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Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest

3.39 of 5 stars 3.39 · rating details · 354 ratings · 59 reviews

In a gray and gloomy village, all of the animals—from dogs and cats to fish and snails—disappeared years before. No one talks about it and no one knows why, though everyone agrees that the village has been cursed. But when two children see a fish—a tiny one and just for a second—they become determined to unravel the mystery of where the animals have gone. And so they trave...more

Hardcover, 144 pages

Published March 21st 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books (first published January 1st 2005)

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Aug 05, 2012 Carol Catinari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An intriguing premise. There are no longer any animals in this particular village... and the allegory begins. Nicely written also. This is written for young readers and billed as a fable for the younger set, allegory for adult.

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Oct 19, 2012 Tancredi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids, israeliani

Ben lontano dai più caratteristici romanzi di Oz, D'un tratto nel folto del bosco è un affettuoso omaggio alla tradizione fiabesca, un inno alla capacità immaginativa dei bambini, alla loro spensierata innocenza che si traduce in uno scenario bucolico e arcadico, che sa di tempi lontani e andati.
Un villaggio, un bosco, un mistero - l'improvvisa, inspiegabile scomparsa degli animali. Nel rispetto affezionato del canone, Oz delinea in maniera netta i confini allegorici del piccolo villagio e del b...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Jessica Harrison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, middle-reader

via Cracking the Cover
Imagine a world with no animals. No dogs, cats, goats, fish or even snails. That’s the reality for people living in a small village in Amos Oz’s “Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest.”

All the animals disappeared in the middle of the night years ago. No one talks about their disappearance, and no one knows why they’re gone. The village, it appears, is cursed.

So when two young children suddenly see a fish, they have to question it’s existence. It was only for a second, but th...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Dani Peloquin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I truly enjoyed this book. At a lean 120+ pages, Amos Oz crams in a fantastic tale about a village that has lost of all its animals to the Mountain Demon. The older residents of the village remember animals from the childhood, but their children have never seen a live animal. One day, two children from the village think that they see a fish. They are astonished by their finding and decide to venture into the forest in hopes of finding the other animals that were taken from them years before.

This...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest reads like a folk tale/fairy tale, and actually frequently reminded me of a number of other stories, although it never actually turned into any of them. At one point, there was a clear reference to Persephone, for example. I expected a bit more fairy tale than folk tale, I guess, so I was a bit surprised to find it without a neat ending tied up in a bow.

The story is well-written and clever. I love stories about animals, even in their absence. Can you imagine...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Meredith rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, j-fic

Matti and Maya, two children who live in a village in which all the animals disappeared years before they were born, set out on a quest up the mountainside to meet Nehi the Demon, who is responsible for the animals' disappearance.

Oh book, I am disappointed. This had such potential, but the story itself was so full of problems, that I just didn't enjoy it at all. The author wrote with such a passive style, that I often found myself zoning out and having to re-read passages two or three times. I d...more

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May 12, 2011 Lisa Guidarini rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-book, netgalley

Fairy tales appear deceptively simple, when, in fact, the reverse is true. They must work on more than one level: they must include interesting characters and a fast-paced plot to keep children interested; a moral a child can identify, and often there is a third layer - a moral lesson for adults to dig into in more detail, a take-away life lesson, for lack of a better term, to keep the story compelling enough to keep the adult reader reading.

Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest is an intricate s...more Fairy tales appear deceptively simple, when, in fact, the reverse is true. They must work on more than one level: they must include interesting characters and a fast-paced plot to keep children interested; a moral a child can identify, and often there is a third layer - a moral lesson for adults to dig into in more detail, a take-away life lesson, for lack of a better term, to keep the story compelling enough to keep the adult reader reading.

Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest is an intricate story with many plotlines interlaced. There is the primary, surface story about an isolated mountain town in which there are no animals, insects or life forms other than plants and humans, and along with that the bullying and ridicule suffered by anyone either outside the mainstream, or anyone who does not fall in line with those who've conveniently "forgotten" how the animals went missing in the first place. At this level there is significant tension within the community as those who remember are treated as though they are defective in some basic way. And, in fact, a few of them are eccentric to the point of being grotesque, such as the wife who pushes her husband around in a baby carriage as he makes sheep sounds, remembering but not quite remembering a time when there were animals on the farms.

Next, there's the relationship between Matti and Maya, two school children who care enough to pursue the question of what happened to the animals, despite vague warnings of the evil that lurks "out there," in the forest, and the legend of a creature so evil it wisks off every life form in its path. While Matti is by far the more cautious and afraid, his friend Maya takes the lead role when a decision must be made, becoming a strong female character when it's necessary for her to lead.

And, finally, the stories of both Nimi and Nehi, the two people farthest outside the mainstream, who chose to shun the villagers altogether rather than deal with being ostracized and ridiculed. Both of them are very close to the earth, perhaps pagan, and in touch with the pulse of nature. They are, as a result, the most feared characters.

The complexity of Oz's book is impressive, the world he's created authentic to the last detail. He's managed to be concise without skimping on either plot or character. His prose, as translated by Sondra Silverston, blends well with this sort of created folklore. It is lyrical in every positive way, never slowing down the pace of the story while creating a romantic, somewhat surreal world in which the impossible is possible.

The story also comes full circle, while leaving the ending ambiguous. Do Maya and Matti find a way to bring the animals home and restore their community, or are the forces of social pressure, and denial of culpability, too strong to overcome? It is an enjoyable, deep read, satisfying for a wide age range. Very highly recommended, especially to those interested in the fairy tale or fantasy genres.

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Mar 25, 2011 Melissa Roach rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Description:
In a gray and gloomy village, all of the animals—from dogs and cats to fish and snails—disappeared years before. No one talks about it and no one knows why, though everyone agrees that the village has been cursed. But when two children see a fish—a tiny one and just for a second—they become determined to unravel the mystery of where the animals have gone. And so they travel into the depths of the forest with that mission in mind, terrified and hopeful about what they may encounter.

Fr...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, children, folklore-mythology

- This review is for the ARC -

Suddenly In the Depths of the Forest, by renowned Israeli author Amos Oz, is intended for ages 10-14 and reads like an old folktale. It has a sort of primitive, sing-song quality that is best rendered aloud.

The story is a moody allegory about a remote village where all the animals, domestic and wild, have disappeared. There is a great mystery surrounding this disappearance, whispered about by adults, but a young boy and girl, Matti and Maya, do not believe the expl...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Constance Pappas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Love an allegory>

Recommended to Constance by: Advance Reader's Copy

This book has layers like the Grand Canyon. Each band reveals something significant to the whole story. How is it that a village has no animals? How is it possible that the children in the village have never heard a dog bark, cat meow or goat bleat? The village in Oz’s story is cursed. The windows are shuttered at night and the children all understand, accept that Nehi, the Mountain Demon did it all. Emanuella the Teacher knows the truth, but no one will listen to her and over time she falls sil...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Heidi Burleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a minor work by a major writer, Israeli author Amos Oz. As you would expect from a writer of Oz's caliber, the book reads well from the start: "Emanuella the Teacher described to the class what a bear looks like, how fish breathe, and the kind of sounds a hyena makes at night. She also hung pictures of animals and birds on the classroom walls. Most of the children made fun of her because they'd never seen an animal in their lives. ... Silently and sadly the village lived its simple life....more This is a minor work by a major writer, Israeli author Amos Oz. As you would expect from a writer of Oz's caliber, the book reads well from the start: "Emanuella the Teacher described to the class what a bear looks like, how fish breathe, and the kind of sounds a hyena makes at night. She also hung pictures of animals and birds on the classroom walls. Most of the children made fun of her because they'd never seen an animal in their lives. ... Silently and sadly the village lived its simple life." Emanuella the teacher or Almon the Fisherman, still remember what dogs, cats, and goats looked and sounded like, but people treat their memories with unconvinced indulgence. Almon, of course, is no longer a fisherman because there are no longer fish to catch; he spends his days talking to his scarecrow, even though there are no birds to scare away. No woodworm, either, to send him to sleep with the sound of their gentle chomping on his furniture. One night, all the animals suddenly disappeared, taken up presumably into the dark forest-clad mountains surrounding the village. The inhabitants lock their doors securely at night, for Old Nehi the Demon is liable to come prowling and snatch children away, as he has already taken the animals. The villagers fear the forest around them, and lock their doors and shutter their windows at night for fear of ... who knows what, but it's bad.
This book is described as "a fable for all ages with a dark undertow", an extraordinary tale emerges about a village beneath the slopes of a forested mountain where a whole generation of people have lost – or are simply covering-up – their recent past, when something terrible happened to drive away all the animals and birds: "No wanderer ever stayed longer than two nights because the village was cursed: it was always eerily silent … and the villagers barely spoke to each other beyond the essential things."

Then two children see something in a stream in the woods -a quick glint, something moving through the water. The two children -friends--decide to brave the forest to find out where the animals have left, and why. This deep conspiracy becomes so visceral that the children grow up in ignorance. At night, along with their parents, they fear the descent of the Mountain Demon from his castle beyond the perpetually cloud-shrouded peaks. By day there is guilt and veiled suspicion, a palpable misery made more stark by the one gleam of happiness in the village – the presence of Nimi, a boy so joyous that other children constantly bully him, driving him finally into the forest and seeming oblivion. This deep conspiracy becomes so visceral that the children grow up in ignorance. At night, along with their parents, they fear the descent of the Mountain Demon from his castle beyond the perpetually cloud-shrouded peaks. By day there is guilt and veiled suspicion, a palpable misery made more stark by the one gleam of happiness in the village – the presence of Nimi, a boy so joyous that other children constantly bully him, driving him finally into the forest and seeming oblivion.
Do the explorers return? Must they pay a price for unearthing the truth and receiving its lessons? Will they be overwhelmed by the darkness? Oz keeps us hanging, not searching for meaning or morals or metaphysical grist, just pursuing the narrative to its end, which in fact turns out to be a beginning.
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Dec 06, 2012 La Stamberga dei Lettori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tancredi

Ben lontano dai più caratteristici romanzi di Oz, D'un tratto nel folto del bosco è un affettuoso omaggio alla tradizione fiabesca, un inno alla capacità immaginativa dei bambini, alla loro spensierata innocenza che si traduce in uno scenario bucolico e arcadico, che sa di tempi lontani e andati.
Un villaggio, un bosco, un mistero - l'improvvisa, inspiegabile scomparsa degli animali. Nel rispetto affezionato del canone, Oz delinea in maniera netta i confini allegorici del piccolo villagio e del b...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

“Suddenly In the Depths of the Forest” by award winning Israeli author Amos Oz (archive) is a short novel which you can read to your kids. Oz set out to write a folk tale and succeeded in more ways than one.

Once upon a time there was a village. The village had no animals, no cows, dogs or pigs, not even worms, fish or spiders. None of the adults are willing to speak about that catastrophe and at night they bolt their doors of fear from Nehi, the Mountain Demon who is blamed for their misfortune....more

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Apr 12, 2011 Renee Bush rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oz's prose is simply too beautiful to downgrade him to two stars, but this book is a yawner, otherwise. It is listed as suitable for upper elementary, but I know very few children that age, or even teens, who would stick with it long enough to get to the point. By the end, I myself felt as if "the point" had never been reached.
It took way too long for any action, as such, to take place, and there was never true resolution, just... despair, I think. I am not a fan of handing a child a book and sa...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a rather unusual book. The intent seems to be fable-like with an underlying moral, but for me it came off as mostly a rather sad, depressing book. However, the writing is beautiful and credit needs to be given to both the author and the translator for that. I doubt though that the book will be picked up by kids on their own.

It would make an interesting assigned reading or read-a-loud, with much to discuss: courage, hope, revenge, anger, and loss are all topics that come up in this book....more

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Apr 02, 2011 Reader rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-march-2011, meh-reads

A perfectly nice book, though it's one of those translations that sort of fade from your brain mere moments after having finished with it. In a cursed town, two children set out to discover why it is that all the animals (even the bugs and the fish) left. It takes a somewhat heavy-handed look at the dire effects of teasing. I suppose you could even call this an anti-bullying allegory. The open ended finish leaves some room for hope, but it's a toss of the dice as to whether or not kids will part...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Totoptero Horwendil Amleth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mi madre se preocupaba mucho cuando yo era niño. De su boca escuché por primera vez la palabra misantropía al momento en que me pidió, casi rogándome, que saliera de casa. Yo vivía todo el tiempo en mi cuarto leyendo libros, cómics y dibujando en hojas tamaño carta escenas de un final nuclear entre Estados Unidos y la Unión Soviética. En una acción desesperada, decidió convencerme de una socialización necesaria y me hizo ver cómo los miércoles en la biblioteca de la ciudad hacían una reunión que...more Mi madre se preocupaba mucho cuando yo era niño. De su boca escuché por primera vez la palabra misantropía al momento en que me pidió, casi rogándome, que saliera de casa. Yo vivía todo el tiempo en mi cuarto leyendo libros, cómics y dibujando en hojas tamaño carta escenas de un final nuclear entre Estados Unidos y la Unión Soviética. En una acción desesperada, decidió convencerme de una socialización necesaria y me hizo ver cómo los miércoles en la biblioteca de la ciudad hacían una reunión que se llamaba “la hora de lectura”. Fui casi a regañadientes, pero esa salida a la biblioteca me encerró aún más. Las lecturas que hacían me parecían simples, las voces que repetían los renglones y mostraban los dibujos eran –en opinión de esa época- efectistas. Al menos encontré a Tintín que me sacó de esa modorra y me llevó a volver a la biblioteca. Igual, los intentos de socialización por la biblioteca terminaron en un llamado a mi madre por parte de un par de preocupados psicólogos (pero, como dice Ende, esa es otra historia y la contaré en otro momento). Ahora, regreso a muchos de esos libros infantiles gracias a un pequeñín de tres años (un saludo Matías), los cuales le leo maravillado. Ahora comprendo los diferentes niveles de lectura, ahora sé que los libros no eran efectistas, el efectista era yo. Entonces deseo tener esos cinco o seis años de nuevo y sentirme sorprendido. Aunque sé que ya no es posible. Pero hay sensaciones que se acercan mucho; sensaciones como la que produce la lectura de “De Repente en lo Profundo del Bosque” de Amos Oz.
Al autor Israelí lo había escuchado muchas veces, principalmente vinculado al premio Nobel. Miraba sus libros en ventas de segunda pero nunca recordaba comprar uno. Hasta que, por raras coincidencias que no voy a explicar aquí, resulté con “De repente en lo oscuro del bosque”. Nunca imaginé que me encontraría con un libro infantil. La literatura infantil ha sido subvalorada por la academia y la crítica; casi siempre se la ha utilizado para observar las estructuras y las morfologías (y que no lo niegue don Vladimir Propp); pero no se ha observado su valor estético y literario. El hecho que Oz recupere un lenguaje y una estética infantil para mostrar el problema profundo de la memoria histórica, pone a este libro en un nivel diferente. Lo que Oz logra en este libro es combinar una profundidad conceptual con una cualidad interesante de los libros infantiles: la argumentación sencilla. Una de las particularidades de los libros dirigidos a niños es que las argumentaciones no pueden ser armadas de manera compleja y difícil (imaginen un libro infantil escrito por Kant, por ejemplo); dicha forma argumentativa ha producido literatura fácil y rápidamente olvidable (imaginen ahora una literatura medieval desplazada a un mago adolescente al que llamaremos aleatoriamente Harry), pero Oz logra darle una densidad a esas argumentaciones simples. Me explico. En la actualidad, tanto el lenguaje, como la simplicidad de las tramas en los libros infantiles y adolescentes es casi que una obligatoriedad (no era así antes, Lewis Carroll lo demostró); desde ese punto de aparente simplicidad, Oz aborda el problema de la memoria histórica, el trato con los animales, la pérdida de un ser cercano, el valor del otro como individuo, lo simbólico-social del silencio, la diferencia entre norma creada y norma necesaria, etc. Lo que hace Oz es darle un peso específico a lo infantil, y lo logra manejando dos extremos: la inocencia pura versus la experiencia corrompida, lo que lleva a la pregunta específica (y real por lo inocente) versus el ocultamiento vergonzante de la verdad. El uso de lo infantil como base también permite a Oz manejar diálogos sencillos y fuertes (dado que se enmarcan en esa dupla contrastante de la que hablamos); y personajes que bien pueden plantearse como personajes-tesis. Los personajes están muy bien establecidos y descritos (otro de los requerimientos propios de lo infantil): La maestra, El pescador, La panadera; esto hace que el desarrollo mismo de la historia produzca elementos que algunos podrían describir como clichés, pero que enmarcan el relato en un mundo propio y muy bien concebido. Los dos personajes centrales: Mati y Maya, tienen todo lo necesario para ser unos héroes prototípicos: pasan de la cobardía a la valentía, de las preguntas sencillas a las respuestas complejas, del silencio al grito devastador. Las imágenes llevan el texto como un río que fluye (descripción que se encuentra al final de los diez primeros capítulos) y el lenguaje es el indicado para niños. Tras toda esta estructura infantil, se plantea un fondo social que, si bien no está presente de manera clara, es obviamente el manejo de la historia y la memoria frente al Holocausto de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Las coincidencias (manteniendo las proporciones) entre la propuesta de Oz y de Primo Levi son asombrosas. El papel que le dan ambos autores a la dupla silencio-olvido/escritura-memoria, es fuerte y muy bien estructurada. En el caso de Oz, estas propuestas se representan en pequeñas acciones (casi imperceptibles) que le dan un valor simbólico (y que no tienen casi valor argumental) al acto de callar, de hablar, de huir, etc. “De repente en lo profundo del bosque” es un libro que puede no funcionar en muchos aspectos: tiene una gran cantidad de clichés, personajes prototípicos, elementos conocidos y repetidos, palabras extrañas y problemas con la verosimilitud; sin embargo es justo en esos elementos en los que Oz acierta. El autor Israelí juega a crear nuevos significados y profundidades con elementos cotidianos y habituales. Como si pintara una obra de arte con crayolas. Como si dibujara a Tintín con unos dedos untados de tempera.
Durante toda mi lectura imaginaba a Mati (uno de los personajes principales) rubio de ojos claros y una sonrisa gigante y constante. Eso ocurre porque el pequeño al que, ahora, le leo cuentos se llama justamente así: Mati. Lo veo sorprenderse con las historias del elefante Elmer y el Willy de Anthony Browne. Espero que se siga sorprendiendo con todas esas historias, espero leerle en voz alta -dentro de un par de años- el libro de Amos Oz, espero que no crea simples esas historias. Quiero que salga y juegue y lea y quizá, en una de esas salidas, encuentre ese libro que le cambie la vida, así como lo hizo conmigo Tintín.(less)

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Jun 19, 2011 ABookVacation rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am sorry to say that I am not a fan on this novel, however, I believe it is perfect for middle grade readers. This novel is geared toward 10-14 year olds, and the writing is very clear and concise. When I first picked up the novel, I thought it would be similar to The Messenger and The Giver by Lois Lowry. In a way, it was similar, but it was also unique unto itself.

My main issue with this novel deals with the repetition and writing style utilized, but keep in mind that I am an adult reviewin...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Penelope rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review was originally published on:The Reading Fever.

I found Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest very charming, and reminiscent of an old cautionary fairy tale. There are hints of mystery and fantasy mixed in, and the characters are young, making it perfect for older middle-grade students.

The plot is unique; it's different from anything I have read, and Amos Oz shows his skill by creating a message about life: that we should not ridicule those who are different. He also brings up a very im...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Julie Smith (Knitting and Sundries) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, reviewed

This book is a middle reader, targeted for the 10-14 year old age group. A few spots may be a bit tricky for the youngest in this group, however, for the most part, it is written in clear, concise language perfect for middle readers.

This is a sort of folk tale, about Maya, daughter of Lilia the Baker, and Matti, her best friend. They live in a cursed village where none of the children have ever seen animals ... not a bird, not a dog, not a fish, not a cat. Sometimes they can catch an adult sayin...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Rebecca Rogers rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, for-review, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. **Book Copy Courtesy of NetGalley

This book is translated from Israeli. The basic synopsis of the book is that all the animals in a village have disappeared and nobody speaks about it, even though the adults know what happened. Eventually, they tell the children that Nehi the Mountain Demon came down into the village one night and stole the animals. Friends Matti and Maya know something's up, so they decide to skip school and go to the mountain to find out what really happened to the animals, and...more

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May 11, 2012 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: israelies, contemporanea, novela

Amoz Oz parece modificar su habitual estilo narrativo en esta historia. Aquí utiliza (intencionalmente claro está) un tono infantil e ingenuo para relatarnos una historia fantástica que deja vislumbrar sus reflexiones sobre las contradicciones humanas, nuestro ancestral temor-rechazo hacia lo diferente y nuestra eterna unidad con la Naturaleza.

¿Qué me atrae de este autor? Indudablemente, su capacidad de elaborar ideas sin pretender imponerlas y de reflexionar sin dejar de lado el sentido del hum...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Neli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Beautiful story, Oz once again showed his pacifist soul. Even though blurb says it will be interesting to children and adults, I disagree. This is a fairy tale for adults, those adults who still remember their childhood, but also remember that we are all connected, and that we can not live one without the other, without love,tolerance and understanding. Wonderful story, beautiful sentences, wonderful insights.

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Mar 03, 2011 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-picture-or-middlegrade, read-in-2011, netgalley

This is one of those books where I am perfectly aware that I am missing something here. I know I tend to prefer books to be more straightforward and focused on a story rather than lyrical and deep. The back cover blurb could have a promising plot, but this is not a plot kind of book. I still finished it because it can be a quick and easy read, but I didn't enjoy it for the poetry and philosophical text that it probably is. I am reasonably intelligent and I don't consider myself to be a shallow p...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Shanna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was an interesting, but short read. The format was unique. Dialogue was not separated or marked with quotations. I'm not sure if this was because it's a translated edition, I don't see why it would be. I'm also not sure what the author's purpose was in doing this. There was very little diaglogue though and it's from the viewpoint of children, so maybe just reinforcing the simplicity of the idea of the book. Read it and tell me what you think!

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Oct 24, 2012 Sammy713 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 7th-grade-books

This book was probably the most interesting book I've ever read because nearly the whole book was an anecdote. For the first one-hundred pages the whole book was just a recap of previous events. The last thirty pages however drew you into the book and then hung you over a cliff with the last few pages making you hungry for more. The style of this book is so that you aren't sucked in, but you want to keep reading.

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Jun 28, 2011 Alison Coffey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this middle grade novel based on the title alone. How could I not read a book titled Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest? Well-written, obviously some kind of allegory but I am too tired to figure it out. Summer does that to me. Winter, too. Actually, I'm an Autumn person.

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Mar 16, 2011 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galley, ya

I think I got the morale to that story, but the ending kind of ruined the entire thing. Because there wasn't really an ending.

Honestly, I'm not sure that kids will understand it either. Or I might be wrong. They may get it, and then I'll have to get one to explain it to me.

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Jan 13, 2012 Yuko86 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2012

Non avevo mai letto nulla di Amos Oz, e sinceramente, dopo aver letto questo libretto, non so se e quando gli darò un’altra possibilità. Le premesse erano buone, le prime pagine accattivanti, in un certo senso magiche: ma poi tutto diventa di una noia mortale! L’autore non fa che ripetere in continuazione le stesse cose, rendendo la lettura pesante e per nulla interessante: la morale presente è sicuramente importante, ma uno arriva al termine della lettura talmente estenuato da farci a malapena...more

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May 04, 2011 Cathy Hall rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a slender little story, a fable, really, that started off better than it ended. A bit too didactic for my taste, but well-crafted.

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About Amos Oz

Amos Oz is an Israeli writer, novelist, and journalist. He is also a professor of literature at Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva. Since 1967, he has been a prominent advocate of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2008 he received an Honorary Degree from the University of Antwerp. He also received the Dan David prize in 2008 for "Creative Rendering of the Past."

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title link	preview: Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest
avg rating	preview: Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest Goodreads rating: 3.39 (354 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969671-suddenly-in-the-depths-of-the-forest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327949318l/9969671.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969671-suddenly-in-the-depths-of-the-forest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest by Amos Oz[/url]

Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest

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