Holly Black: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Holly Black: The Lost Sisters Marie-Christin Spiznagel: Eine Sammlu...

Holly Black: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Dear Author,

The Darkest Part of the Forest seems to be in the same universe as your Folk of the Air series. There, characters mention the Alderking. Here, we get to see his court. And the human protagonist Hazel lives in Fairfold, a human town in the Alderking's forest. Magic works a little different here than in Elfhame: Jack has to tie a knot in Hazel's hair when he commands her. The Folk in The Cruel Prince don't need that, their voice is enough.

A faerie boy wakes up from his generations-long sleep. Hazel, her brother and her changeling friend Jack must find out if he's good or evil. Schemes and monsters keep up the suspense. The final fight would make a good climax if it weren't so confusing. One moment the monster is coming from afar, the next it seems to be right behind Hazel. I had to read the page twice.

There's a hole in the backstory: Why would Severin oppose his father when he wants to shut his sister into a casket and put her in magical hibernation until they can help her? Why would he prefer she walk the forest alone, living like that?

Other than that, The Darkest Part of the Forest was a good read. Not breathtaking, but not boring either.

Yours sincerely
Christina Widmann de Fran