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. Don’t Let The Forest In will be out on October 29, 2024!
What made me like this book is that it gives justice to psychological horror, painting an eerie dark academia aesthetic and carries a haunting form of storytelling through striking prose. C.G. Drews’s writing style is very beautiful and descriptive so that I could easily create the scenes in my mind from her words alone. To add, the characterization of the main character Andrew was well done, especially as we read through him traversing through the spectrum of asexuality and he had a delightfully dark dynamic with Thomas that keeps a reader going. Moreover, it took me through the experiences of having ED, panic attack/ disorder, and anxiety. As someone that fits one of these boxes, it was very realistic to read and allowed me to empathize with him. Overall, this book is deeply rooted in gothic fiction and is a dark and twisted tale about loss and grief and I greatly recommend!
What made me like this book is that it gives justice to psychological horror, painting an eerie dark academia aesthetic and carries a haunting form of storytelling through striking prose. C.G. Drews’s writing style is very beautiful and descriptive so that I could easily create the scenes in my mind from her words alone. To add, the characterization of the main character Andrew was well done, especially as we read through him traversing through the spectrum of asexuality and he had a delightfully dark dynamic with Thomas that keeps a reader going. Moreover, it took me through the experiences of having ED, panic attack/ disorder, and anxiety. As someone that fits one of these boxes, it was very realistic to read and allowed me to empathize with him. Overall, this book is deeply rooted in gothic fiction and is a dark and twisted tale about loss and grief and I greatly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders