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The Waking Forest
Pan's Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.
The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She's desperate to know more--until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.
The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea's and the Witch's paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?
The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She's desperate to know more--until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.
The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea's and the Witch's paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?
294 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2019
121 people are currently reading
8847 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Wees
3 books321 followersAlyssa Wees's is the author of The Waking Forest, Nocturne, and We Shall Be Monsters. She lives and writes in the Chicagoland area. To learn more about Alyssa and her writing, go to her website alyssawees.com, and follow @alyssa_wees on Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
January 18, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Let’s start with the Witch in the Woods.”
This is going to be such a hard book for me to review. Mostly because this debut novel has some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read. I was so positive that I was going to five star this leading up to the half way point, but I feel like things just started to fall apart and the story got harder and harder to follow. So, even though I’m not giving this the highest of star ratings, I still am really impressed by the author’s craft and I can’t wait to see what they do next because their prose was seriously nothing short of magical.
The Waking Forest is a story that is telling two very different tales with alternating chapters. One is a girl in our world, living in a beach house with her family, and she has suffered from nightmare like dreams her entire life. The second is a witch in the magical woods, who grants children wishes with her heart, and she is being told a story by a very different kind of fox. These tales simultaneously go on and weave together that is actually really beautiful.
“What if I told you that there’s a boy in the attic? And he seems to know me even though I don’t know him? And I don’t know where he came from or how he got there?”
➽ Rhea - The sleepwalker, who keeps experiencing these nightmares, and is finding herself more and more close to understanding who the boy of shadows in the attic is, who only she can see.
➽ The Forest Witch - The granter of wishes to different children who visit her each night, but her newest visitor is a fox that is unlike the rest who live in her forest.
“…after my encounter with the Darkness, that if we have secrets, they aren’t juicy at all. I think, more likely, our secrets are bloody.”
Sadly, it is when the tales come together that the story started falling apart for me. I feel like the author has so many amazing concepts, and she was weaving them separately almost perfectly. It is when they came together that I started to get so confused and so uninvested. Like, I take really extensive notes while reading and this story was so damn hard to keep straight. And I felt like my beautiful lucid dream while reading the first half, turned quickly into my own personal nightmare.
But another thing I did really like about this story is that it mentions, on page, many times about living with anxiety and how much it will and can impact your life. A couple of the characters bring it up many times, and really show how you can live a normal and happy life with your anxiety, even if at times it feels like it is something that is constantly holding you back. And as someone who lives with anxiety, it was just something that I really appreciated.
Overall, I really loved the first half of this book, and I am still completely and utterly blown away by the beautiful prose. And I know I’ve talked about the writing in this review a lot, but the atmosphere is actually perfect, too. The descriptions in this book were always equal parts frightening and beautiful and I had goosebumps while reading many passages. And you all know I have a very special place in my heart for stories about entering people’s dreams. And even though I lost interest with the last half of this book, I am still so impressed with the writing quality, and the way that Alyssa Wees wove her words together, that I can’t wait to see what they do next.
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Content and trigger warnings for a tiny bit of physical abuse, torture (branding), captivity, slavery, loss of a loved one, scenes with spiders, and blood depiction.
Buddy read with Julie from Pages and Pens! ❤
May 10, 2019
I can think of nothing more terrifying than a dream like this, which is only in your heart and cannot hurt you, until it suddenly reaches out and touches you.
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March 31, 2023
Rhea is the only person in her family who can see the forest that sometimes appears behind their home. Whenever she tries to touch it, it vanishes. But for the Witch, this forest is her home. She sits atop her throne, granting wishes to children who find her in their dreams. But one night she’s visited by a mysterious stranger who reappears every night. And Rhea notices that something isn’t quite right at home. As their paths begin to collide, unthinkable truths emerge and threaten their survival.
This was not an enjoyable read, and I’m going to get right into why. First, this is a work of fantasy, but it’s not situated at all in time or place. Rhea’s chapters begin and it’s hard to tell if it’s fantasy, nineteenth century, or modern, until some modern technology is mentioned as an aside well into the first portion of the work. There’s also no real plot in section one (which, as an aside, is over half the book). It’s mainly just a setup and build into the big reveal of the next section, which was as about as predictable as a fantasy work of this type could be. The antagonist wasn’t given enough page time to be compelling, the characters weren’t compelling, and the world was not compelling.
The writing in this work was painful. It made me literally roll my eyes and sigh with almost every page turn. The style started off lyrical and poetic, and I honestly quite enjoyed it. But then the poetic descriptions kept coming for EVERYTHING. How about this phrase: “popped pustules of stars”? The descriptions became so absurd and weren’t meaningful at all. I wish I had counted how many similes/metaphors/analogies were present on each page, because it was an unbelievable amount. I think if you edited out the similes and metaphors this book would have only been about a third of the length. The author repeatedly relied on the same sorts of writing without varying it – for example, instead of saying something along the lines, “She felt her spirits soaring high,” the author wrote, “Her spirits soared like a bird, high, higher, highest.” That repetition of the adjective happened often. Why use one adjective when you can use five? And then, on top of all this lyrical, extraneous, metaphorical writing, the author would go in the complete opposite direction and use words like “mom” and “dad,” which is jarring.
The only thing I liked about this YA book was its cover. This was unfortunately a huge miss for me and I can’t recommend it to anyone. There are a decent number of reviewers who did enjoy it though, so it could be worth checking out some of their review if you’re interested in it. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me a review copy of this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was not an enjoyable read, and I’m going to get right into why. First, this is a work of fantasy, but it’s not situated at all in time or place. Rhea’s chapters begin and it’s hard to tell if it’s fantasy, nineteenth century, or modern, until some modern technology is mentioned as an aside well into the first portion of the work. There’s also no real plot in section one (which, as an aside, is over half the book). It’s mainly just a setup and build into the big reveal of the next section, which was as about as predictable as a fantasy work of this type could be. The antagonist wasn’t given enough page time to be compelling, the characters weren’t compelling, and the world was not compelling.
The writing in this work was painful. It made me literally roll my eyes and sigh with almost every page turn. The style started off lyrical and poetic, and I honestly quite enjoyed it. But then the poetic descriptions kept coming for EVERYTHING. How about this phrase: “popped pustules of stars”? The descriptions became so absurd and weren’t meaningful at all. I wish I had counted how many similes/metaphors/analogies were present on each page, because it was an unbelievable amount. I think if you edited out the similes and metaphors this book would have only been about a third of the length. The author repeatedly relied on the same sorts of writing without varying it – for example, instead of saying something along the lines, “She felt her spirits soaring high,” the author wrote, “Her spirits soared like a bird, high, higher, highest.” That repetition of the adjective happened often. Why use one adjective when you can use five? And then, on top of all this lyrical, extraneous, metaphorical writing, the author would go in the complete opposite direction and use words like “mom” and “dad,” which is jarring.
The only thing I liked about this YA book was its cover. This was unfortunately a huge miss for me and I can’t recommend it to anyone. There are a decent number of reviewers who did enjoy it though, so it could be worth checking out some of their review if you’re interested in it. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me a review copy of this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 29, 2024
3⭐
Genre ~ YA fantasy
Setting ~ not sure
Publication date ~ book ~ March 12, 2019, audio ~ March 28, 2023
Est Page Count ~ 298 (25 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 22 minutes
Narrator ~ Katelyn Levering
POV ~ dual 1st and 3rd
Featuring ~debut, alternating chapters, 2 parts, slow moving
In the Dark we have Rhea who has nightmares that seems so real. She's trying to figure why a boy in the shadows is coming to her and what he wants.
In the Woods is The Witch who grants wishes to young children.
Overall, I don't really read fantasy or witch books, but it was a hoopla bonus borrow so I gave it a whirl. I found it to be alright, but didn't wow me. I did like the support system that Rhea had from her family. I do think it would appeal to the YA audience that enjoys fantasy witch books.
Side note ~ love the eeriness of the cover!
Narration notes:
She did fine.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ YA fantasy
Setting ~ not sure
Publication date ~ book ~ March 12, 2019, audio ~ March 28, 2023
Est Page Count ~ 298 (25 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 22 minutes
Narrator ~ Katelyn Levering
POV ~ dual 1st and 3rd
Featuring ~debut, alternating chapters, 2 parts, slow moving
In the Dark we have Rhea who has nightmares that seems so real. She's trying to figure why a boy in the shadows is coming to her and what he wants.
In the Woods is The Witch who grants wishes to young children.
Overall, I don't really read fantasy or witch books, but it was a hoopla bonus borrow so I gave it a whirl. I found it to be alright, but didn't wow me. I did like the support system that Rhea had from her family. I do think it would appeal to the YA audience that enjoys fantasy witch books.
Side note ~ love the eeriness of the cover!
Narration notes:
She did fine.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
December 16, 2024
╭ ✦ •
│
│ ⊹ 𝟸.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
To be completely honest, I found myself thoroughly disappointed with this book, despite its stunning cover and intriguing premise. I so badly wanted to like this story but I couldn't finish this book. As I immersed myself in the pages, I struggled to make sense of the narrative. Just as I thought I grasped the premise, it would abruptly veer in an unexpected direction, leaving me utterly confused. And with having received an audiobook version via NetGalley, it was even harder to visualize what was happening.
The Waking Forest did not resonate with me. The main issue I encountered was the overwhelming abundance of simultaneous events, none of which were adequately explored or detailed. This lack of depth proved underwhelming and hindered myreading listening experience. Its intricate plot was confusing, making it difficult to discern between the realms and comprehend the unfolding events. Also, I did not like the main character, she felt underdeveloped, lacking both substance and a distinctive personality.
While I did enjoy the glimpses into the witch's forest, even those aspects felt underdeveloped, which made me not want to continue. It was just way too chaotic feeling for me.
_________________________________
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│
│ ⊹ 𝟸.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
To be completely honest, I found myself thoroughly disappointed with this book, despite its stunning cover and intriguing premise. I so badly wanted to like this story but I couldn't finish this book. As I immersed myself in the pages, I struggled to make sense of the narrative. Just as I thought I grasped the premise, it would abruptly veer in an unexpected direction, leaving me utterly confused. And with having received an audiobook version via NetGalley, it was even harder to visualize what was happening.
The Waking Forest did not resonate with me. The main issue I encountered was the overwhelming abundance of simultaneous events, none of which were adequately explored or detailed. This lack of depth proved underwhelming and hindered my
While I did enjoy the glimpses into the witch's forest, even those aspects felt underdeveloped, which made me not want to continue. It was just way too chaotic feeling for me.
_________________________________
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January 17, 2019
I wanted to like this. I tried to like it. But it was truly not for me. I’m sure some people would like this, but the writing did not work for me at all. Why?
Because this book is a poster child for purple prose.
◆The children were still hours away from arriving, and the first stars were just yawning awake, shaking themselves from dreams of glitter and dancing and dizziness.
◆ Spider-bite midnight: an infected emerald sky strung with clumps of silk-woven stars, a cobweb moon.
◆ The web of the moon had sagged under the weight of a captured comet, a squirming skein of fire hissing like a fly in a snaggle of shimmering strings. The envy-green venom fading, like a bruise almost healed.
The plot felt terribly slow-paced with most of the action happening in the last third of the book and overall things were quite predictable.
Overall Verdict: A dull and predictable dream
I received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Detailed review to come?*
Because this book is a poster child for purple prose.
◆
◆ Spider-bite midnight: an infected emerald sky strung with clumps of silk-woven stars, a cobweb moon.
◆ The web of the moon had sagged under the weight of a captured comet, a squirming skein of fire hissing like a fly in a snaggle of shimmering strings. The envy-green venom fading, like a bruise almost healed.
The plot felt terribly slow-paced with most of the action happening in the last third of the book and overall things were quite predictable.
Overall Verdict: A dull and predictable dream
I received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Detailed review to come?*
March 28, 2019
"If Beauty is banished from darkness, then I am the ugliest thing here."
The Waking Forest is a different sort of novel than many I come across in the YA category and it will not be for everyone, but several reviewers have already said if you love films by director Guillermo Del Toro, then you will likely enjoy this book. It's exactly the kind of story he'd pick up to direct.
I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this novel, but I tried not to read any reviews prior to reading the novel, so I wouldn't have my opinion swayed in any way and I really can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Alyssa Wees is a master of words, the writing is stunning. Her descriptions are rich and full of life. The Waking Forest goes back and forth between two young girls and two completely different worlds. Rhea, is from our world and lives with her sisters and parents in a quiet little beach house. The family is seen as odd by outsiders, so they mostly keep to themselves. Rhea has nightmares/visions that have haunted her since she was a child and the lines between reality and dreaming seem to be blurring more and more.
Then we have the Witch of the Woods, she is the granter of children's wishes and a fox has shown up to tell her a story. Rhea and the Witch's stories are told side by side and slowly start to come together and reveal an amazing connection.
I grew up on fairytales, especially the Fairy Books that were put together by Andrew Lang, so I really almost feel nostalgic when I come across a slower paced novel that has some of those elements that I adored so much as a child (and an adult!). The perspective of The Witch in the Woods gave me all those warm feelings in spades. It's just so lovely. I did find the first chapter of this novel confusing, really confusing. The author went into the realm of purple prose a little too hard and lost some context because of the flowery writing - this does happen in a few other places, but I didn't find it particularly hard to understand once it the story got moving.
I really appreciate that at the heart of this story, it's about family. There are caring and loving parents present and the relationship between the sisters was magical. Yes, they didn't always get along but you knew how much they all meant to each other. I love books with strong sibling relationships that don't focus heavily on romance, so I was pleasantly surprised at finding those qualities in this book. Something else that I thought was done really well was the depiction of anxiety. It felt very authentic and wasn't glossed over or cured overnight. I'm so happy we are seeing more and more realistic mental health inclusion. Oh, and I can't forget Gabriel, she's a little fox! If you put a little fox, wolf or even a dog in your story and no harm comes to them - I'm pretty much going to love it. I can't not! It's a freaking fox! Why don't I have one!
I will say that once the stories do merge, there is a bit of a rough start at the connections but overall I thought it worked pretty well. A few things could have been developed a little more, but I was ultimately satisfied with how it all ended. I really appreciate a stand-alone fantasy because even though we are getting more lately - it's still a rare occurrence overall and I don't always feel like making a commitment of six books when I start something.
Overall, I can't recommend this book to everyone. If you love lyrical, beautiful writing with a slow burn or old fairy tales then I think this book is worth checking out. It's worth having for the cover alone - I mean look at that! It's a thing of beauty! The Waking Forest unfolds slowly but still has a lasting impact. I'll certainly be checking out the author's future works.
Thank you to Delacorte for the physical arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Waking Forest is a different sort of novel than many I come across in the YA category and it will not be for everyone, but several reviewers have already said if you love films by director Guillermo Del Toro, then you will likely enjoy this book. It's exactly the kind of story he'd pick up to direct.
I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this novel, but I tried not to read any reviews prior to reading the novel, so I wouldn't have my opinion swayed in any way and I really can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Alyssa Wees is a master of words, the writing is stunning. Her descriptions are rich and full of life. The Waking Forest goes back and forth between two young girls and two completely different worlds. Rhea, is from our world and lives with her sisters and parents in a quiet little beach house. The family is seen as odd by outsiders, so they mostly keep to themselves. Rhea has nightmares/visions that have haunted her since she was a child and the lines between reality and dreaming seem to be blurring more and more.
Then we have the Witch of the Woods, she is the granter of children's wishes and a fox has shown up to tell her a story. Rhea and the Witch's stories are told side by side and slowly start to come together and reveal an amazing connection.
I grew up on fairytales, especially the Fairy Books that were put together by Andrew Lang, so I really almost feel nostalgic when I come across a slower paced novel that has some of those elements that I adored so much as a child (and an adult!). The perspective of The Witch in the Woods gave me all those warm feelings in spades. It's just so lovely. I did find the first chapter of this novel confusing, really confusing. The author went into the realm of purple prose a little too hard and lost some context because of the flowery writing - this does happen in a few other places, but I didn't find it particularly hard to understand once it the story got moving.
I really appreciate that at the heart of this story, it's about family. There are caring and loving parents present and the relationship between the sisters was magical. Yes, they didn't always get along but you knew how much they all meant to each other. I love books with strong sibling relationships that don't focus heavily on romance, so I was pleasantly surprised at finding those qualities in this book. Something else that I thought was done really well was the depiction of anxiety. It felt very authentic and wasn't glossed over or cured overnight. I'm so happy we are seeing more and more realistic mental health inclusion. Oh, and I can't forget Gabriel, she's a little fox! If you put a little fox, wolf or even a dog in your story and no harm comes to them - I'm pretty much going to love it. I can't not! It's a freaking fox! Why don't I have one!
I will say that once the stories do merge, there is a bit of a rough start at the connections but overall I thought it worked pretty well. A few things could have been developed a little more, but I was ultimately satisfied with how it all ended. I really appreciate a stand-alone fantasy because even though we are getting more lately - it's still a rare occurrence overall and I don't always feel like making a commitment of six books when I start something.
Overall, I can't recommend this book to everyone. If you love lyrical, beautiful writing with a slow burn or old fairy tales then I think this book is worth checking out. It's worth having for the cover alone - I mean look at that! It's a thing of beauty! The Waking Forest unfolds slowly but still has a lasting impact. I'll certainly be checking out the author's future works.
Thank you to Delacorte for the physical arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 22, 2019
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review!
The Waking Forest is an impressive young adult fantasy debut by Alyssa Wees.
From the description:
"The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes."
So this book really had a lot of potential, but the literal amount of over the top prose kind of ruined the pacing and content for me. To be sure, this was still a great read, but my speed reading tendencies didn't mix with the amount of time it took to digest a lot of the passages.
Rhea and her family of R named sisters have a great relationship, and I thought that was a nice change from the typical fantasy novels where one or both parents are either dead, gone, abusive, or what not else. The anxiety and ptsd support system the family had built among themselves might be encouraging to some young readers as well.
I did like the witch's story more than Rhea's. I can't so much relate to a happy family but the witch was super interesting. So was the boy made of darkness, there are definitely a few gems here. Once the stories intertwined in the second half of the book, it got a little more confusing. I did like the second half more as a whole though as it read more like a typical fantasy read, and I was able to read it a little faster.
I think those that like dark, brooding, slow moving traditional type fairy tales could enjoy this book a lot. It won't be for everyone.
The Waking Forest is an impressive young adult fantasy debut by Alyssa Wees.
From the description:
"The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes."
So this book really had a lot of potential, but the literal amount of over the top prose kind of ruined the pacing and content for me. To be sure, this was still a great read, but my speed reading tendencies didn't mix with the amount of time it took to digest a lot of the passages.
Rhea and her family of R named sisters have a great relationship, and I thought that was a nice change from the typical fantasy novels where one or both parents are either dead, gone, abusive, or what not else. The anxiety and ptsd support system the family had built among themselves might be encouraging to some young readers as well.
I did like the witch's story more than Rhea's. I can't so much relate to a happy family but the witch was super interesting. So was the boy made of darkness, there are definitely a few gems here. Once the stories intertwined in the second half of the book, it got a little more confusing. I did like the second half more as a whole though as it read more like a typical fantasy read, and I was able to read it a little faster.
I think those that like dark, brooding, slow moving traditional type fairy tales could enjoy this book a lot. It won't be for everyone.
December 22, 2019
The Waking Forest is a paper matryoshka. It's made of stories inside of stories, interlocked, the lines between them blurred until you can't tell which side is before and which side is after. It's a book about mysterious witches, curses whispered in the dark, and the power of wishes.
Sounds like an interesting concept, right? It was. The execution, sadly, wasn't at all.
The first half didn't deserve two stars. It was a story about a witch and a haunted girl, it was interesting to read and beautiful and intricate the way this book promised to be. It had its own flaws - the writing was pretty, that's true, but this book often felt overwritten, a clumsy attempt at elegant prose - but it was what I wanted to read. I would have given it a solid three stars, even though I found the resolution of the story-inside-a-story part predictable.
But the actual problem? That aspect gets resolved 60% into the book. After that, The Waking Forest isn't a story about a witch and her pet foxes or about a girl whose family is disappearing in increasingly disturbing ways. No, it becomes an extremely cliché YA fantasy story about a who needs to .
I didn't sign up for this. I wanted to read about a witch, a creepy forest, and tales nestled inside other tales. I could have forgiven that if the second half had had any interesting elements in it, but it didn't - it was one of the most uninspired things I've read in a long while. How many times have I read a story in my life? Right now, I can list at least twelve YA books published in the last four years that did this, and all of them were better at it than this book.
Everything I liked about The Waking Forest was lost in part two. The witch-y aspect, the foxes, the atmosphere - which during the first half was a dreamlike kind of creepy, beautiful in its own way - they weren't there anymore, and I ended up skimming most of the ending.
I guess I just need to remind myself to never trust YA fantasy, no matter how good the premise sounds.
Sounds like an interesting concept, right? It was. The execution, sadly, wasn't at all.
The first half didn't deserve two stars. It was a story about a witch and a haunted girl, it was interesting to read and beautiful and intricate the way this book promised to be. It had its own flaws - the writing was pretty, that's true, but this book often felt overwritten, a clumsy attempt at elegant prose - but it was what I wanted to read. I would have given it a solid three stars, even though I found the resolution of the story-inside-a-story part predictable.
But the actual problem? That aspect gets resolved 60% into the book. After that, The Waking Forest isn't a story about a witch and her pet foxes or about a girl whose family is disappearing in increasingly disturbing ways. No, it becomes an extremely cliché YA fantasy story about a who needs to .
I didn't sign up for this. I wanted to read about a witch, a creepy forest, and tales nestled inside other tales. I could have forgiven that if the second half had had any interesting elements in it, but it didn't - it was one of the most uninspired things I've read in a long while. How many times have I read a story in my life? Right now, I can list at least twelve YA books published in the last four years that did this, and all of them were better at it than this book.
Everything I liked about The Waking Forest was lost in part two. The witch-y aspect, the foxes, the atmosphere - which during the first half was a dreamlike kind of creepy, beautiful in its own way - they weren't there anymore, and I ended up skimming most of the ending.
I guess I just need to remind myself to never trust YA fantasy, no matter how good the premise sounds.
March 12, 2019
The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees is a young adult fantasy. The chapters in this story alternate back and forth between different characters and situations giving it almost the feel of reading two different books at once.
One side of this book features a young girl named Rhea who lives with her parents and sisters and has battled having nightmares whether sleeping or awake. The other side of the story centers around the witch in the woods that grants wishes to those that come find her.
The first half if not three quarters of this one is slow paced with a almost poetic style of writing to the story telling with more action beginning and picking up pace towards the end. As weird as this may sound to those that know me and how I feel about a slow pace I actually think the first half of this one was easier to understand and follow along which made me enjoy it more than the end. With the flowery writing and a certain weirdness to the fantasy this one was just so-so to me in the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
One side of this book features a young girl named Rhea who lives with her parents and sisters and has battled having nightmares whether sleeping or awake. The other side of the story centers around the witch in the woods that grants wishes to those that come find her.
The first half if not three quarters of this one is slow paced with a almost poetic style of writing to the story telling with more action beginning and picking up pace towards the end. As weird as this may sound to those that know me and how I feel about a slow pace I actually think the first half of this one was easier to understand and follow along which made me enjoy it more than the end. With the flowery writing and a certain weirdness to the fantasy this one was just so-so to me in the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 18, 2019
The Waking Forest is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Kind of. It’s creepy, melancholy, atmospheric, and I loved every page.
There are two stories in this book. In the first, eighteen-year-old Rhea Ravenna lives in a small town with her mom, dad, four sisters, and Gabrielle, her pet fox (!). Rhea is plagued by visions and nightmares – she sees a dark and menacing forest in their backyard, even though there’s nothing there, and she sees images of death in the attic. The nightmares are getting worse, and now Rhea is sleepwalking – her nightmares are drawing her upstairs to the attic. Desperate for the nightmares to stop, Rhea begins sleeping in the attic, where she begins to see a shadowy young man, who comes to her every night (and possibly watches her sleep, a la Edward Cullen). She can’t see his face, but he is familiar to her, somehow. And he wants to play a game – if Rhea can guess his name, he will break her “curse” (his word!) and free her from her nightmares and visions. But instead of breaking her curse, Rhea’s nightmare deepens: every day, one of her family members disappears, and no one remembers them ever having existed at all. What is a dream, and what is reality?
The second story is that of the Witch, who lives in the forest. She sits upon a throne shaped like a tooth, surrounded by foxes, and grants wishes to the children who visit her in their dreams each night. Her alter is made of scabs, baby teeth, and shadows: gifts from the children in exchange for granting their wishes. Now, the Witch has a new visitor: a young man who is sometimes a fox: the Fox Who Is No Fox. Each night, this young man tells the Witch a story about a magical world with manticores, nymphs, sphinxes, and humans who must hide their magic. The Witch is enchanted by his story.
At first, the alternating chapters about Rhea and the Witch seem completely separate, but the two storylines merge halfway through the book. The story shifts entirely; it’s a bit jarring because the shift is so sudden, and it took me a few chapters to adapt. I felt like the transition could have been a lot better; as is, it’s uncomfortable for the reader.
But I loved this book. This story is nightmarish and haunting, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
The Waking Forest is noticeably inspired by Strange the Dreamer, so if you’re like me, and need something really good to read after finishing Muse of Nightmares, you will love this book: it has magic that shapes dreams, blood or spirit that is filled with magic and can be extracted, and the characters have two hearts. Like Laini Taylor’s books, The Waking Forest celebrates the power of storytelling and the magic of dreams.
Alyssa Wees’ writing is just gorgeous. The imagery is lush and vivid; it’s delicious to read. This book is absolutely perfect for a dark and stormy night. It begs you to curl up with a mug of tea and read it in one sitting.
Release date March 12, 2019, available for pre-order now!
ARC provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Come to my blog!
There are two stories in this book. In the first, eighteen-year-old Rhea Ravenna lives in a small town with her mom, dad, four sisters, and Gabrielle, her pet fox (!). Rhea is plagued by visions and nightmares – she sees a dark and menacing forest in their backyard, even though there’s nothing there, and she sees images of death in the attic. The nightmares are getting worse, and now Rhea is sleepwalking – her nightmares are drawing her upstairs to the attic. Desperate for the nightmares to stop, Rhea begins sleeping in the attic, where she begins to see a shadowy young man, who comes to her every night (and possibly watches her sleep, a la Edward Cullen). She can’t see his face, but he is familiar to her, somehow. And he wants to play a game – if Rhea can guess his name, he will break her “curse” (his word!) and free her from her nightmares and visions. But instead of breaking her curse, Rhea’s nightmare deepens: every day, one of her family members disappears, and no one remembers them ever having existed at all. What is a dream, and what is reality?
It should not be this easy for people to vanish. Disappearing should be difficult, rough and bloody. They should have to claw, tear, rip their way out, enduring some of the torment felt by the person left behind. There should be firecrackers bursting in their eyes; and stars snagging in their skin; and lighting bolts tangling in their hair, thrust under their fingernails. Explosions, abrasions, shudders, and shouts. Disappearing forever should not just be the quick and quiet opening and closing of a door.
The second story is that of the Witch, who lives in the forest. She sits upon a throne shaped like a tooth, surrounded by foxes, and grants wishes to the children who visit her in their dreams each night. Her alter is made of scabs, baby teeth, and shadows: gifts from the children in exchange for granting their wishes. Now, the Witch has a new visitor: a young man who is sometimes a fox: the Fox Who Is No Fox. Each night, this young man tells the Witch a story about a magical world with manticores, nymphs, sphinxes, and humans who must hide their magic. The Witch is enchanted by his story.
All right. I’ll tell you. But be warned: fairy story is a misnomer. There aren’t any fairies in it, you see, but there is a princess, and a curse, and a king, and a prince, and a future queen, and a gray gorgon, and a nymph, and a bright girl with bright magic. There are foxes and sphinxes and manticores. There is darkness and sleeping and magic and light, lots of light. there’s an attic and a castle and screams that put together what has been torn apart. There’s foolishness and laughter and love. Speaking of love – there’s also a boy, a great necromancer. He has many names, some of which are long forgotten, and others that no one will ever dare to forget. Oh – and there’s a witch. Still want to hear my tale, a fairy story that is no fairy story at all?
At first, the alternating chapters about Rhea and the Witch seem completely separate, but the two storylines merge halfway through the book. The story shifts entirely; it’s a bit jarring because the shift is so sudden, and it took me a few chapters to adapt. I felt like the transition could have been a lot better; as is, it’s uncomfortable for the reader.
But I loved this book. This story is nightmarish and haunting, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
The Waking Forest is noticeably inspired by Strange the Dreamer, so if you’re like me, and need something really good to read after finishing Muse of Nightmares, you will love this book: it has magic that shapes dreams, blood or spirit that is filled with magic and can be extracted, and the characters have two hearts. Like Laini Taylor’s books, The Waking Forest celebrates the power of storytelling and the magic of dreams.
Alyssa Wees’ writing is just gorgeous. The imagery is lush and vivid; it’s delicious to read. This book is absolutely perfect for a dark and stormy night. It begs you to curl up with a mug of tea and read it in one sitting.
Release date March 12, 2019, available for pre-order now!
ARC provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Come to my blog!
April 5, 2019
This book was high on my list of 2019 reads. It is well written, but it's a confusing mess. There is a story within a story but the plot lacks direction and meaning. The characters are shallow, flat and unappealing. There are atmospheric details which do a great job of setting the scene but add no detail to the evolution of the story bordering purple prose. Quite disappointed and still very confused. I can't figure out what the point was and I'm going to stop thinking about it because my head hurts.
Read
November 19, 2017if this ain't good and gay I will be severely disappointed
dnf
October 19, 2018 I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley for a fair review
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February 14, 2019
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
While this book sounded amazing, the purple prose was a nightmare to get through.
The thing is, I'm not even that bad at dealing with purple prose - I read bodice rippers, for God's sake! But the number of atrocities I was subjected to within THE FIRST 2% was too much to bear.
EXAMPLES OF SAID ATROCITIES
Erm... alright.
Okay, the second half of that sentence is just about bearable. But WTF does the cream bit mean?! It just made me think of creme brulee. And then I got hungry.
THERE'S ONE SENTENCE THAT'S 73 WORDS LONG. But I can't be bothered to type it out, so you'll have to take my word for it that it's there, and it's long, and it's hard to get through.
Basically this book was just unnecessarily hard to get through. There were crazy amounts of description that bogged down the narrative, so badly that in about 20 pages literally one thing happened. BECAUSE THE AUTHOR WAS TOO BUSY DESCRIBING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK. Sorry but I'm out.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
While this book sounded amazing, the purple prose was a nightmare to get through.
The thing is, I'm not even that bad at dealing with purple prose - I read bodice rippers, for God's sake! But the number of atrocities I was subjected to within THE FIRST 2% was too much to bear.
EXAMPLES OF SAID ATROCITIES
The Witch smiled, her maw growing wider, so no one would ever guess how her atoms were held together by an unheard howl.
Erm... alright.
... her voice was cream burnt at the edges, unspooling from her long dark throat like twisted obsidian silk.
Okay, the second half of that sentence is just about bearable. But WTF does the cream bit mean?! It just made me think of creme brulee. And then I got hungry.
THERE'S ONE SENTENCE THAT'S 73 WORDS LONG. But I can't be bothered to type it out, so you'll have to take my word for it that it's there, and it's long, and it's hard to get through.
Basically this book was just unnecessarily hard to get through. There were crazy amounts of description that bogged down the narrative, so badly that in about 20 pages literally one thing happened. BECAUSE THE AUTHOR WAS TOO BUSY DESCRIBING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK. Sorry but I'm out.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
June 27, 2020
I so badly wanted to like this story. But what I felt while reading was that this story doesn't has a clear direction for an ending.
The whole plot didn't make any sense.
Just some words and thoughts put together in a formation of a story where nothing interesting things happen.
The whole plot didn't make any sense.
Just some words and thoughts put together in a formation of a story where nothing interesting things happen.
November 21, 2018
Qué libro más hermoso y flashero.
La atmósfera es un diez, la narración me pone los pelos de punta de tan asdhlsfkdsdf bella.
Es como si Inception fuera un cuento de hadas. Amé.
La atmósfera es un diez, la narración me pone los pelos de punta de tan asdhlsfkdsdf bella.
Es como si Inception fuera un cuento de hadas. Amé.
March 7, 2019
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
You can find this review and others like it on the blog here:
http://vicariouslyvoraciously.com/rev...
It took me until about 60% of this book to finally just sit back and read it for enjoyment rather than trying to understand what it was exactly that I was reading. The Waking Forest is written in a poetic way, with descriptions that are above and beyond, and metaphors and similes galore. You don't simply just read this book, you actually experience it. It is almost a mental head trip through a magical forest, and a ghostly attic. I had to finally just drop the reins and let the book take me where it would because trying to understand every little detail will drive you insane. I didn't hate it, but at the same time I didn't love it either because of the fact that I was trying to so hard in the beginning to solve the mystery and catch any little nuance that would give me a clue as to what it all meant. But that only lead me to more confusion and it wasn't until I finally just said, oh well lets just read this for the mystery it is, that I was finally able to just enjoy the words on the page. Its not your typical story with a clear this is the beginning, middle, and end. You jump around a lot from one world to another and learn of all sorts of events that happen in the between. But somehow they all do manage to come together in the end.
The Waking Forest is two different stories in one. Told from alternating chapters, one story is of a girl named Rhea who lives with her family in a beach house and suffers from nightmares regardless if she is asleep or awake. Doctors and her parents have summed it up to stress and anxiety, but when one especially vivid nightmare leads Rhea to think that sleeping in the attic will solve her sleepwalking problem she discovers a whole new side to her condition. In the dark of the attic, Rhea is confronted by a boy who is made of the dark, who cannot be seen in the light. He tells her that if she can remember his name, then he will cure her. The other story in The Waking Forest is of the Witch in the Woods who waits for children to come to her in their dreams and ask for a wish. The Witch lives only to grant others wishes and has none of her own, until one day a brother and sister who are much older than any other children who have ever come to her before, arrive and disrupt her happy little life of bliss and dancing and wishes. When the brother and sister leave, the boy asks the Witch what her wish is. Not having ever been asked this she says she has no wish, only to give wishes to children who come to her. But when the boy shows up again another night disguised as a fox, the Witch begins to realize she is living a lie and maybe she does have a wish of her own.
The atmosphere in this book was very eerie and not quite magical, but mystical would be the better word to describe it. The characters seem unreliable in the sense that none of them really knows whats going on, and therefore as a reader neither do you. I kept waiting for a clue to fall into place as to what the woods are behind the beach house, or if the witch is real or a myth, and who is the boy in the attic!?? But the further into the book you go, the more questions seem to pop up. The beach house where Rhea and her many other R named sisters run around is easy to imagine with the garden in the backyard, and a house full of girls. And the woods where the Witch resides is such a creepy yet simple life with her foxes and castle made of teeth and bones. I had no problem visualizing this story especially with all of the rich descriptions. And with a very distinct, haunting atmosphere there is no question how you are to picture the setting.
The setting is also set more towards current times in the real world setting where Rhea lives. There are cell phones and cars and all the technology we use today in our lives. So its refreshing when some of the main characters are shown in a less than perfect light. Rhea like I mentioned above, is a victim of extreme anxiety. Her nightmares and sleep walking don't help in this respect but she has a great home support system with a family that looks out for her and helps her to realize she will get through it even though at the time it can seem like the end of the world. Anxiety is a real problem for some people and its good to have this representation in a book so people can know they are not alone in their struggle and they too will get through this. Also towards the end we realize that Rhea isn't the only one struggling. And guess who steps up to the plate to help, Rhea.
I don't know that I would highly recommend this book to many people just because I did struggle with the flow of the plot and the writing a little bit. I am a huge fan of creative writing and poetic phrases, but in the end I still want to understand what I'm reading and feel less like I'm trying to decipher a hidden clue in a Dr. Seuss book. Some people might fall in love with this book though for all the same reasons it just wasn't for me. While the writing bothered me, it was still good writing. And the author has a very distinct way of describing everything with life and emotion tied into each and every description. I'm sure that this was a huge labor of love on her part and for that I can't hate it. But for me, I would like that effort to be applied into other areas of the book such as the plot and the characters. I like to feel like I'm not reading but a part of the story myself and I couldn't get into The Waking Forest like I wanted to because I was constantly rereading entire paragraphs thinking, "What did I just read?" and because of this my reading flow was constantly interrupted. Its a great story but the reading experience that goes along with it takes some getting used to. If you do decide to read this, I hope you love it and enjoy the ride!
You can find this review and others like it on the blog here:
http://vicariouslyvoraciously.com/rev...
It took me until about 60% of this book to finally just sit back and read it for enjoyment rather than trying to understand what it was exactly that I was reading. The Waking Forest is written in a poetic way, with descriptions that are above and beyond, and metaphors and similes galore. You don't simply just read this book, you actually experience it. It is almost a mental head trip through a magical forest, and a ghostly attic. I had to finally just drop the reins and let the book take me where it would because trying to understand every little detail will drive you insane. I didn't hate it, but at the same time I didn't love it either because of the fact that I was trying to so hard in the beginning to solve the mystery and catch any little nuance that would give me a clue as to what it all meant. But that only lead me to more confusion and it wasn't until I finally just said, oh well lets just read this for the mystery it is, that I was finally able to just enjoy the words on the page. Its not your typical story with a clear this is the beginning, middle, and end. You jump around a lot from one world to another and learn of all sorts of events that happen in the between. But somehow they all do manage to come together in the end.
The Waking Forest is two different stories in one. Told from alternating chapters, one story is of a girl named Rhea who lives with her family in a beach house and suffers from nightmares regardless if she is asleep or awake. Doctors and her parents have summed it up to stress and anxiety, but when one especially vivid nightmare leads Rhea to think that sleeping in the attic will solve her sleepwalking problem she discovers a whole new side to her condition. In the dark of the attic, Rhea is confronted by a boy who is made of the dark, who cannot be seen in the light. He tells her that if she can remember his name, then he will cure her. The other story in The Waking Forest is of the Witch in the Woods who waits for children to come to her in their dreams and ask for a wish. The Witch lives only to grant others wishes and has none of her own, until one day a brother and sister who are much older than any other children who have ever come to her before, arrive and disrupt her happy little life of bliss and dancing and wishes. When the brother and sister leave, the boy asks the Witch what her wish is. Not having ever been asked this she says she has no wish, only to give wishes to children who come to her. But when the boy shows up again another night disguised as a fox, the Witch begins to realize she is living a lie and maybe she does have a wish of her own.
The atmosphere in this book was very eerie and not quite magical, but mystical would be the better word to describe it. The characters seem unreliable in the sense that none of them really knows whats going on, and therefore as a reader neither do you. I kept waiting for a clue to fall into place as to what the woods are behind the beach house, or if the witch is real or a myth, and who is the boy in the attic!?? But the further into the book you go, the more questions seem to pop up. The beach house where Rhea and her many other R named sisters run around is easy to imagine with the garden in the backyard, and a house full of girls. And the woods where the Witch resides is such a creepy yet simple life with her foxes and castle made of teeth and bones. I had no problem visualizing this story especially with all of the rich descriptions. And with a very distinct, haunting atmosphere there is no question how you are to picture the setting.
The setting is also set more towards current times in the real world setting where Rhea lives. There are cell phones and cars and all the technology we use today in our lives. So its refreshing when some of the main characters are shown in a less than perfect light. Rhea like I mentioned above, is a victim of extreme anxiety. Her nightmares and sleep walking don't help in this respect but she has a great home support system with a family that looks out for her and helps her to realize she will get through it even though at the time it can seem like the end of the world. Anxiety is a real problem for some people and its good to have this representation in a book so people can know they are not alone in their struggle and they too will get through this. Also towards the end we realize that Rhea isn't the only one struggling. And guess who steps up to the plate to help, Rhea.
I don't know that I would highly recommend this book to many people just because I did struggle with the flow of the plot and the writing a little bit. I am a huge fan of creative writing and poetic phrases, but in the end I still want to understand what I'm reading and feel less like I'm trying to decipher a hidden clue in a Dr. Seuss book. Some people might fall in love with this book though for all the same reasons it just wasn't for me. While the writing bothered me, it was still good writing. And the author has a very distinct way of describing everything with life and emotion tied into each and every description. I'm sure that this was a huge labor of love on her part and for that I can't hate it. But for me, I would like that effort to be applied into other areas of the book such as the plot and the characters. I like to feel like I'm not reading but a part of the story myself and I couldn't get into The Waking Forest like I wanted to because I was constantly rereading entire paragraphs thinking, "What did I just read?" and because of this my reading flow was constantly interrupted. Its a great story but the reading experience that goes along with it takes some getting used to. If you do decide to read this, I hope you love it and enjoy the ride!
September 7, 2018
Rhea is plagued by visions. Strange, dark visions. She sees her own death, her body bleeding out on the floor. She sees a forest, black tree limbs knotted together tightly, save a path that seems to beckon her. Then she sees a boy. Not a vision, but a young man made of darkness, who asks her to guess his name. But this game has devastating consequences for Rhea if she cannot succeed.
Meanwhile, in the forest of Rhea's visions, the Witch of Wishes reigns over beast, bone and blood, dealing out the hearts' desires to the children brave enough to venture to her wooded court. But she too, is challenged when one visitor asks for HER wish, a question she thought never needed asking. Then, a simple fairy tale spoken aloud, night after night, little by little, will illuminate her path forward, until Rhea and the Witch's paths converge in a most curious way.
The language of this story is thick, rich, full of deliciously twisted imagery. It surrounds you, engulfs you like a musky perfume, intoxicating and strange. The story is full of clever ideas that will linger in my mind: hearts-within-hearts, wish-petals placed upon eager tongues, loyal foxes, a mammoth tooth throne. The mystery of the story is unveiled with perfect pacing, slowly, methodically, seemingly innocently, until you realize too late the story's got its hooks in you and you couldn't free yourself if you tried. But in the best possible way.
Meanwhile, in the forest of Rhea's visions, the Witch of Wishes reigns over beast, bone and blood, dealing out the hearts' desires to the children brave enough to venture to her wooded court. But she too, is challenged when one visitor asks for HER wish, a question she thought never needed asking. Then, a simple fairy tale spoken aloud, night after night, little by little, will illuminate her path forward, until Rhea and the Witch's paths converge in a most curious way.
The language of this story is thick, rich, full of deliciously twisted imagery. It surrounds you, engulfs you like a musky perfume, intoxicating and strange. The story is full of clever ideas that will linger in my mind: hearts-within-hearts, wish-petals placed upon eager tongues, loyal foxes, a mammoth tooth throne. The mystery of the story is unveiled with perfect pacing, slowly, methodically, seemingly innocently, until you realize too late the story's got its hooks in you and you couldn't free yourself if you tried. But in the best possible way.
January 5, 2020
This book was so magical and dreamy. I especially liked the first half and how mysterious it was. There were some parts and quotes in this book that really spoke to me and the characters were really easy to fall in love with. I also really liked the sibling relationships, they were so sweet.
“And so she cast a glamour over herself and snuck out of the castle at night, fleeing to the forest where the monsters lived. Where she could be a monster too.”
“And so she cast a glamour over herself and snuck out of the castle at night, fleeing to the forest where the monsters lived. Where she could be a monster too.”
March 28, 2023
A dream or a reality?
Like the main protagonist, I have often wondered about this topic too. A wish-granting witch, a princess with magical abilities, a cruel king and all this collapsing on a young girl living a normal life. Rhea is often confused about whether the forests she seas on the peripheral boundaries of her home are a reality or just visions. These visions are turning into a vicious reality day by day and she just can't call the difference.
I liked the amalgamation of normal reality with a witch in the woods. The struggle even as a reader/listener is real when we talk about distinguishing reality from dreams. So often when you feel confused, that's what the book wants you to be. So keep calm and carry on, it all gets answered! No specific character as such outshines me, so I don't have any favourites here. But the story was definitely good.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Genre: #Fantasy
Thanks, @netgalley @dreamscape_media @alyssa_wees for the audiobook ARC
Like the main protagonist, I have often wondered about this topic too. A wish-granting witch, a princess with magical abilities, a cruel king and all this collapsing on a young girl living a normal life. Rhea is often confused about whether the forests she seas on the peripheral boundaries of her home are a reality or just visions. These visions are turning into a vicious reality day by day and she just can't call the difference.
I liked the amalgamation of normal reality with a witch in the woods. The struggle even as a reader/listener is real when we talk about distinguishing reality from dreams. So often when you feel confused, that's what the book wants you to be. So keep calm and carry on, it all gets answered! No specific character as such outshines me, so I don't have any favourites here. But the story was definitely good.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Genre: #Fantasy
Thanks, @netgalley @dreamscape_media @alyssa_wees for the audiobook ARC
July 9, 2021
"I am willing to hurt if it means no one else has to. If it means a wish can come true."
I really wanted to like this book because it is BEAUTIFULLY written. Really, I was tabbing up a storm as I read this book because there were so many gorgeous quotes. Alyssa Wees is a lyrical writer and this story shows that.
However, the story itself felt like one gigantic fever dream. It was a mess and a half and I was not invested in it at all. This was a real pity. Also, what was that romance? I felt like it developed out of nowhere.
Will I read more from this author in the future? I don't know.
I really wanted to like this book because it is BEAUTIFULLY written. Really, I was tabbing up a storm as I read this book because there were so many gorgeous quotes. Alyssa Wees is a lyrical writer and this story shows that.
However, the story itself felt like one gigantic fever dream. It was a mess and a half and I was not invested in it at all. This was a real pity. Also, what was that romance? I felt like it developed out of nowhere.
Will I read more from this author in the future? I don't know.
March 18, 2019
~*Check out all my reviews over at The Bent Bookworm!*~
The Waking Forest is a story that is a true journey. I wasn’t EXACTLY sure what to expect going into it, and I was almost halfway through before I was even sure what the heck I was reading! Perhaps not the most stellar start for a debut novel, BUT. Bear with me – and bear with the book, too. While I did only rate it at 3.5/5 stars (rounded up), I also feel it is totally a book worth reading and I will gladly be reading the next novel that Alyssa Wees comes out with.
The first half of the book is told in alternating chapters between Rhea, in our modern world, and the Witch of the Wood, in a very odd dream-like world. I was SO confused as to what was supposed to be happening in these…but the writing is beautiful. If you are not into heavy descriptions and very sustained metaphors, you might not enjoy it. It’s a very different style from what I’ve been reading recently, so it took a little while for it to grow on me. But grow on me it did, and eventually the prose (which could, admittedly, be considered kind of “purple” prose) was just painting these amazing pictures…so even if I was turned around and had no idea where the story was going, I was just enjoying the journey.
Eventually the two tales merge, and that is rather…mind-bending. There is enough foreshadowing that you sort of see it coming, but not…not…in the way it played out, or at least I didn’t. The story shifts to an entirely fantasy world, with incredible creatures and magic. I really wish the magic had been better explained! I was still kind of confused by how everything worked in the end, but it was glorious and shiny and I liked it.
My absolute favorite part was Rhea’s relationship with her sisters. These four girls are kicking ass and taking names and making no apologies – and dealing with their own issues along the way. There is some beautiful encouragement for those of us who struggle with anxiety in these pages – and the characters aren’t considered less than or incapable because of it! I loved it. Absolutely loved it.
Overall, The Waking Forest isn’t perfect but if you like fantasy and quirky characters, definitely give it a try. And keep an eye out for more books by Wees!
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I sort of do know what she means, sitting here in the semi-dark and the semi-silence. I have a scratchy, restless feeling, as if my soul were grinding against my skin, my bones, not necessarily wanting to get out but urging my body to go to impossible places, convinced I can touch the stars and not burn.
The Waking Forest is a story that is a true journey. I wasn’t EXACTLY sure what to expect going into it, and I was almost halfway through before I was even sure what the heck I was reading! Perhaps not the most stellar start for a debut novel, BUT. Bear with me – and bear with the book, too. While I did only rate it at 3.5/5 stars (rounded up), I also feel it is totally a book worth reading and I will gladly be reading the next novel that Alyssa Wees comes out with.
The first half of the book is told in alternating chapters between Rhea, in our modern world, and the Witch of the Wood, in a very odd dream-like world. I was SO confused as to what was supposed to be happening in these…but the writing is beautiful. If you are not into heavy descriptions and very sustained metaphors, you might not enjoy it. It’s a very different style from what I’ve been reading recently, so it took a little while for it to grow on me. But grow on me it did, and eventually the prose (which could, admittedly, be considered kind of “purple” prose) was just painting these amazing pictures…so even if I was turned around and had no idea where the story was going, I was just enjoying the journey.
Eventually the two tales merge, and that is rather…mind-bending. There is enough foreshadowing that you sort of see it coming, but not…not…in the way it played out, or at least I didn’t. The story shifts to an entirely fantasy world, with incredible creatures and magic. I really wish the magic had been better explained! I was still kind of confused by how everything worked in the end, but it was glorious and shiny and I liked it.
My absolute favorite part was Rhea’s relationship with her sisters. These four girls are kicking ass and taking names and making no apologies – and dealing with their own issues along the way. There is some beautiful encouragement for those of us who struggle with anxiety in these pages – and the characters aren’t considered less than or incapable because of it! I loved it. Absolutely loved it.
Overall, The Waking Forest isn’t perfect but if you like fantasy and quirky characters, definitely give it a try. And keep an eye out for more books by Wees!
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March 16, 2023
I gave this book two valiant attempts but I simply can’t finish it. DNF at 70%, skim-read the ending to know that I’m not missing anything.
I can vividly remember the release of The Waking Forest, as this cover was one of the best things to happen that month. I held off on picking it up though, because of the mixed reception from early reviewers. When offered a copy in exchange for review myself, I decided to give it a try, hoping to get my Grimm-dark (pun intended) fairytale quotum for the year in.
The premise and the setting sound like something I should enjoy. Unfortunately, the execution is so all over the place that this book was unsalvageable for me. The first and most obvious issue is that the plot completely disjointed, to the point where I had no idea what was happening. Wees attempts to weave together two storylines (Rhea’s and the witch’s), but ends up with a tangled mess of yarns instead. This confusion wasn’t helped by the fact that none of the characters, nor their narrative voices, really have any distinguishing traits that made them memorable to me, making everything blur together in a way.
The plot itself meanders, seemingly without purpose, as if the author was “discovery writing” rather than working towards a clear end-goal. As a result, the resolution of the story comes in the form of some of the most overdone cliché tropes and plot beats in YA-fantasy, that I’m frankly tired of seeing.
Last but not least, I had some major gripes with the writing-style. My personal tolerance for “lyrical writing” is pretty high; in fact I love it usually. This however, is what you find in the dictionary under the definition of “purple prose”. Overwritten sentences, non-sensical metaphors and deeply cringe-worthy character descriptors .
I can see there being an audience for this book. If you’re okay with all of the above, and are looking for a classic, early-2010’s-feeling young adult fantasy with a focus on fairytales and stories within stories, this one might be for you. Unfortunately, to me, this was the kind of debut to put me off an author for a long time. I’m all for second chances, but unless Wees’ next book is a miraculous hit, I won’t be picking up any of her works from now on.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an review-copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I can vividly remember the release of The Waking Forest, as this cover was one of the best things to happen that month. I held off on picking it up though, because of the mixed reception from early reviewers. When offered a copy in exchange for review myself, I decided to give it a try, hoping to get my Grimm-dark (pun intended) fairytale quotum for the year in.
The premise and the setting sound like something I should enjoy. Unfortunately, the execution is so all over the place that this book was unsalvageable for me. The first and most obvious issue is that the plot completely disjointed, to the point where I had no idea what was happening. Wees attempts to weave together two storylines (Rhea’s and the witch’s), but ends up with a tangled mess of yarns instead. This confusion wasn’t helped by the fact that none of the characters, nor their narrative voices, really have any distinguishing traits that made them memorable to me, making everything blur together in a way.
The plot itself meanders, seemingly without purpose, as if the author was “discovery writing” rather than working towards a clear end-goal. As a result, the resolution of the story comes in the form of some of the most overdone cliché tropes and plot beats in YA-fantasy, that I’m frankly tired of seeing.
Last but not least, I had some major gripes with the writing-style. My personal tolerance for “lyrical writing” is pretty high; in fact I love it usually. This however, is what you find in the dictionary under the definition of “purple prose”. Overwritten sentences, non-sensical metaphors and deeply cringe-worthy character descriptors .
I can see there being an audience for this book. If you’re okay with all of the above, and are looking for a classic, early-2010’s-feeling young adult fantasy with a focus on fairytales and stories within stories, this one might be for you. Unfortunately, to me, this was the kind of debut to put me off an author for a long time. I’m all for second chances, but unless Wees’ next book is a miraculous hit, I won’t be picking up any of her works from now on.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an review-copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
did-not-finish
June 25, 2020This is a debut novel, and unfortunately it shows. I DNFed around page 40.
This had too many YA fantasy pet peeves of mine: first-person/present-tense writing, wayyyyyy too much overwriting, poor pacing (yes, even in only 40 pages), and silly names.
The main character's name is Rhea Ravenna, and she has three sisters named Rose, Raisa, and Renata. Oh, also a pet fox named Gabrielle. I feel like these names should be enough to make anyone wince (especially since this seems to be set in contemporary times, not a fantasy land, though maybe we find out later that they're actually not?), but we have to also talk about the writing....
Every sentence was embellished and overwritten to the point of distraction. Right away there was this sentence that ran from the first page to the second page: "At the end of a winding hallway illuminated by row upon row of skeleton-hand sconces, each holding a steady flame that burned without the aid of wick or wax or wood, the Witch sat in a seat carved from a canine tooth nearly twice her height, situated at the very center of the castle in a wide, round room with no ceiling, the walls stretching up, up, up and curving inward, just slightly."
Phew!
The first chapter seemed to be more of a fairy-tale-like prologue, so I excused the writing as being intentionally whimsical, but once it swapped to the protagonist's POV, the writing was just distracting.
Some examples: "When I open the sliding doors, she tips her head back against the wall, the tube of her trachea protruding from her pale throat, embellished with a trident of tender veins." (This sentence alone had me googling images of necks to see if (a) a protruding trachea is normal and (b) whether there are even veins visible over someone's trachea. I'm still not sure, but it was such a weird description that totally pulled me out of the story.)
How about...
"Except for a the few popped pustules of stars and the waning wart of the moon, the sky is dark."
"...she says, flicking her milk-shiny spoon for emphasis..." (Does milk actually make a spoon shinier than it already is?)
"...a jewelry box that must have been fatally submerged in water at some point, with a headless ballerina that twirls in a discordant, drowning dirge..."
"Renata ran right past, smiling at the sky, unaware of anything below the soft shelf of clouds high above our heads and the warm wind skimming her cheeks, the siren song of waves smacking the sand like the ocean licking its lips with a watery tongue." (Renata seems a bit daft.)
"He laughs: rabid, enraptured, a sound somewhere between an elegy and an alleluia." (What does this even mean??)
"This boy, this Darkness, an inoculation, my veins frothing with fright, foaming with fascination." (Please seek medical attention if your veins are foaming.)
I could go on, but you get the idea. No sentence is left unthesaurused. And boy, typing just these few sentences out really emphasized how often alliterative words are used. Always add alliterations, amirite?
So, in 40 pages, all that happened was a vague, highly purple-prosed prologue where a wish-giving, fox-friending witch is introduced. Then it swaps to modern times (I think; the setting is pretty vague) and to our alliteratively named protagonist. Rhea wakes from a bad dream, apparently sleepwalking up to the attic, and we're told that she has visions (much thesaurusing here) and has seen a therapist. We get introduced to her sisters, who are hard to keep track of because their names all start with R, but one seems to be a bit nuts and one does ballet, I think? Or maybe they're all nuts? Rhea and her sisters decide that since Rhea seems determined to sleepwalk up to the attic, the logical thing to do is put a bed in the attic for her to sleep in, that way she won't sleepwalk anywhere...because she's already where she's sleepwalking to? Their parents agree that this is brilliant, so everyone clears junk out of the attic. This takes six hours, and the next thing we know is it's bedtime again. Rhea goes to bed in the attic, with her pet fox, and then hears a young male voice in the dark. She and the mysterious guy have a vague conversation (he knows her name and insists she secretly knows him too, like "Your bones know even if your brain does not."), and she flees the attic and runs out of the house to the beach with her sleeping bag and pillow to spend the night (because when you're scared of a ghost/sprite/faerie dude who you've decided to call "the Darkness", sleeping alone on a beach seems like a logical idea).
And that's about where I quit. The writing was just so over the top that I couldn't take it anymore. And again, the pacing also seemed weird somehow...like the author wanted to introduce a whole bunch of stuff at once (crazy sisters, homeschooling parents, house by the sea, sleepwalking, visions, fox companion, a spooky attic, a mystery guy lurking in the attic, etc) but tried to do it too fast before establishing everything else. The setting wasn't super clear and the characters are all pretty vague (possibly because we meet a family of six people with not much introduction at all). I don't know how to explain it except that the first 40 pages were both too rushed (quick introductions, fast bursts of time, info dumping) and also too slow at the same time (see the aforementioned overwriting).
I'm sure we learn things that clear up some of vagueness of the first two chapters, but I couldn't even care to find out. I've skimmed some other reviews, and it seems like the story may weave together in interesting ways, but unfortunately the writing and pacing is not equal to the concepts yet. I just don't have the patience to persevere pertinaciously through piles of purple prose pocked paragraphs.
This had too many YA fantasy pet peeves of mine: first-person/present-tense writing, wayyyyyy too much overwriting, poor pacing (yes, even in only 40 pages), and silly names.
The main character's name is Rhea Ravenna, and she has three sisters named Rose, Raisa, and Renata. Oh, also a pet fox named Gabrielle. I feel like these names should be enough to make anyone wince (especially since this seems to be set in contemporary times, not a fantasy land, though maybe we find out later that they're actually not?), but we have to also talk about the writing....
Every sentence was embellished and overwritten to the point of distraction. Right away there was this sentence that ran from the first page to the second page: "At the end of a winding hallway illuminated by row upon row of skeleton-hand sconces, each holding a steady flame that burned without the aid of wick or wax or wood, the Witch sat in a seat carved from a canine tooth nearly twice her height, situated at the very center of the castle in a wide, round room with no ceiling, the walls stretching up, up, up and curving inward, just slightly."
Phew!
The first chapter seemed to be more of a fairy-tale-like prologue, so I excused the writing as being intentionally whimsical, but once it swapped to the protagonist's POV, the writing was just distracting.
Some examples: "When I open the sliding doors, she tips her head back against the wall, the tube of her trachea protruding from her pale throat, embellished with a trident of tender veins." (This sentence alone had me googling images of necks to see if (a) a protruding trachea is normal and (b) whether there are even veins visible over someone's trachea. I'm still not sure, but it was such a weird description that totally pulled me out of the story.)
How about...
"Except for a the few popped pustules of stars and the waning wart of the moon, the sky is dark."
"...she says, flicking her milk-shiny spoon for emphasis..." (Does milk actually make a spoon shinier than it already is?)
"...a jewelry box that must have been fatally submerged in water at some point, with a headless ballerina that twirls in a discordant, drowning dirge..."
"Renata ran right past, smiling at the sky, unaware of anything below the soft shelf of clouds high above our heads and the warm wind skimming her cheeks, the siren song of waves smacking the sand like the ocean licking its lips with a watery tongue." (Renata seems a bit daft.)
"He laughs: rabid, enraptured, a sound somewhere between an elegy and an alleluia." (What does this even mean??)
"This boy, this Darkness, an inoculation, my veins frothing with fright, foaming with fascination." (Please seek medical attention if your veins are foaming.)
I could go on, but you get the idea. No sentence is left unthesaurused. And boy, typing just these few sentences out really emphasized how often alliterative words are used. Always add alliterations, amirite?
So, in 40 pages, all that happened was a vague, highly purple-prosed prologue where a wish-giving, fox-friending witch is introduced. Then it swaps to modern times (I think; the setting is pretty vague) and to our alliteratively named protagonist. Rhea wakes from a bad dream, apparently sleepwalking up to the attic, and we're told that she has visions (much thesaurusing here) and has seen a therapist. We get introduced to her sisters, who are hard to keep track of because their names all start with R, but one seems to be a bit nuts and one does ballet, I think? Or maybe they're all nuts? Rhea and her sisters decide that since Rhea seems determined to sleepwalk up to the attic, the logical thing to do is put a bed in the attic for her to sleep in, that way she won't sleepwalk anywhere...because she's already where she's sleepwalking to? Their parents agree that this is brilliant, so everyone clears junk out of the attic. This takes six hours, and the next thing we know is it's bedtime again. Rhea goes to bed in the attic, with her pet fox, and then hears a young male voice in the dark. She and the mysterious guy have a vague conversation (he knows her name and insists she secretly knows him too, like "Your bones know even if your brain does not."), and she flees the attic and runs out of the house to the beach with her sleeping bag and pillow to spend the night (because when you're scared of a ghost/sprite/faerie dude who you've decided to call "the Darkness", sleeping alone on a beach seems like a logical idea).
And that's about where I quit. The writing was just so over the top that I couldn't take it anymore. And again, the pacing also seemed weird somehow...like the author wanted to introduce a whole bunch of stuff at once (crazy sisters, homeschooling parents, house by the sea, sleepwalking, visions, fox companion, a spooky attic, a mystery guy lurking in the attic, etc) but tried to do it too fast before establishing everything else. The setting wasn't super clear and the characters are all pretty vague (possibly because we meet a family of six people with not much introduction at all). I don't know how to explain it except that the first 40 pages were both too rushed (quick introductions, fast bursts of time, info dumping) and also too slow at the same time (see the aforementioned overwriting).
I'm sure we learn things that clear up some of vagueness of the first two chapters, but I couldn't even care to find out. I've skimmed some other reviews, and it seems like the story may weave together in interesting ways, but unfortunately the writing and pacing is not equal to the concepts yet. I just don't have the patience to persevere pertinaciously through piles of purple prose pocked paragraphs.
February 23, 2019
THIS REVIEW & MORE → The Waking Forest
3.5 stars ✨
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
First of all, that cover is extremely alluring and fits the book perfectly. The Waking Forest has such an interesting premise and a really well constructed novel. It’s atmospheric, eerie, and spellbinding.
The writing is something that readers are either going to love or hate. For myself, I found the beautiful prose and lush descriptions the perfect compliment to the two enchanting stories already being told. I can totally see how some people might find it to be too convoluted at times and leading to confusion, but I had no problem following along.
The way the author has crafted the book is very impressive. She weaves two different stories together seamlessly, and the way they converge by the end was extremely creative and made for a unique story. It was very easy to find myself tugged along the as the story went on, but still able to pick up on the little hints that everything was not quite as it seemed. I found the book to be pretty fast-faced and easy to get through, and I was invested in the characters the entire time. I really enjoyed this one and I hope others do as well!
3.5 stars ✨
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
“And so she cast a glamour over herself and snuck out of the castle at night, fleeing to the forest where the monsters lived. Where she could be a monster too.”
First of all, that cover is extremely alluring and fits the book perfectly. The Waking Forest has such an interesting premise and a really well constructed novel. It’s atmospheric, eerie, and spellbinding.
The writing is something that readers are either going to love or hate. For myself, I found the beautiful prose and lush descriptions the perfect compliment to the two enchanting stories already being told. I can totally see how some people might find it to be too convoluted at times and leading to confusion, but I had no problem following along.
The way the author has crafted the book is very impressive. She weaves two different stories together seamlessly, and the way they converge by the end was extremely creative and made for a unique story. It was very easy to find myself tugged along the as the story went on, but still able to pick up on the little hints that everything was not quite as it seemed. I found the book to be pretty fast-faced and easy to get through, and I was invested in the characters the entire time. I really enjoyed this one and I hope others do as well!
September 21, 2018
A fairy story that is no fairy story. Fans of fantasy with just the slightest touch of romance will want to read this one as soon as it is released. Make sure to savor the prose as you won't want to miss a single detail.
December 30, 2018
I can't tell if I liked this book or hated it, but I'm leaning towards the latter.
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.
Soooo... this book. I was pretty excited for it. Not gonna lie. The cover drew me in. The synopsis is super intriguing and I thought for sure that I would love this book. That obviously did not happen, proving once again that I am not a psychic. Darn.
The writing was GORGEOUS at times, super lyrical and velvety. Then at other times, it was just straight up weird, almost juvenile. Think of the weird semi-stoned feeling you get when you read Alice in Wonderland. If you enjoyed that, this may be the perfect read for you.
I can tell that this is one of those books that is better the second time around, after you know what you know by the end. I didn't like this one enough to ever reread it though, personally. This book does a bit of mind trickery on you.
This review is kind of all over the place, just like this book.
There were some parts that were extremely cool, like the shadow boy. Wow! What a cool concept. I can totally see the Pan's Labyrinth comparison that this book is claiming in the blurb. I also think that this book would make an awesome movie. There's lots to see and feel but while it's a little too much all at once in the book, in a movie I think it would be stunning to experience.
The dialogue was pretty terrible at times. I kept thinking to myself, this is not how people talk. By the end, it kind of makes sense as to the reason why the dialogue is so off, but again, not gonna reread this book in this lifetime. So yeah.
Also, the main character is supposed to be 17, I think, but she's giving me major 13-year-old vibes.
All in all, I'd call this book Pan's Labyrinth Jr. if it were up to me. I think you'll love this book if you're a fan of magical realism and mind trickery akin to Alice in Wonderland.
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.
Soooo... this book. I was pretty excited for it. Not gonna lie. The cover drew me in. The synopsis is super intriguing and I thought for sure that I would love this book. That obviously did not happen, proving once again that I am not a psychic. Darn.
The writing was GORGEOUS at times, super lyrical and velvety. Then at other times, it was just straight up weird, almost juvenile. Think of the weird semi-stoned feeling you get when you read Alice in Wonderland. If you enjoyed that, this may be the perfect read for you.
I can tell that this is one of those books that is better the second time around, after you know what you know by the end. I didn't like this one enough to ever reread it though, personally. This book does a bit of mind trickery on you.
This review is kind of all over the place, just like this book.
There were some parts that were extremely cool, like the shadow boy. Wow! What a cool concept. I can totally see the Pan's Labyrinth comparison that this book is claiming in the blurb. I also think that this book would make an awesome movie. There's lots to see and feel but while it's a little too much all at once in the book, in a movie I think it would be stunning to experience.
The dialogue was pretty terrible at times. I kept thinking to myself, this is not how people talk. By the end, it kind of makes sense as to the reason why the dialogue is so off, but again, not gonna reread this book in this lifetime. So yeah.
Also, the main character is supposed to be 17, I think, but she's giving me major 13-year-old vibes.
All in all, I'd call this book Pan's Labyrinth Jr. if it were up to me. I think you'll love this book if you're a fan of magical realism and mind trickery akin to Alice in Wonderland.
March 7, 2019
💖💖💖 blog 💖💖💖
Another short and sweet review incoming. I was excited to read this novel, and the writing was absolutely gorgeous. The premise had me in its grasps right from the start. However, this book wasn't entirely what I imagined it would be, despite this being a work of art.
What is this book about?
This book settles around Rhea, who has visions of disturbing occurrences: her death, people dying, a dark forest. In the forest, a witch rules, and gives out wishes to children who are courageous enough to brave the forest. Until the witch is being asked for a wish of her own...
What did I think of The Waking Forest?
Let me start off by saying that The Waking Forest started out very promising. The premise sounds intriguing and magical, and it makes the reader want to jump right into reading this story. The beginning, then, sets a nice and whimsical tone with Wees' writing. The writing, then, was the strongest point of this novel. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Wees' gorgeous poetic writing style. The book is filled with magical and whimsical metaphors that add to the atmosphere of the forest. Adding to this, the world-building was absolutely phenomenal.
However, halfway through the novel, the plot became a tad confusing and hard to follow. Had this review been based around the writing and the work of art this book presents, I would've given it a solid five stars. But after the 50% mark I wasn't able to follow most of the story. The pacing of the book, also provided an issue for me. I tend to like fast-paced stories, and because of the whimsical writing and elaborate descriptions, I wouldn't categorize this as a fast-paced book.
All in all, the writing was gorgeous. The universe lush and rich, and the idea of the story a pure work of art, hence why I went with a 3.5/5 rating for this gorgeous, albeit a little confusing book. I look forward to reading other Wees novels in the future!
Another short and sweet review incoming. I was excited to read this novel, and the writing was absolutely gorgeous. The premise had me in its grasps right from the start. However, this book wasn't entirely what I imagined it would be, despite this being a work of art.
What is this book about?
This book settles around Rhea, who has visions of disturbing occurrences: her death, people dying, a dark forest. In the forest, a witch rules, and gives out wishes to children who are courageous enough to brave the forest. Until the witch is being asked for a wish of her own...
What did I think of The Waking Forest?
Let me start off by saying that The Waking Forest started out very promising. The premise sounds intriguing and magical, and it makes the reader want to jump right into reading this story. The beginning, then, sets a nice and whimsical tone with Wees' writing. The writing, then, was the strongest point of this novel. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Wees' gorgeous poetic writing style. The book is filled with magical and whimsical metaphors that add to the atmosphere of the forest. Adding to this, the world-building was absolutely phenomenal.
However, halfway through the novel, the plot became a tad confusing and hard to follow. Had this review been based around the writing and the work of art this book presents, I would've given it a solid five stars. But after the 50% mark I wasn't able to follow most of the story. The pacing of the book, also provided an issue for me. I tend to like fast-paced stories, and because of the whimsical writing and elaborate descriptions, I wouldn't categorize this as a fast-paced book.
All in all, the writing was gorgeous. The universe lush and rich, and the idea of the story a pure work of art, hence why I went with a 3.5/5 rating for this gorgeous, albeit a little confusing book. I look forward to reading other Wees novels in the future!
December 23, 2021
Este libro está escrito de una manera tan hermosa y poética que creo que mi puntuación final se basa gran parte en eso. La autora sabía describir los escenarios, los pensamientos y las situaciones muy bien.
En el bosque me hizo acordar mucho a la historia de La Bella Durmiente, hasta diría yo que parece un retelling barato de esa historia.
Hubo escenas en las que TUVE MIEDO y lo dejé de leer porque me asustaba jeje
Disfruté mucho leyéndolo porque era súper ágil la lectura aunque si debo aclarar que en algunas partes me aburría porque no entendía que estaba pasando....
La trama se volvía un poco confusa pero hasta llegar al plot twist, todo cobró sentido.
Es ideal para leer en un clima de lluvia o frío, siento que la historia acompaña mucho con esas vibes!
Se lo recomiendo a cualquier persona que le guste la fantasía, esté buscando un libro autoconclusivo y no le moleste un poco de romance y suspenso en la trama...
En el bosque me hizo acordar mucho a la historia de La Bella Durmiente, hasta diría yo que parece un retelling barato de esa historia.
Hubo escenas en las que TUVE MIEDO y lo dejé de leer porque me asustaba jeje
Disfruté mucho leyéndolo porque era súper ágil la lectura aunque si debo aclarar que en algunas partes me aburría porque no entendía que estaba pasando....
La trama se volvía un poco confusa pero hasta llegar al plot twist, todo cobró sentido.
Es ideal para leer en un clima de lluvia o frío, siento que la historia acompaña mucho con esas vibes!
Se lo recomiendo a cualquier persona que le guste la fantasía, esté buscando un libro autoconclusivo y no le moleste un poco de romance y suspenso en la trama...
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