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A review by directorpurry
Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way impacted my final rating!
Once, Thomas, Andrew, and Dove were an inseparable trio. But something happened last semester to break that trust. Only, Andrew can't seem to remember what that SOMETHING was.
You know I'm loving a book when I'm recommending it at 33% - and that is exactly what happened with Don't Let the Forest In.
I had an amazing time reading this! It's weird and creepy with just the right balance of lyrical to concrete description to make it an easy, compulsive read. The characters felt so deeply real in a very specific way - the very specific late teenage, uncomfortably obsessive queer relationship is featured so masterfully in this book, at once realistic and relatable while also being amped up to 11. And the inclusion of an asexual spectrum character is just *mwah* chef's kiss. I really ate this book up, especially in the end.
I made a Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater comparison when I first started this book, and I certainly stand by that. This has a bit more concreteness to it, though, and it's much more of a horror novel than magical realism. But I would certainly recommend this to anyone looking for a darker version of that series. And, really, to any dark academia fan who loves horror.
There's some pretty gruesome stuff in this book, while still being just this edge of YA appropriate. I really loved that this book didn't pull any punches horror-wise. It really dug its teeth (pun intended) into the scary weirdness of nature-inspired horror. While I understand and appreciate the market for that, I know there's a strong subset of older teen readers who want a bit more blood and guts, and this book will certainly fill that gap!
This book makes me so incredibly excited to read more from Drews, especially their recently announced upcoming books in a similar horror vein!
Once, Thomas, Andrew, and Dove were an inseparable trio. But something happened last semester to break that trust. Only, Andrew can't seem to remember what that SOMETHING was.
You know I'm loving a book when I'm recommending it at 33% - and that is exactly what happened with Don't Let the Forest In.
I had an amazing time reading this! It's weird and creepy with just the right balance of lyrical to concrete description to make it an easy, compulsive read. The characters felt so deeply real in a very specific way - the very specific late teenage, uncomfortably obsessive queer relationship is featured so masterfully in this book, at once realistic and relatable while also being amped up to 11. And the inclusion of an asexual spectrum character is just *mwah* chef's kiss. I really ate this book up, especially in the end.
I made a Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater comparison when I first started this book, and I certainly stand by that. This has a bit more concreteness to it, though, and it's much more of a horror novel than magical realism. But I would certainly recommend this to anyone looking for a darker version of that series. And, really, to any dark academia fan who loves horror.
There's some pretty gruesome stuff in this book, while still being just this edge of YA appropriate. I really loved that this book didn't pull any punches horror-wise. It really dug its teeth (pun intended) into the scary weirdness of nature-inspired horror. While I understand and appreciate the market for that, I know there's a strong subset of older teen readers who want a bit more blood and guts, and this book will certainly fill that gap!
This book makes me so incredibly excited to read more from Drews, especially their recently announced upcoming books in a similar horror vein!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
Minor: Racism and Outing