The Darkest Part of the Forest
In Holly Black’s The Darkest Part of the Forest, Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking. Until one day, he does.
I fell in love with Black’s writing style when I read The Cruel Prince, so I had high expectations when I picked up Darkest Part. She didn’t disappoint, of course. Black completely drew me in from page one as I followed Hazel’s journey as she was drawn deeper and deeper into the faery world. It was even better to see the connection between the fae in this book and those in The Folk of the Air series. It’s fun to see authors connect their stories this way.
Hazel is a compelling main character. I was invested in her story from the beginning, especially as she recounted her days of knighthood with her brother during their turbulent childhood. The bond between Ben and Hazel had grown frayed over the years, but they came together in the book to save not only each other, but their town and the fae who called it home. I liked seeing them actually share the secrets they had kept from each other for years. It was a healing moment in the book that stuck with me long after the story ended.
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a magical book full of new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal.
The Darkest Part of the Forest Rating: ★★★★
I fell in love with Black’s writing style when I read The Cruel Prince, so I had high expectations when I picked up Darkest Part. She didn’t disappoint, of course. Black completely drew me in from page one as I followed Hazel’s journey as she was drawn deeper and deeper into the faery world. It was even better to see the connection between the fae in this book and those in The Folk of the Air series. It’s fun to see authors connect their stories this way.
Hazel is a compelling main character. I was invested in her story from the beginning, especially as she recounted her days of knighthood with her brother during their turbulent childhood. The bond between Ben and Hazel had grown frayed over the years, but they came together in the book to save not only each other, but their town and the fae who called it home. I liked seeing them actually share the secrets they had kept from each other for years. It was a healing moment in the book that stuck with me long after the story ended.
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a magical book full of new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal.
The Darkest Part of the Forest Rating: ★★★★