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The Darkest Part of the Forest
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The Darkest Part of the Forest
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Erika, Dream Thief
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Oct 01, 2018 04:12PM
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Hey, everyone! ^^ Glad to be here. I'm currently in the process of reading the book myself, and while I'm currently undecided on my exact feelings, it's cool to have people with which to discuss it.Admittedly, certain aspects of the book are interesting me more than others - there being a boy in a glass coffin, lying at the center of a forest, amid an otherwise-civilized area sounded fascinating enough, but the writing's just not pulling me in as much as I'd hoped. What do y'all think about the book yourselves?
I finished the audiobook a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.I actually wish she would make it a series.
I started this last week and so far ao good. I felt the writing had a kind of fairytale sing song vibe to it. I've been meaning to read something by Black for years now, but never got round to it.
I got to this book while waiting for the second book in The Folk of the Air series... There's something just so addictive about this dark faeries, with their thirst for blood and tricks. I think Holly Black can really show this aspect of the tales we all know and love.At the beginning I thought this will have some kind of Middle Age setting, but mixing theordinary of school life with magical deadly situations was a really nice touch.
I'm really intrigued by Jack and his involvement in all this disaster, I think it will be a key player at the end
Currently very intrigued by this book! The creatures she creates, example changlings, remind me of the Wintersong series (if you haven't read it you should!). Excited to see what it Holly Black has in-store :)
Just Finished today! won't spoil but I think it was a great standalone, definitely Holly Black knows how to bring those dark creatures to life.
I love faeries. They're probably my favorite mythological creatures. This book was very interesting, and I absolutely loved it. I also love but hate the fact that it's not a series, because I really want to read more about these characters, but it's also harder to find a standalone fantasy book I think? Or for me, it is. So I love the fact that it's a standalone fantasy because they're rarer, which is really interesting. But I absolutely loved this book and it's now one of my favorites, I think.
Why are standalones so hard to come by when they can be this good?!
I don't know! A standalone like this is just so good. I get that sometimes a story can be really complex for just one book but it is almost like a trend to make series now
Did anyone else wish that there was more details on the different creatures? I felt like I lost some of the description because she was using all these creatures that were never explained or described.
Hannah wrote: "Did anyone else wish that there was more details on the different creatures? I felt like I lost some of the description because she was using all these creatures that were never explained or descri..."I kinda get that, I guess it's trying to find the right balance and not having/describing creatures that have nothing to add the plot. I would love if if there was another stand alone based from the fairy side.
KatiEllen wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Did anyone else wish that there was more details on the different creatures? I felt like I lost some of the description because she was using all these creatures that were never expl..."I totally get what you're saying about too much description not adding to the plot. Normally authors just create a glossary or an index; I was just surprised that she didn't have one!
A stand alone from the fairy side would be wonderful! I thought the same thing with the Cruel Prince; it would have been interesting to get details from the other side.
I've had this book for three years and FINALLY started it today. This is my fourth or fifth book by Holly, and so far every one of them has been just mediocre except for The Cruel Prince, which I basically hated. I don't connect with her writing style at all, and I think her world building tends to be quite poor (except for The Coldest Girl in Coldtown) but her ideas are good.I was pleasantly surprised at first, as I had low expectations with this being set in the same world as The Cruel Prince, and thought she included more world building in two chapters than in that whole novel. But now I'm around 20% and feeling a little bored. Maybe it's Hazel?
I kept comparing her writing to L.J. Smith but couldn't figure out why. I think I finally pinpointed the issue. So much of the story is written in inner dialogue, which is something I really dislike. I just don't like to know every thought that pops into a characters head, especially when a lot of it is stupid or immature.
I really loved this book, so much more than I expected to - I’m torn between loving that it’s a standalone, and wishing it was a series because I need more of that world and those characters!! The only thing I felt was lacking was that final big fight scene/climax - it was over in 1 page..?! I would have loved a page or so extra, but other than that, perfect!
I found it hard to like Hazel to start with, she's quite selfish and that's a trait I can't stand.I did like how past was told, their childhood, her bargain and music school. I felt like their wild upbringing was under used, I kind thought that the neglect was going to be more to the story.
KatiEllen wrote: "I found it hard to like Hazel to start with, she's quite selfish and that's a trait I can't stand."I've just started the book, and I understand what you mean about Hazel. She difficult to like. I'm guessing she's dealing with some heavy duty stuff and overcompensating. At least I'm hoping that down the road I'll understand her. I was a painfully shy teen, and a lot of people thought I was a stuck-up snob. So, I'm trying to cut her some slack.
KatiEllen wrote: "I found it hard to like Hazel to start with, she's quite selfish and that's a trait I can't stand.I did like how past was told, their childhood, her bargain and music school. I felt like their wi..."
In my point of view, the way their parents neglected them as children sets up the whole plot of the story. (view spoiler)
Hannah wrote: "KatiEllen wrote: "I found it hard to like Hazel to start with, she's quite selfish and that's a trait I can't stand.I did like how past was told, their childhood, her bargain and music school. I ..."
I was surprised when we found out all the things her parents did when they were children and how they never thought that the way they lived was abnormal. It's pretty bad when a changeling raised by a human family that has become the town outcast has to tell you how effed up your childhood was.
Now that I've finished the book, it's just another "meh" from me. The only character I liked was Jack, and I just wasn't a fan of how the story was told in general—oddly timed exposition and flashbacks, too much inner monologue, the weird brother/sister competition. Holly's books just aren't for me, I guess the same way that some readers can't get into Cassandra Clare books despite their popularity and Jem Carstairs.
I was a fan of Jack and how he wasn't the perfect fairie - he felt torn and often was conflicted between his two worlds which makes a ton of sense in the context. This wasn't the best book I've ever read, but I did appreciate a number of aspects, including Severin's interest in Ben and how Black interwove a fairy tale into the current day. I'd read it again, but not likely to be a perennial favorite.
I thought this was a very unique book. it was very different than anything I had read before even though it was kind of like Snow White in some ways.
I finished reading it just last year and I really enjoyed. It was very interesting.
I read it last year too and really enjoyed it. I picked up on the Snow White vibes too 😊
Awesome book, but I kind of wish it had something more. The Folk of the Air completely blew my mind though.
I read The Cruel Prince at the end of 2018 and have been reading everything I can by Holly Black since. (Currently reading White Cat) I loved this book and I like how the character Severin is briefly mentioned in the folk and air series. I also appreciate how Holly Black has improved in writing her faerie tale books. The Tithe series also has characters that show up in the folk and air series. I like that Holly Black's main characters are not always likeable. They have flaws and that makes them more fleshed out.
