Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Darkwood” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Darkwood

(The Darkwood Series #1)

Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

4.24 · Rating details · 276 ratings · 102 reviews

You mustn't go into the Darkwood, children. Not even to get your ball. Leave it. That ball belongs to the Witches and the Beasties, now. Those wicked Witches. Stealing your ball. Magic is forbidden in Myrsina, along with various other abominations, such as girls doing maths. This is bad news for Gretel Mudd, who doesn't perform magic, but does know a lot of maths. When her ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 288 pages

Published August 1st 2019 by Farrago (first published June 13th 2019)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Darkwood, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Darkwood

Lists with This Book

The Collector by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

2019 Nominees: Bookish Readers Choice Awards

370 books — 31 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.24 ·

Rating details

· 276 ratings · 102 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Darkwood

Jun 05, 2019 Schizanthus Nerd rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, favourites, kindle-food

This book was so much fun! I can’t wait for the sequel!

Do not go into the Darkwood, children. It’s a cursed place, and so big and so dangerous that once you go in you’ll never come out again. You’ll become just another lost creature, aimlessly wandering amongst those black and twisted trees forever. Even the dead aren’t safe in the Darkwood. Nobody is safe.

Gretel lives in Nearby Village with her twin, Hansel, and their stepparents. Unfortunately for Gretel, she’s female so she must be very c This book was so much fun! I can’t wait for the sequel!

Do not go into the Darkwood, children. It’s a cursed place, and so big and so dangerous that once you go in you’ll never come out again. You’ll become just another lost creature, aimlessly wandering amongst those black and twisted trees forever. Even the dead aren’t safe in the Darkwood. Nobody is safe.

Gretel lives in Nearby Village with her twin, Hansel, and their stepparents. Unfortunately for Gretel, she’s female so she must be very careful how she behaves, lest she be branded as a witch. Worse still, she’s smart, using maths, physics and engineering to design marvellous defences that protect Nearby from the scary monsters who live across the river in the Darkwood. Yep, she’s got to be a witch if she knows maths!

Accused of the abomination of witchcraft by Huntsmen, Gretel winds up in the Darkwood, where she’s faced with the terrifying creatures she’s been warned about her entire life. Witches like Buttercup, who can turn inanimate objects into baked goods with her touch; sometimes even on purpose! People like Jack, who can make plants grow at will. There’s also a magical talking spider called Trevor, who is a master of disguise. They’re not exactly the villains she thought they were. Then there’s the White Knight who, well, can be kind of abrasive, actually.

It’s up to Gretel and this diverse bunch of magical outcasts to find a way to protect both the Darkwood and Nearby Village from the ruling Huntsmen, who may well be the true villains in this story.

With action, humour and some magical mayhem, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch reimagines some well known fairy tale characters and places them in situations where they need to use their combined talents, inventiveness and wit to challenge the roles they’ve been cast in by those in power.

The characters were well rounded, a wonderful blend of scared and courageous, damaged and determined, flawed and resilient. This wasn’t a tale with just one shining star; everyone was interesting in their own way, although I admit I was quite partial to Trevor, the talking spider. I mean, come on, he wears sunglasses as one of his disguises! How adorable is that?!

On the surface this is a highly entertaining tale that makes you want to cheer on the underdogs. Scratch the surface though and you’ll learn (or be reminded of) some valuable lessons in what it means to be human. Despite tackling themes of how we dehumanise those we categorise as ‘other’ and the corruption that can grow unchecked when those in power are not held accountable, I never felt I was being preached at.

There’s so much of the Darkwood and its surrounding towns and villages still to explore. I can’t wait to get to know the Swamp Mermaids more, finally meet the bear and wolf witches of the north, and visit the eastern woods.

‘What’s in the eastern woods?’
‘You don’t want to know.’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Farrago, an imprint of Prelude Books, for the opportunity to read this book. Oh, and a final word of warning: if you follow these characters into the Darkwood, make sure you adhere to the usual Bin Night precautions! ...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Jul 08, 2019 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: f-sf-for-adults, mg-fiction

I picked up Darkwood when I heard that it was a funny, twisted fairytale adventure written by one of the writers of the Horrible Histories TV show (which I love) - and it did turn out to be very funny (I laughed out loud so many times!) but also sweet and full of heart, with fabulously lovable characters as well as some very creepy ones, and a sharp (and topical) look at the ways in which scary authoritarian movements can take hold in society.

Mostly, though, I just loved all the characters in th I picked up Darkwood when I heard that it was a funny, twisted fairytale adventure written by one of the writers of the Horrible Histories TV show (which I love) - and it did turn out to be very funny (I laughed out loud so many times!) but also sweet and full of heart, with fabulously lovable characters as well as some very creepy ones, and a sharp (and topical) look at the ways in which scary authoritarian movements can take hold in society.

Mostly, though, I just loved all the characters in this story, from Gretel the brave and clever inventor to Buttercup the Cake Witch and Trevor the talking spider and would-be spy (with a fabulous line-up of tiny, dashing outfits to help him go undercover - at least in his own eyes) and the unicorn Charles the Magnificent (who has, as he insists people recognize, MAJESTIC hooves). I loved all of the different slants on familiar fairy tale characters and tropes. I laughed again and again.

I wouldn't necessarily call this an MG book, although it does include MG-aged protagonists. It's one of those quirky, clever, and fun f/sf romps that doesn't quite fit into any neatly labeled age-grouping - but no matter what age you are, if you love Ursula Vernon's Castle Hangnail, Tansy Rayner Roberts's novels, or Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books, I would DEFINITELY recommend this one.

Halfway through reading it to myself with huge enjoyment, I realized that my 10-year-old would love it too, so I backed up and started again to read it out loud with him. And it was an ENORMOUS success! We've had so many conversations about the characters and setting. Last night, when I finished our bedtime reading session, he let out a happy sigh and said, "I LOVE Darkwood!" Tonight we finished reading it, and he begged me to preorder the next book in the series IMMEDIATELY. Sadly, it's not available for preorder yet (I asked the author on Twitter and she says it's coming in early 2020 and titled SUCH BIG TEETH) - but we will be preordering the instant it's available. This is such a fun world! ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2019 Erika rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2019

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read early for an honest review.

This book is hilarious! The Afterward mentioned the author was inspired by Shrek and the Discworld novels and I can really see that.

When I saw the cover, I immediately thought of the Black Knight from Monty Python and I think that was intentional - this story is very satirical.

It's everything you love about fairy tales, but is very aware of itself. I loved these versions of Hansel & Gretel, Jack, Snow, and the rest. And I abs ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 05, 2019 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it

Shelves: fairy-tales, adventure, fantasy, epic-fantasy, middle-grade

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Darkwood by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch may be perfect for you if you're looking for a funny MG fantasy adventure story. It took me a minute to get into the writing style (it's in present tense), but once you do you'll be hooked. I loved all of the fairy tale elements that the author managed to tie together so seamlessly from Hansel and Gretel, Snow, Jack and everyone. Even better is the sense of humor - it's very self aware, by the w ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

May 07, 2019 Soup rated it it was amazing

Shelves: women-writers, humor, scifi-fantasy, favorites, netgalley

This is an excellent and humorous riff on common fairy tale lore. Gretel and her brother Hansel live with their stepmother and stepfather (yes, both are "step," no-one knows why) at the edge of cursed forest (it's dangerous, but the housing prices cannot be beat!) and within the confines of a kingdom under the sway of the Huntsmen who outlaw nearly everything they find personally offensive like witches, magic, and girls knowing math. Gretel can't quite contain her cleverness however and she soon ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2019 ˗ˏˋ aphrodite ˊˎ˗ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: new-releases-2019

**this was sent to me by the publishers through netgalley, all thoughts are my own**

omfg guys this was amazing.

this is a middle grade fairytale retelling of hansel & gretal, snow white, and others as witches who have been banished by the power-hungry huntsmen and it was everything I could ever ask for.

this gives me ALL the monty python and shrek vibes and it SO DAMN GOOD.

the humor, the characters, the story, the MESSAGE of corruption and perceptions of truth was breathtaking. ((also I totally ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 14, 2020 Agatha Lund rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, retellings, fantasy-and-scifi, young-adult

There are plenty of very good and great retelling of various fairy tales and so on in YA and middle grade novels, but this was particularly clever and particularly unique. Funny, lovely writing, with both a good resolution and a jumping off point for the sequel. I adored it.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 02, 2020 Tina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a really fun read. It’s definitely more juvenile than what I normally read but that make it something fun I would read to my kids. It’s humorous and clean and fun for the whole family.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2020 Samantha rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: 4-6th graders

Recommended to Samantha by: KC

A delightfully silly middle grade fairytale with a twist.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 14, 2019 Anjana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a retelling of many fairy tales rolled into one quirky story. It is along the lines of the drama 'Once upon a time' in terms of its content. There is a flippancy in the conversation and the humour lies in the delivery and the situation that we are witnessing.
Hansel and Gretel live with their step-parents in a little village where they get orders from power at the citadel on how to conduct their daily lives and how things are supposed to work. When Gretel is suspected of being a witch an ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2019 Bojana rated it it was amazing

I must wonder why people (better say adults) are skeptical about middle grade books. I read a lot of middle grade books and enjoyed them. If book is written properly there should not be this sort of classification. Also, since this story is some kind of satire (it explores themes of authoritarianism and intolerance), I'm not even sure that it should be placed into the group of middle grade books.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. As I am a huge fan of fairy tales and at the same time very s ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2019 Stephanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc

A dark, sarcastic, and freaking hilarious retelling of Hansel and Gretel, with a few other fairy tales thrown in.
Gretel bites off a whole lot more than she can chew when she escapes into the Darkwood and accidentally joins a gang of witches. But she can handle it, she can do maths.
It reminds me a bit of Discworld and it was nice to see that the author did get inspiration from that among other sarcastic magical stories.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 22, 2019 Kristin Boes rated it it was amazing

Gretel Mudd is cast out of her village by the sinister Huntsmen, who label her an abomination for enjoying math and engineering. She seeks sanctuary in the mysterious Darkwood, and falls in with an adorably motley crew of misfits, including a talking spider, a witch who is the Midas of baked goods, and a White Night whose backstory was a fun surprise I won't spoil.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. It's a fairy tale satire, yes, but pokes fun at the genre without being mean ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 28, 2019 Jay Harley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Superbly funny, brilliant storytelling

Absolutely loved this book, some gorgeous warm characters and a gripping story - I can't wait for part two. Has a touch of Terry Pratchett to the humour - and I absolutely adored the chapter titles. Massive five stars. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 20, 2020 Aimee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-lower, feminism, fantasy-secondary-world, retellings

A very fun and enjoyable read, with a healthy dose of satire thrown in. The book verges on heavy-handed at times but it is aimed at young teens / middle grade after all.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2020 Bunny McFoo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fairy-tales, 2020-march, charming-as-all-heck, i-ship-it, 4-5-stars, excellent-worldbuilding, genre-middle-school

This was truly delightful and charming as all heck.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2019 Lisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a romp of a read this was! Fabulously funny fairy tale mash up with lots of familiar names appearing, and some brilliant original characters - may have to start a fan club for Trevor the talking spider ❤
Witty, wise, and wonderfully weird. Will look forward to the next adventure into the Darkwood, as long as it's not on a Monday.... ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 13, 2019 Kaitlyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebooks, netgalley

This book was a treat! I received my copy as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was a fun conglomeration of multiple fairytales, but with a dark twist. There were times that I felt like I was reading a children’s story and happily reliving my childhood, while there were others where the darkness felt like a crime novel. This combination in the subtle hints at so many fairytales we know well made the book quite enjoyable. My only regret is not brushing up on my fair ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 05, 2019 Jess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-fiction, middle-grade, humour, 2019-retellings-reading-challenge, fantasy, netgalley, read-in-2019

Check out this review and more on my blog!

I received an eARC of Darkwood from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favourite tropes in fantasy is the banned/outlawed magic trope, so as soon as I came across this Middle Grade novel on NetGalley, which not only includes that trope but also follows a girl with an interest in STEM, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

Darkwood is the first book in a new fantasy MG series following Gretel Mudd, who ends up chased away from her home of Nea Check out this review and more on my blog!

I received an eARC of Darkwood from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favourite tropes in fantasy is the banned/outlawed magic trope, so as soon as I came across this Middle Grade novel on NetGalley, which not only includes that trope but also follows a girl with an interest in STEM, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

Darkwood is the first book in a new fantasy MG series following Gretel Mudd, who ends up chased away from her home of Nearby Village and into the Darkwood after the Huntsmen wrongly accuse her of witchcraft. In Darkwood she falls in with a band of real witches – and a talking spider called Trevor – who, like her, have been forced from their homes, and together they try to put a stop to the Huntsmen’s tyranny.

I had a feeling this book would be funny given that it’s written by one of the writers of the Horrible Histories series, but I didn’t expect it to be quite as funny as it is. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, and what I loved most was how this isn’t a book that patronises its readers; there are jokes for children and adults alike in here and, outside of the humour, actions have real consequences in this book.

Darkwood is brimming with likeable characters. Gretel so easily could have been one of those irritatingly precocious children who doesn’t feel real, but she’s written with such warmth and a brilliant sense of humour and Hutchinson Crouch isn’t afraid to let her make mistakes that she must learn from. In particular, while Gretel has been forced to hide how clever she is and her particular talent for science and maths because she’s a girl, she herself has been perpetuating harmful stereotypes about the creatures of the Darkwood. I think this book will be an eye-opener for a lot of younger readers without feeling gimmicky or preachy.

Darkwood also includes a lot of fairy tale characters that those of us who grew up with the Grimms’ Fairy Tales will be familiar with, but they’re not quite the characters we know – this book is more Shrek than Disney – and they feel so fresh and original despite being some of the oldest characters in western literature. I’m not going to mention who they are because I think part of the fun is meeting them as Gretel meets them, but I loved her little gang of misfits and I loved this book. I can’t wait for the next one! ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 14, 2019 Claire O-P rated it really liked it

There’s been a real trend for grimdark in fantasy fiction over the last few years, and it has produced some amazing work, but with the final Discworld novel published in 2015, it does leave one wondering where the lighter side of fantasy fiction is going to head next. Of course, to live up to Pratchett’s name is a tall order indeed, but I feel that any author who looks to bring some humour to the genre should be encouraged – because, as with any genre, there’s a lot of fun in lovingly pointing o There’s been a real trend for grimdark in fantasy fiction over the last few years, and it has produced some amazing work, but with the final Discworld novel published in 2015, it does leave one wondering where the lighter side of fantasy fiction is going to head next. Of course, to live up to Pratchett’s name is a tall order indeed, but I feel that any author who looks to bring some humour to the genre should be encouraged – because, as with any genre, there’s a lot of fun in lovingly pointing out the ridiculous. Farrago was mentioned in my blog post on commissioning last month, and they are a specialist humour publisher, including sections specifically for genre humour. Darkwood came up on Netgalley, and I am a sucker for a fairy tale retelling, so I requested it immediately.

Reading this book felt a little bit as if someone had taken a panto and turned it into a novel, but with a decent side of social and political allegory built in. Given as the author has written for The News Quiz and The Now Show, that’s not entirely surprising, and neither is Hutchinson Crouch’s talent for the ridiculous, delivered deadpan, and surprising a laugh out of you. Certainly towards the end of the book it’s very clear there are some parallels to be drawn between today’s jingoistic hate-based politics and how they can be both insidious and harmful, and also a strong message on how diversity should be celebrated and encouraged. There’s even a little dig at fake news and propaganda, as well as the hypocrisy of politicians who decry things as evil for everyone, except where it inconveniences them personally.

The plot is simple enough – Gretel is driven out of the Darkwood after being mistaken for a witch, when in reality she’s just very good at maths. There she meets a witch who accidentally turns things into cake and as such lives in a cake house, a talking spider, a boy who can grow plants like beanstalks, and a warrior in armour with a band of seven aggressive dwarves. Meanwhile her brother, Hansel, who is actually a witch, is left in the village to deal with the fallout. The Huntsmen aren’t satisfied with just letting the witches live in the Darkwood, however, and start to make plans to attack it and all the creatures within it, meaning that war is on its way.

For me, where the book was strongest were the scenes set in the village of Nearby (which I pointedly pronounced as “Near-bee” like it was a village in rural Yorkshire because I thought that made it even funnier). There’s a real sense of a small village, where everyone knows each other, and everyone has their own petty squabbles, right up until someone from elsewhere comes to sort things out, and then they all unite and turn on the outsider.

I’ve mentioned before how much I love scenes of group chaos when someone else is desperately trying to grasp control of the situation with no idea what is going on. The prime example of this was when the Huntsman first arrives in the village and finds everyone bickering over everything else instead of being appropriately cowed by his authority. I also particularly loved the introductory chapters, where we get a sense of how the village has received the orders about how to deal with witches, and followed them in letter if not entirely in spirit. “Witches” are routinely ducked, but the ducking stools are set up in a nice, warm bit of the river, and local women use it as an opportunity for a good scrub, pretending to talk to animals so they can have a good wash whilst villagers hold the soap for them, and shout to ask for repentance, and also if the water temperature is okay. I also cackled at the exchange between Gretel and her stepmother, when her stepmother asks how many times she’s told her not to do maths and Gretel plaintively replies, “I don’t know, you won’t let me count!”

The Darkwood itself is ripe ground for more puns, although I wish perhaps we’d had more time to see Gretel exploring it and finding her feet. She stumbles through it in fear and then has a few excursions which bring her back, inevitably, to the village. I would have loved to have seen more of her getting to know the other magical creatures in the forest, building relationships and trust, and carving out her own niche. I don’t necessarily think there’s anything I would sacrifice in the existing narrative for that, but perhaps if the book had been a little longer then we could have enjoyed a more leisurely exploration of the forest denizens, and start to see the community there in the same way we did the villagers. As it was, we got a brief introduction to a unicorn, a couple of swamp mermaids and some pixies, but there is talk of wyverns and ogres and manticore in the trees, all able to talk and all with their own quirks and personalities and ongoing arguments. It could have been a delightful meeting of two chaotic tribes.

This is the first in a series, so I’m hoping we get more time developing that as the books progress – not least because two further areas of the wood have been set up as “no-go zones”, one with a bear witch (Goldilocks?) and one with a wolf witch (Red Riding Hood, surely), as well as the Huntsmen whose egos have been terribly bruised. There’s something a little bit Revolting Rhymes in the reimagining of these fairy tales, and a little bit Once Upon a Time in the bringing the characters together – only Hutchinson Crouch goes back to the stripped back core of the stories and then builds them up into something that fits together well and creates her own lore, instead of smashing together a load of Disney interpretations and trying to make sense of the garbled outcome (I don’t like Once Upon A Time). I think my analogy of a panto is best – the plot and delivery are suitable for a huge variety of ages, and each age group will get something different out of it, whilst the whole thing is gleefully anarchic in its tone and it just feels like a great romp.

Briefly:

A funny, enjoyable, easy-to-read romp through various fairy tales, which frankly would make an excellent panto, and has something for everyone.

I’m ashamed that it took me until halfway through the book to get the pun on the spider who thinks he’s a spy. A SPYder. Good grief @ me.

I also love how, despite apparently playing against fairy tale expectations, Darkwood actually utilises older character tropes. Gretel is clever and bold, as she was in the original story and as many other fairy tale heroines were (The Snow Queen, for example, or The Seven Ravens), whilst Hansel’s gentle and caring nature harks back to the tradition of the simple and kind protagonist who wins through being gentle, and shows Hansel as the other kind of hero (Dick Whittington, or The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship) rather than a forceful warrior prince. The perception can often be that fairy tales play into specific heteronormative gender roles, but whilst there are many that do (particularly those which have been adapted and sanitised and sold again and again), there are so many which promote the very traits shown here – the girls riding to the rescue using their wits, and the boys triumphing by being kind and gentle.

Rating: 4/5 – as this is the first in the series, I want to reserve my judgement for the full run, and I do wish there had been more time for Gretel to explore and build up the community in the Darkwood, but it’s all round good fun as it is. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 03, 2019 Amanda B rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-reads

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The only reason I requested this book was because Heathur @ Aphrodite Reads raved about it. I sadly, do not share that opinion. When adding this to my ‘currently reading’ shelf on GoodReads, I was very surprised to see that it’s a middle grade fantasy. I’d only gotten about 10% into it before adding it on GoodReads, but it didn’t seem like a middle grade story to me.
My first issue with this being middle grade is the language. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 13, 2019 Devann rated it really liked it

Shelves: a-mid-grade-child, c-arcs, sg-retellings, g-fantasy-high, z-19-netgalley, 0-abandoned-series, 4-0-star

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley.

"We make out that witches aren’t real people, but we pretend that we aren’t people, either. Because, if we can convince others and ourselves that we’re not really people, then we can let ourselves get away with committing some really inhuman acts."

This was hilarious and also surprisingly deep towards the end. It starts out as a satire of many common fairy tales [Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc] as well as a commentary ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2020 Kristine Stacke rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read this to catch up with the Strong Female Reads group as the next choice is the second in this series.
If you like satire, humour, fairy tales and a bit of feminism then you'll love this. I laughed out loud too many times to mention and I can't wait to start the next one. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 13, 2019 Steph Warren rated it it was amazing

*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, NetGalley and Farrago. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

I absolutely love this book. It is perfection!

Darkwood is suitable for anyone from middle-grade to adult, as there is plenty of peril and adventure, but the strongest word (used in the direst situations) is ‘trousers’!

The plot takes classic fairytale characters such as Hansel and Gretel, or Jack of beanstalk fame, and tumbles and twists them about into somethi *I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, NetGalley and Farrago. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

I absolutely love this book. It is perfection!

Darkwood is suitable for anyone from middle-grade to adult, as there is plenty of peril and adventure, but the strongest word (used in the direst situations) is ‘trousers’!

The plot takes classic fairytale characters such as Hansel and Gretel, or Jack of beanstalk fame, and tumbles and twists them about into something brand new, touching and very funny. Similarly there are ogres and unicorns, fairies and mermaids, but they may not look or behave exactly as you might expect.

Gretel, our main character, is forced into the woods for witchcraft and finds herself joining a jolly band of (mostly) friendly witches – and a talking spider, Trevor – as they attempt to protect the good folk against the wicked. Which is problematic because Gretel isn’t actually a witch…just very good at Maths. And she’s really not sure which folk are which!

There are some serious lessons here about how we treat those who are different; about hypocrisy and bravery; about judging on appearances, first impressions, gender or species. These morals are integral to the story but at no point do they intrude on the sheer entertainment of the action. There are simply cool-headed, logical STEM girls, tough kick ass girls, sensitive boys who worry and overthink… and a talking spider who thinks that sunglasses and a big hat make him inconspicuous! Everyone does what they do best and delightful mayhem ensues.

This is a well-written twisted fairytale with great characters and world-building and I am exceptionally happy that the ending clearly points to a sequel. May there be many more adventures in the Darkwood!

You don’t go into the Darkwood. That’s one of the first lessons every child learns in Myraina. All sorts of nasty things live out there, amongst the twisted trees and brambles. That’s where the witches and the beasties creep, and if you go in there, you’ll never come out again, or you’ll come back all wrong, and won’t be able to live with notmal decent folk any more. Stay away from the Darkwood, child, don’t even go near. Unless… well… house prices are so cheap on the outskirts of the wood.

– Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, Darkwood

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres... ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 06, 2019 Romy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, 2019-reads, 2019-favorites, epub, netgalley, favorites, arcs

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Do not go into the Darkwood, children. It's a cursed place, and so big and so dangerous that once you go in you'll never come out again. You'll become just another lost creature, aimlessly wandering amongst those black and twisted trees forever. Even the dead aren't safe in the Darkwood. Nobody is safe."

I adored this book and without a doubt, I can say this book is one of the favorite books I've read in 2019. This bo I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Do not go into the Darkwood, children. It's a cursed place, and so big and so dangerous that once you go in you'll never come out again. You'll become just another lost creature, aimlessly wandering amongst those black and twisted trees forever. Even the dead aren't safe in the Darkwood. Nobody is safe."

I adored this book and without a doubt, I can say this book is one of the favorite books I've read in 2019. This book was funny, witty, and very education all at the same time. The overarching message behind this story--witchhunts--is packaged to appeal to a younger audience without being overly graphic or informative.

This part contains spoilers!
The huntsmen, who are leading the witchhunts, are masked and 'just' characters who are trying to rid the world of the witches. However, these witchhunts are getting out of hand and every woman who is able to do basic maths or has a logical mind is considered to be a witch and send off to the Darkwood, a wood where scary and dangerous beings lurk between the trees. After Gretel is send off to the Darkwood as she is called out for being a witch, she meets four fellow witches: Jack Trott, Snow (or the White Knight), Trevor the talking spider, and Buttercup. They team up and with the help of the four witches, Gretel sets it upon herself to protect her village Nearby and her brother Hansel, who turned out to be the real Mudd Witch.

My favorite character out of all of the witches has to be Trevor, the talking spider. His dynamic with the group was honestly wholesome and adorable,

"'She definitely worked out I'm a spider, then, you reckon.' 'I think so,' says the woman with the broomstick kindly. 'Yes.' The spider sighs, disappointed. 'But I thought I'd disguised it really well. I was wearing a hat!'"

And in the end, the forgiving of Trott and the Giant was such a heartfelt ending. It shows how there are always two sides to a story; a mantra that is important to repeat at any given age. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 13, 2019 Rini Budihartati rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

I got the eARC from the publisher through Netgalley. All of the comments are mine and what I feel about the book.
.
Darkwood is a retelling book of various fairy tales like Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Jack and the beanstalk, etc. It is a story of Hansel and Gretel who lives in Nearby village of Myrsina. Magic and science are forbidden in that place especially for girls. Everyone who has magic or good at science are banished or recruited to join the huntsmen. Gretel is suspected to have magic, she ...more

flag Like · see review

May 06, 2020 Charlotte rated it really liked it

Much of the fantasy genre is riddled with wicked and dark themes. Such is not the case with Darkwood by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch.

Gretel and her brother Hansel are orphaned siblings being taken care of by their stepfather and stepmother. That sentence alone is a good clue as to where this story will take you. Gretel is a girl who is good at maths, but the Huntsmen believe that she is a witch. When one Huntsman comes to the village of Nearby, the quirky villagers delay him while Gretel forms her e ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 12, 2019 Aly rated it liked it

Shelves: age-middle-grade

I don't read middle grade books very often, but this one was actually quite a fun read. I did have some issues which I'll get into in a bit. I'm mostly rating this more as overall enjoyment and not so much the actual plot, as it's a bit weird to describe.

Darkwood is a place that no mortal should enter due to monsters and witches. Living in her village with her brother Hansel and stepparents, they learn literacy and defend the village folk from any monsters that emerge from the Darkwood. Witchcra ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 19, 2019 Elysian Fields rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs

What caught my eye about this story was the fact that it had the feel of olden fairy tales (like Grimm’s) yet was modern and fresh. I loved the idea of a magical “forest” filled with darkness, beasts and witches. Gretel and her adventures called to me. I very much enjoyed this YA story and would love to read more in this world. A mixture of classic fairy tales mix together seamlessly, and they create a magical world for any reader to get lost in.

No one is safe in Deadwood, not even the dead, bu ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 09, 2019 Annie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Darkwood is the first book in a presumptive series by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch. Due out 13th June 2019 from Prelude on their Farrago! imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a very funny book and well written into the bargain. Ostensibly aimed at middle grade readers, it nevertheless has an awful lot to offer adults also. Written as a sort of 'fractured fairy tales' mash-up of Snow White and the hunts ...more

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

35 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

20 users

Retellings

9 users

Fiction

8 users

Fantasy > Fairy Tales

7 users

Humor

5 users

Young Adult

5 users

Paranormal > Witches

4 users

Childrens

3 users

Fantasy > Magic

3 users

See top shelves…

About Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

19 followers

Other books in the series

The Darkwood Series (3 books)

Books by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

More…

This Just In: ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Is Seriously Bookish

You might know comedian Colin Jost from his work as the co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, or perhaps you know him as Scarlett...

Trivia About Darkwood

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Darkwood

“It may be an all-seeing Mirror and former king, but that doesn't mean that it's got people skills.” — 1 likes

“Wait, hang on,' says Trevor. 'How do you know they're on their way to the village? You're not even a witch.' He ponders this for a moment. 'It's not going to turn out that you are secretly a witch after turning out to secretly not being a witch after the Huntsmen thought it turned out you were secretly a with, is it?'
'No.'
'Oh. That's a shame. That would have been quite the plot twist.” — 0 likes

More quotes…