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A review by paracosim
What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Do you like found family? Do you like body horror, trauma bonding, and a pervasive sense of dread and unease that permeates the setting of a book? Did you enjoy Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin and want something very similar, but much more age appropriate for teens? This is the book for you.
So, I read this in a single sitting. I requested it on a whim because it had a pretty cover and I wanted something similar to Felker-Martin’s Cuckoo, and boy was I in for a treat. The second I began reading What the Woods Took, I knew I was going to binge it in one go; it was just that good. The writing was great, the characters were easy to root for (even Sheridan!), and the horror…goodness, the horror. It was fantastic. If you read Cuckoo and found it a bit too gory and sexual for your tastes, but still crave that body horror and sapphic themes combo, this will be right up your alley. The injury descriptions were kept to a minimal but still managed to get the point across in a way that was grisly but not uncomfortable.
I think I’ll be buying a physical copy of this book when it comes out. I’d love to have it on my shelf.
Do you like found family? Do you like body horror, trauma bonding, and a pervasive sense of dread and unease that permeates the setting of a book? Did you enjoy Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin and want something very similar, but much more age appropriate for teens? This is the book for you.
So, I read this in a single sitting. I requested it on a whim because it had a pretty cover and I wanted something similar to Felker-Martin’s Cuckoo, and boy was I in for a treat. The second I began reading What the Woods Took, I knew I was going to binge it in one go; it was just that good. The writing was great, the characters were easy to root for (even Sheridan!), and the horror…goodness, the horror. It was fantastic. If you read Cuckoo and found it a bit too gory and sexual for your tastes, but still crave that body horror and sapphic themes combo, this will be right up your alley. The injury descriptions were kept to a minimal but still managed to get the point across in a way that was grisly but not uncomfortable.
I think I’ll be buying a physical copy of this book when it comes out. I’d love to have it on my shelf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Drug use, and Violence