A review by justkristykay
Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I think I have a new favorite book. This has EVERYTHING. You can see the inspiration of Howl's Moving Castle but this story is so delightfully it's own thing. It's so unapologetically Polish and steeped in that culture. The woods are both lovely and an ideal place to live while also being the spookiest Gothic woods of your nightmares. The visceral descriptions of that spookiness and ick bring it to life and made me cringe in fantastic ways. Especially that final showdown. Reading about ants crawling along a tongue was wonderfully disgusting.

And the characters! I love Liska and the Leszy. They have such a fun dynamic with a clear chemistry from the start with their wit and charmingly awkward exchanges. I loved how their relationship progressed and how Liska brought the manor to life.

Eliasz's declaratios of love had me kicking my feet, utter devotion.

The ending!! So very Polish, smh. 

That was my first thought when Eliasz died and Liska laid down in the grave. But that final line!!

I need another book, stat. Please, I need more. I dragged this book out because I wasn't ready for it to end.