Reviews with content warning for Medical content - The Ghost Woods

The rating for this book is indeed a bit tricky to me.
I enjoyed the storyline and after reading the author's note I understood the plots intentions even more. I liked that it had lesbian representation and a lot of sapphic characters. And the ghothic atmosphere, yes!!
However, what destroyed the reading experience a little for me was the writing. I was really surprised because I've read The Lighthouse Witches and in that book the writing was really good. But in this one it seemed rather loveless, tbh. It's not that I dislike reading first-person-perspective in general but I think a third-person-perspective would suit this book and plot a lot more.

But all in all it was an enjoyable read.

Content Warnings

queenmackenzie's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Last October I loved the atmospheric setting of The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke, so was very keen to pick up her next book. The Ghost Woods is set at Lichen Hall, a grand but crumbling home in a secluded part of Scotland, and it offers an alternative to the mother and baby homes that were prevalent in the 20th century. Single pregnant women could live out their pregnancies at Lichen Hall, and after the child’s birth Mrs Whitlock, the lady of the house, would arrange for them to be adopted. This is how both Mabel and Pearl, one in 1959 and one in 1965, find themselves at the imposing house, isolated from their families and friends.

The book follows the two, each chapter alternating between them in their different timelines, each slowly revealing the underlying darkness of Lichen Hall. Because, though it is beautiful and surrounded by forest, all is not quite what it seems… the forest itself is haunted by a creature of shadow, Mr and Mrs Whitfield have bursts of strangeness, and mushrooms sprout all around, some even invading the hall and breaking it down slowly. The tension is built slowly, helped by the fact that the setting is viewed from two different points in time as they gradually catch up with each other. However, I can’t say that I was ever properly pulled in or felt a chill at any point.

I’m not really a horror reader, but I do sometimes like when a book gives me goosebumps or keeps me up because I have to resolve the tension, and sadly this one didn’t hit that spot. I really liked the characters, Mabel most of all, and the writing was beautiful, but I mostly remained indifferent to the story and when I’d finished it was left quite unsatisfied. I was hoping more would come of the figure that stalks the narrative: the mythic witch Nicnevin. I think a bit point of the story was to highlight the horror of the situation unmarried mothers found themselves in during this time, which it did do very well, but that’s just not what it’s marketed as…

However, if you are looking for a tense, character-focused story with horror elements and a wonderful cast of female characters, I do recommend you pick this and other books by C.J. Cooke up. Just beware that it’s a bit of a slow build-up.

Content Warnings

nicoles_reading_corner's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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