A review by dungareece
The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I can’t even begin to express how much I fell in love with the women in this book. Their stories, their strengths, their vulnerabilities. I am so not ready to leave their world behind. 

It is deliciously gothic and eerie with the suitably damp, dark and mushroom infested setting of a secluded Scottish mansion, Lichen Hall. Lichen Hall doubles as a mother and baby home for unwed mothers. The history of which I was only vaguely aware of prior to reading this book. 

I adore a book with multiple narrators, and CJ Cooke is so wonderful at braiding seemingly unrelated narratives together in the  most intricate ways. This book is the perfect love letter to women and being othered from society. Beautifully sad stories of motherhood and queerness are intertwined with a wonderful sprinkling of magic. A full on rollercoaster of emotions, I had moments of being in tears followed by moments of kicking my feet in joy. 

Ps I have never cried at an authors note before so that was new
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