The Forest of a Thousand Eyes

by Frances Hardinge, Emily Gravett (illustrator)

This original illustrated middle-grade fantasy from acclaimed author and illustrator duo Frances Hardinge and Emily Gravett follows a girl who must venture through the ravenous, dangerous Forest that has overtaken her world to save her community. 

Multiple starred reviews! "Sumptuous worldbuilding and deft plotting make for a harrowing dystopian story that nevertheless thrums with hope." (Kirkus starred review)

One thing Feather knows to be true is that given the chance, the Forest will devour her home just like it’s devoured everything else in her world. Her small community lives in a section of the crumbling Wall that runs through and above the trees, doing everything they can to keep the Forest out.

When a stranger tricks Feather and makes off with her people’s precious spyglass, she has no choice but to go after him, coming face-to-face with the Forest’s dangers—and to revelations beyond her wildest imagination.

In the same stunning format as Island of Whispers, this story about perseverance and community from Costa Book Award winner Frances Hardinge and acclaimed illustrator Emily Gravett is sure to become a new classic.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Audiobook, Young Adult

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2024

About the author

Frances Hardinge spent her childhood in a huge, isolated old house in a small, strange village, and the two things inspired her to write strange, magical stories from an early age. She studied English at Oxford University and now lives in Oxford, England.

Reviews

[Nataliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made my inner eleven-year-old so happy, even if my outer self is three decades removed from that inner kid. Frances Hardinge is a magician, and that is a fact.

“She pulled out a piece of charcoal and started to draw a map on the stone floor. Everyone leaned in and stared as, stroke by stroke, their world expanded.”

It’s a story that feels developed despite its spare form, a story of unplanned exploration leading to discovery of a world much larger than expected, an expanded world beautiful in the hope of connection and cooperation.

In this world small tribes of people live in the remnants of a partially destroyed gigantic Wall that once was meant to spot the relentless advance of the the ever-encroaching Forest — the world of green and its denizens preying on humans in a way that sees the reversal of our expected interaction with our environment. Feather is a young girl in one of these isolated Wall communities that don’t know others of their kind even exist, and an unexpected encounter with a Stranger leads to betrayal and sets her and her scaly ferret Sleek on a very long quest that changes the world forever, and not just for her. And this short yet intelligently complex story still managed to take me in the direction I didn’t expect it to go, in a direction much more humane than the obvious solution I imagined.

Just like with the rest of Hardinge’s books, age range here doesn’t matter; it’s interesting across ages. It’s timeless, and even in its short length it creates something original, something slightly offbeat just enough to feel fresh. And none of it is overtly simplified or condescendingly talking down to audience, or didactically moralistic, or shoving its message down your throat. Instead it’s well-written, with some moral complexity, and trusts the reader to understand and trust the story.

It’s wonderful, and even in the e-ARC form the lovely slightly quirky illustrations by Emily Gravett captivated me. Loved the vines (and then the ropes) and occasional forest critter running along the text and sometimes intruding on it. I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be in the printed form, and just realized in dismay that this is their second collaboration and I completely missed the first one (the omission which I will remedy soon). Books like these make me wonder why it’s usually kids that get to enjoy gorgeous illustrations — us adults need books like this, too.

5 stars.

——————

Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids | Amulet Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read quite a number of books by this author. Thus, also, her other illustrated novella that focuses on water / the sea rather than earth / the forest like this one.

The story is that of a world where humans live in tribes on a wall that is threatened by an encroaching forest. Which is why our heroine, a little girl, has to take her pet ferret on a daring mission to retrieve an artifact that will protect them.
On their way, both the girl and the ferret meet all sorts of creatures in the titular forest that try to stop them. So, ironically enough, this also happened to be the perfect Halloween read as it was quite spooky.

Nature isn't always friendly. In fact, it often is quite the opposite. You see something enthrallingly beautiful? Run! With this in mind, Hardinge wrote a story about resilience and discovery (on many levels) that was wonderfully atmospheric.

I particularly enjoyed the theme of exploration, learning new things and developing certain skills - it was basically an adventure for my inner girl scout. :D

Despite this being quite a short story, the world the author opened up to us was huge and how the story was told was absolutely marvellous! It might be intended for younger readers but it hasn't been dumbed down (like so many other authors unfortunately do) but instead hold quite a number of lessons and, most importantly, twists that led to a resolution I hadn't expected (I was pleasantly surprised by how the author toyed with my expectations).

And the fantastic artwork in black-and-white with a few green highlights here and there! I loved it!

Fantastic book that I enjoyed thoroughly (and more than the other one).

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho.
Me pareció realmente original la manera en la que muestra esa especie de distopía y cómo esconde más de lo que muestra. Va dejando muchas miguitas de pan para que tú te compongas en la cabeza cómo es ese mundo, las diferentes culturas y personajes que aparecen.
Una lectura genial a partir de 10 años aprox.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an Hardinge fan and completist, I have wanted to check this out since I first heard of it. It is one more of her "younger", shorter for sure, middle grade books, with illustrations. She has written two of those so far, her usual mode is much longer and more complex.

It's beautiful, and I am not talking about illustrations, a kind of dystopic tale where the world has been taken over by a malevolent forest. And a girl (11? no age given if I recall) chasing a thefted object through the human settlements that survive the forest. Beautiful, thoughtful ending.

But this is a "it's me and not the boo"k, I am probably not a good reader for middle grade books, not even by Frances Hardinge. It felt a bit scarce in details, the momentum too straightforward, the language though precise and elegant, also too simple. So "just" the 4 stars, and I am looking forward to Hardinge going back to her usual longer length for older readers...

[jiggit]

Been looking forward to this since the announcement! I think this was not quite as tight as Island of Whispers, with some portions a tad more sparse on detail, which is natural given that the scope of this book feels a lot wider. Nevertheless, it hangs together well. Gravett's illustrations are always excellent at building atmosphere; the vines and leaves running over even the primarily-text pages keep the intrusive presence of the Forest visually positioned, which I thought very effective. The energy and motion in the art of Feather and Sleek pair very well with the sense of urgency that fuels Feather's quest, which comes together to build dimension. The spread of Feather sprinting on her own through the Forest is downright beautiful. As always, Gravett's creatures are wonderfully expressive, and I enjoyed seeing that fluidity of body language translated here into fantastic animals. Hardinge's imagination is similarly characteristic in the prose, characters, and elements of plot. The ending felt both evocative and earned, reminding me of why Hardinge is one of my favourite living fantasists today. Heartily enjoyed this, would love to see more books like this from both, whether from the same world or an entirely new one.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, I’m almost too overwhelmed to collect my thoughts. How can one little book - just over a hundred pages - be both profound and thrilling, and a devastating work of art.

Set in a world where nature has become the aggressor over humankind, relegating the two-legged creatures clinging to the bits of manmade architecture that so far have evaded the encroaching forest. Small communities exist, with no way to connect or even be cognizant of other human life. That is until Feather, a young girl living in the Grayman’s Gate community, is forcefully set on a quest across the dangerous forest.

I have longed been in awe of Hardinge’s story-telling ability on top of her unequaled world building. She always, without being the least bit didactic, has a lot to say about being human and what we owe each other in fellowship. I have long mourned the collective sharing the internet has brought to the planet, focusing on the scaring of the most ugly ideas when they are allowed to flourish. This book reminds me of how valuable increased community is. Far more good and lovely things are shared because we don’t have the barriers of proximity- perhaps I should focus on that. There are a couple scenes at the end where individual humans act against their own security to defend those they have never known, or one who has personally bestowed wickedness.

Let us also acknowledge how glorious Emily Gravett’s illustrations are throughout the book. They are immersive in more than just throwing images on the page. They drag you through that forest and hand you Feather’s peril as your own. This is the second illustrated novel I have completed in less than a week. I hope it becomes a trend.

Technically this is a book for young readers, but those of us with more world knowledge will perhaps appreciate just a bit more.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful piece of work from Frances Hardinge! Absolutely magical. It seemed much younger than her usual audience, but as usual, a universal story for child and adult alike. The illustrations were perfect for the book. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

[Mady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A middle grade dystopian novel from a new (to me) author. It took me some time to warm up to the characters and I wasn't too sure this would be to my liking (me not being much of a dystopian fan!).
But this really grew on me, I loved the illustrations, the journey that Feather went through, her interactions with all the Strangers and how she started to figure out the Total from looking at several Parts! I've picked this one thanks to T. one of my fave book-pushers! :D

I've also found this to be a good book to do a read along, chapter by chapter read or buddy read discussion.

Though Frances Hardinge seems to write in a genre that is not my usual cup of tea, I'm now more willing to embark on another of her (mostly yuong adult, I believe) fantasy books.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Two Hoots for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I know she writes for children, but I really enjoy Frances' books. They're fun and full of imagination which is what you want from a children's book, but they've got so much heart and substance to them that they are completely enough for this 31-year-old to fully invest in and enjoy.

It is full of beautiful illustrations. I will always be an advocate for more illustrations in adult books; why do ids get all the beautiful images! But it really helped expand on Frances' story.

It is simultaneously a love letter to nature, but also a warning against it, the power of nature and the respect it deserves. Instead of it being humans encroaching upon and destroying nature, it's nature that is swallowing up humanity and we're forced into hiding.

I find Frances writes such important stories with such important messages, but she doesn't ram them down your throat, she covers them within a beautiful story.

She manages to worm real problems and real people into such whimsical and magical lands, which makes them more relatable in this magical context. And for all the fantasy elements, the characters - such as our main character Feathers - are very real which I think is important in children's books, because it means the young readers can see themselves in them and realise they too can achieve great things.

I find with all her books, for me anyway, that the plot and characters don't really matter to me, it's all about the world she creates and this sense of family and community within this world. She's done it time and time and time again and impresses me every single time.

At less than 200 pages - with a lot of those pages taken up by illustrations - it is a very quick read for any age, but it sure does pack a punch.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that Frances Hardinge writes so to walk into a bookstore and find out that she has a new illustrated book is like a special little treat just for me (bought and read it immediately!)
This one is about a postapocalyptic world where the remains of humanity live on the remains of a giant wall surrounded by a forest that is constantly trying to kill them. That sounds more grim than the book actually is, since it actually deals with a girl travelling through all the scattered communities and realising it would benefit them all to trade and work together. I loved the illustrations by Emily Gravett and the vivid descriptions of both the strange inhabitants of the forest and the many varied ways in which humans are trying to survive.

[katayoun Masoodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

a short story, thoroughly thought provoking and though the enemy looks like nature, but really the way it's acting and it's thousand eyes is what the not-little-people right now feel like. i hope we find how to communicate and how to be able to learn and live together soon
quick read, beautifully told and as usual with a main character that you'd love.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's literature can be just as enjoyable as adult's literature. It can be just as complex, just as interesting, and it can take on a similar emotional journey. What it has that adult's literature doesn't is illustrations. For some reason there seems to be an unwritten rule that when you read as an adult, you shouldn't enjoy books with pictures. This is such a shame. And I fear that it means there are some adults who don't discover wonderful pieces of literature, just because they include illustrations so are deemed for the eyes of children rather than older eyes.

Now that I have that little rant over, onto the book.

Frances Hardinge is a great author. Her work can be full of emotion, wonder, humour, a touch of darkness, and humanity. The Forest of a Thousand Eyes is her second book which features illustrations by Emily Gravett (Island of Whispers being the other). For this volume, fittingly, the colour palette is black, white and green. The illustrations are beautiful, as you would expect from Gravett. The story is one of survival. For this book, Hardinge has turned nature upon us:
"The roaring sea was the Forest's enemy, but that didn't mean it was her friend. Feather was a small creature, cowering amid the clash of titans."
Nature can be powerful, that is true. But it is also important to remember where we fit into this. We can make nature more vulnerable. We should show it respect. In Hardinge's world, nature is feared. For younger readers, this story will provide them with a story of a girl who must go on a quest of her own making to try and save those that she loves. From the journey that she takes, she discovers that it is better to try and learn from others, to strengthen your chances in the world, rather than living cut off from other communities, cultures or ideas.

A lovely book; one that I would recommend to children and to adults.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frances Harding is one of the best contemporary children's writers; she has the magic to weave a spell on readers and transport us to otherworldly locations- last year's Island of Whispers still stays in my mind and The Lie Tree is a classic

The Forest of a Thousand Eyes is another winner; this time we are transported to a land where humans live in communities upon a rapidly dilapidated and declining in structure wall. The land is being taken over by 'green' - plants, trees and a variety of creatures. A reversal of the world where the human impacts upon the natural environment- this time the humans struggle to survive with an ever encroaching forest.

One of the residents -Heather- foolishly trusts a stranger - Merildun- whom she discovers has been hiding in a section of the wall - he attempts to kill her and also steals a very precious object. Heather finds herself in the Forest - her only company is Sleek her pets ferret.

Heather sets out to track down Merildun and retrieve the stolen item but this means encountering many dangers and meeting groups of humans that believe they exist alone in this strange world

Emily Gravatt's illustrations are stunning and further add to the mystery - and beauty- of the story.

This is a multi-layered story with so much to enjoy and even talk about- the representation of the forest -its creatures and flora; the alienation between communities and the survival of groups of people.

Very highly recommended and a book that will be great read for 9-12 year olds but also a brilliant upper key stage 2 class book with so many opportunities for class based drama and writing- an absolute winner

[Courtney Johnston]

Beautiful but boringly predictable

[Yasmina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children’s book about a young girl named Feather, who lives in a world where the forest is destroying her habitat. By trusting a stranger, Feather is thrown into the forest where she must learn to survive. The story is compelling, and the wonderful illustrations complement the text.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great short fast fast-paced quest and journey.
I listened to a copy with librofm and loved the narrator

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short story from Hardinge, wanted more!

This could have been a full-length novel, but I adored the short format and felt the plot fitted brilliantly inside the slight number of pages.

Hardinge creates here a frightening world where humans have been pushed to the brink of extinction, it seems, by nature. Living in pockets along a wall, holding back the forest that would take their lives if they lose concentration, Feather dwells in one of these communities scraping by on their remaining tools and materials. But Feather has a secret, she's taoken a precious piece of 'glass' to show to a new friend she's made from far away.

And when Feather is betrayed, she knows she can't return to her Wall family without the stolen glass, and ventures out alone along the Wall, with tamed ferret Sleek to retrieve it, finding new colonies along the way, learning how different groups are coping with their resources, and constantly on the watch for attacks from the Forest only ever a touch away.

This was tense, exciting and so, so well written. Gravett is usually seen as a friendly and 'cute' illustrator of children's picture books, here the limited colour palette of black, white and green brings out the darkness of Feather's world and situation.

The lessons here are well-taught, the story not lightened for a young readership, though Hardinge does have an older primary readership. This is not graphic or overly scary but ages 9 and above would be best suited as readers here.

Loved this, great format for the story and to encourage readers into darker fiction gradually.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

THE FOREST OF A THOUSAND EYES is a gorgeous tale about exploring the world without realising it and discovering the wonder of an expanded world.

This is very much a Frances Hardinge book with a world that feels just that bit out of touch of our world and also just that bit out of step with the sorts of folktales you are used to hearing. This is a rich world drawing on things we are used to - Hadrian's wall felt like the obvious jumping off point for the wall, for example - which the author has then very much put their own spin on.

This book is fully illustrated with black, white, and green illustrations by Emily Gravett. It makes this into a delight to read both for the story and the visual treat. I think this is the sort of book you want to read with someone, like parents and children reading together.

I wasn't quite sure what age range this book was. It's entertaining for a wide range.of ages, that timelessness that a lot of Frances Hardinge's books have. The visual component making it feel like a bedtime book to read as a family does push me a bit towards middle grade as a "this is the lower end of who will get a lot from it".

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as tight as Island of Whispers - I think the key difference is that that one was the story of one single event taking place in one night, whereas this follows Feather for weeks. She spends so long walking and meets so many different settlements but we never really get to spend time with them all, so the pacing feels off and it's hard to really feel the emotional resonance of it.
 
There is still a lot to love though and it still has the key Frances Hardinge ingredients: beautiful prose, an absolutely lovable main character (and animal sidekick), and a creepy sentient forest! And of course the illustrations by Emily Gravett are gorgeous in their black-white-green monochrome, and the creeping vines across every page add so much to the sinister vibe.

[Rachel C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Hardinge's work. This concise, short work of fiction was beautiful with unexpected character development for such a short piece. Suitable for all ages.

My two complaints are: I would not have spent an audible credit on it if I knew it was so short AND I would like a full length novel set in this world please!

Great story. Highly recommend.

[Amy Commissaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cutesie

[Sugarpop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and complex with good storytelling

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardinge drops a book and I'm seated. Fantastic story. Loved this.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving these collaborations between Frances Hardinge and Emily Gravett!! They've both been absolutely gorgeous in every way. This definitely does feel a bit simpler than Hardinge's novels but it is a different type of work so I'll try not to fault it for that. I liked the themes of commnity a lot, the way that all the strongholds are so different from one another but will be able to work together in the ens. I also particularly loved how the boy from the Castle told Merildan that even if there is other land out beyond the Forest, they can't go look for it because ultimately they'd unintentionally bring Forest with them, seeds beneath their fingernails and pollen on their clothes. I'm not sure if I feel like this is more about disease or colonialism or the way they intertwine but I loved it for its empathy. I do wish we'd learned more about people up the wall from Feather as well — Merildan had to come from somewhere!! I really did enjoy this but it definitely wasn't my favorite Hardinge and now that I'm not blinded by the allure of the creepy ocean I can see some of the flaws people mentioned with Island of Whispers (like feeling so quick and surface). Or maybe my brain was just fried from reading 75 pages of Crusades primary source and tabling for 2 hours, unsure.

[Ra29 · Rating 4 out of 5]

В доробку Френсіс Хардінг є два романи , які не є пригодницькими, а радше філософськими притчами. Цей і Island of Whispers. Вони чудово ілюстровані, вони невеликі за розміром, вони обидва зберігають відбиток надзвичайної і неповторної авторської фантазії...
Але, як би це сказати... Вони підкреслено неемоційно написані, але покликані розбудити в читачеві сильні емоції. і при цьому вони надзвичайно ідейно прості.

Ліс Тисячі Очей - це така коротенька притча, переповідати сюжет якої немає жодного сенсу. він простий як 5 копійок і там дуже важко ненаспойлерити.

це майстерно написана книга. я просто не зовсім розумію для якого вона читача. для підлітка - надто коротка і схематична. для дорослого - занадто проста. Острів Шепоту хоча б торкався теми смерті, тому така форма мала своє виправдання . тут кілька десятків сторінок написано, аби розповісти очевидну історію.

в цілому, оцінка за майстерність авторки і чудові ілюстрації.

а я сподіваюся, що наступний роман моєї улюбленої авторки буде пригодницьким.

[Lucija]

Read with my boyfriend, cute book and cute experience <3

[Bookish Coffee UK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very original (to anything I've ever read) I enjoyed it..

[Amy Dance · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun little adventure, only 128 pages. a nice break between longer or heavier books. Growing up in an isolated community where the encroaching forest is a constant threat, Feather meets a stranger. After he tricks her & runs off with their community's most valuable possession, she follows him, determined to retrieve what he stole. Audio

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved reading this in elementary and middle school. It has the bones of a classic children's adventure story, with unique details, like the scaled ferrets and the differences between each of the communities along the Wall, for readers' imagination to grab on to and run with. The lessons and resources Feather returns with put me in mind of the Chronicles of Prydain.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story, published last year in the UK, is now being published in the US. I love the YA books from Frances Hardinge that I’ve read over the years. I found that the audiobook version of this middle grade story fell flat for me. I probably would have enjoyed it more as a physical book, especially with Emily Gravett providing illustrations of Feather’s many adventures.

Thanks to Abrams and Libro.fm for the complimentary audiobook file.