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Darkwood #3
Glass Coffin
The tyrannous Huntsmen have declared everyone in one village to be outlaws, since they insist on supporting the magical beings of neighbouring Darkwood. Why won’t they accept that magic is an abomination?
Far from being abominable, the residents of Darkwood are actually very nice when you get to know them, even Snow the White Knight, who can get a bit tetchy when people remind her she’s a Princess.
In order to stop the Huntsmen from wiping out all magical beings, Snow and her friends have to venture into the Badlands of Ashtrie, and seek the support of the Glass Witch – but she has plans of her own, and let’s just say they’re not good ones.
Far from being abominable, the residents of Darkwood are actually very nice when you get to know them, even Snow the White Knight, who can get a bit tetchy when people remind her she’s a Princess.
In order to stop the Huntsmen from wiping out all magical beings, Snow and her friends have to venture into the Badlands of Ashtrie, and seek the support of the Glass Witch – but she has plans of her own, and let’s just say they’re not good ones.
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2021
7 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 15, 2021
‘Something’s afoot,’ mutters Trevor. ‘I can feel it in my knees.’Welcome to the Darkwood, a place where Bin Night is a truly terrifying event, where ‘fruit’ and ‘trousers’ are entirely acceptable swear adjacent words and where your favourite person may well be a talking spider called Trevor. It’s the final book in the trilogy and I’m not okay with that. Not even a little bit.
We first met Gretel when she ended up in the Darkwood after being accused of the abomination of witchcraft by the Huntsmen. There she met some of the scary, no good creatures she’d been warned about:
* Buttercup, a witch whose touch can cakeify inanimate objects.
* Jack, known throughout the land as the infamous giant killer.
* The White Knight, an axe-wielding, armour wearing woman with attitude and her entourage of “Yummy!” dwarves.
* Patience, who was a huntsman before she became a ghost.
* Mirror, who’s a mirror.
* Trevor, my favourite character. Trevor’s a spy and master of disguise.
Along the way we picked up some more found family, including:
* Gilde the Bear Witch.
* A Werewolf named Scarlett.
* A winged man named Hex.
Magic forest - these things happen.Together, this bunch of misfits have been working towards freedom for magical beings, who aren’t the abominations they’ve been made out to be, and uniting magical and non-magical beings. That’s definitely not going to happen under the rule of the Huntsmen.
Whatever it is they’ve been building up to, they’re doing it now.In this book we finally travel to the Badlands of Ashtrie to meet the much feared Glass Witch. She lived up to my expectations, and then some. This is a book where facing the past is something many of our favourites will need to do. A number will also confront their fears of not being good enough, brave enough or enough in general. They have the opportunity to decide who they are going to be, outside of the roles cast on them by society. The Glass Witch is the perfect character to introduce to this mix.
‘Just keep in mind, the only thing you can truly be sure of regarding the Glass Witch is that you can’t be truly sure of anything.’Our beloved friends will need all of their courage and ingenuity to prevail in this final battle. Although there were still some giggles to be had, things have a darker feel here than in the previous two books. Even Trevor isn’t coming up with as many unforgettable lines. But it’s okay because we’re really at the business end of things now and there is so much to wrap up.
This world turns what you thought you knew about fairy tales on their head. What other third act do you know that begins with the main character ?! Also, there are many more naked people in this book, for reasons that will become apparent when you read it.
If you’re wandering into the Darkwood for the first time you’ll find a handy description of who’s who in the Darkwood, Nearby Village, the Citadel and Ashtrie before you begin the story. I would highly recommend reading the series in order though.
‘You can allow yourself to heal, put your past behind you…’In considering my not being ready to say goodbye to these characters I tried to come up with a reason for their story to continue and I think I’ve got just the thing … a spin-off featuring Trevor and his adventures in the Intelligence & National Security Initiative. I would happily read about my favourite spider forever.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Farrago, an imprint of Duckworth Books, for the opportunity to read this book.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
June 2, 2021
I'm struggling to think of some superlatives I didn't use on the first two books in this series! I may have to reuse the same ones ... this is clever, it's stonkingly funny, the character arcs are wonderfully rounded off and everything makes sense, in the end. (I am a little disappointed that Gretel didn't make one connection I did, but it's always easier from outside the story, isn't it.)
Some parts of this were so unexpected, but they make perfect sense in retrospect. I'm so sad this series is over ... I really thought it could go on for a good while yet ... but at the same time, I'm glad it stopped before the quality went down. This could easily have been overstuffed, with cameos thrown in just because they could be, and I'm glad they aren't. Everyone here is necessary. (Especially Trevor.) There's some clever ideas around power and morality, but they aren't shoved in the reader's face; we're allowed to draw our own conclusions, which is much better. These would make a great classroom read, there could be some fabulous discussions on them.
I'll miss this series very much, but I'm looking forward to seeing what else Gabby can come up with. It's going to be great, whatever it is.
Some parts of this were so unexpected, but they make perfect sense in retrospect. I'm so sad this series is over ... I really thought it could go on for a good while yet ... but at the same time, I'm glad it stopped before the quality went down. This could easily have been overstuffed, with cameos thrown in just because they could be, and I'm glad they aren't. Everyone here is necessary. (Especially Trevor.) There's some clever ideas around power and morality, but they aren't shoved in the reader's face; we're allowed to draw our own conclusions, which is much better. These would make a great classroom read, there could be some fabulous discussions on them.
I'll miss this series very much, but I'm looking forward to seeing what else Gabby can come up with. It's going to be great, whatever it is.
May 31, 2021
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, NetGalley and Farrago. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This is the third book in the Darkwood series, and hopefully not the last! I definitely recommend reading Darkwood and Such Big Teeth first, to really get the full picture of the characters and the wider storylines.
Gretel and Hansel Mudd return to join battle with the Huntsmen again, but this time they also have the dreaded Glass Witch to contend with. Luckily, they still have their faithful friends – Jack, Hex, Buttercup, Trevor, Snow, Gilde, Scarlett, Patience and Daisy – to help them with the increasingly dangerous challenges they face. Unfortunately, Morning Quarry is putting a plausibly pleasant face to one kind of evil, while another kind has chosen Hansel as its next victim.
Distracted by Jack smooching, Buttercup and Snow bickering, and her first ever menses, can Gretel hold it all together and logic them all out of this battle with her usual gadgets? It looks like they might need more magical help from a few more familiar – reimagined – faces!
This instalment is quite a bit darker than the first two: some of the Glass Witch’s punishments are quite nightmarish and there is far more random nakedness than you usually get in fairytales (not sexual nakedness… just not-having-on-of-clothes, as an occupational hazard of shapeshifting). Nothing to make it unsuitable for most middle-graders, but those of a sensitive (or prim) disposition may want to approach with caution!
As usual, there is plenty of humour and action; familiar fairytale folk and storylines twisted into something new and delightful, and more modern in feel, and some lovely messages about love, friendship and playing to your strengths.
The ending was very satisfying and provided plenty of closure, but honestly, I don’t care! I still want MORE from the Darkwoods and from Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch – there must be one or two more childhood legends lurking around for her to work her special magic on. Fingers crossed, eh?!
'Humans will always be petty and jealous and mean. They will always attempt to unseat the Glass Witch. When this latest lot try, they will regret it, as humans do. She will dance on them, in a dress woven from their screams, and shoes of broken glass. She will have a ball on their re-moulded bodies, and she will dance all night with this new, powerful witch boy. Her brand new Prince Charming.'
– Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Glass Coffin
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
This is the third book in the Darkwood series, and hopefully not the last! I definitely recommend reading Darkwood and Such Big Teeth first, to really get the full picture of the characters and the wider storylines.
Gretel and Hansel Mudd return to join battle with the Huntsmen again, but this time they also have the dreaded Glass Witch to contend with. Luckily, they still have their faithful friends – Jack, Hex, Buttercup, Trevor, Snow, Gilde, Scarlett, Patience and Daisy – to help them with the increasingly dangerous challenges they face. Unfortunately, Morning Quarry is putting a plausibly pleasant face to one kind of evil, while another kind has chosen Hansel as its next victim.
Distracted by Jack smooching, Buttercup and Snow bickering, and her first ever menses, can Gretel hold it all together and logic them all out of this battle with her usual gadgets? It looks like they might need more magical help from a few more familiar – reimagined – faces!
This instalment is quite a bit darker than the first two: some of the Glass Witch’s punishments are quite nightmarish and there is far more random nakedness than you usually get in fairytales (not sexual nakedness… just not-having-on-of-clothes, as an occupational hazard of shapeshifting). Nothing to make it unsuitable for most middle-graders, but those of a sensitive (or prim) disposition may want to approach with caution!
As usual, there is plenty of humour and action; familiar fairytale folk and storylines twisted into something new and delightful, and more modern in feel, and some lovely messages about love, friendship and playing to your strengths.
The ending was very satisfying and provided plenty of closure, but honestly, I don’t care! I still want MORE from the Darkwoods and from Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch – there must be one or two more childhood legends lurking around for her to work her special magic on. Fingers crossed, eh?!
'Humans will always be petty and jealous and mean. They will always attempt to unseat the Glass Witch. When this latest lot try, they will regret it, as humans do. She will dance on them, in a dress woven from their screams, and shoes of broken glass. She will have a ball on their re-moulded bodies, and she will dance all night with this new, powerful witch boy. Her brand new Prince Charming.'
– Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Glass Coffin
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
March 19, 2021
Thank you to Farrago for providing me with a copy of this book, vis Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review!
Why hadn’t anyone introduced me to this series before? I’m giving you all side-eye if you knew about it and didn’t throw it directly into my path. Did I just binge read all three books back to back in 3 days? Yes, yes I did. Is my new favourite character a sassy loveable spider who likes to wear hats? Even though I’m arachnophobic? Also yes.
With nods to many of our all time favourite fairytale characters, albeit with lives a little different than we’re used to, The Darkwood series manages to tackle all sorts of issues, in an understated way, while giving us a jolly good laugh (and maybe a small cry). Buttercup lives in a house in the wood that’s almost entirely made of cake – since everything she touches turns into pastries. Snow the White Knight has been living in a cave with her lads, the dwarves for many years, Jack still can’t forgive himself for the terrible business with the giant that started a war, Gretel is living in the forest with the rest of the witches, even though they accused the wrong twin, Patience Fieldmouse is still pretty trousered off about being made a ghost before she was ready and Trevor the talking spider just wants to be the best spider spy there is. He’s got all the costumes and everything. Now they’re off, with some new friends, to try and recruit the most terrifying witch of all to their cause, Ella, the Glass Witch. But they’ll need all the help they can get to stop the Huntsmen exterminating all the witches and wiping out the Darkwood altogether.
If you’re looking for a twisted fairytale series, that scores a 10 on the fun-o-meter, while giving you plenty of aha moments and social issues to ponder, this series is for you!
Why hadn’t anyone introduced me to this series before? I’m giving you all side-eye if you knew about it and didn’t throw it directly into my path. Did I just binge read all three books back to back in 3 days? Yes, yes I did. Is my new favourite character a sassy loveable spider who likes to wear hats? Even though I’m arachnophobic? Also yes.
With nods to many of our all time favourite fairytale characters, albeit with lives a little different than we’re used to, The Darkwood series manages to tackle all sorts of issues, in an understated way, while giving us a jolly good laugh (and maybe a small cry). Buttercup lives in a house in the wood that’s almost entirely made of cake – since everything she touches turns into pastries. Snow the White Knight has been living in a cave with her lads, the dwarves for many years, Jack still can’t forgive himself for the terrible business with the giant that started a war, Gretel is living in the forest with the rest of the witches, even though they accused the wrong twin, Patience Fieldmouse is still pretty trousered off about being made a ghost before she was ready and Trevor the talking spider just wants to be the best spider spy there is. He’s got all the costumes and everything. Now they’re off, with some new friends, to try and recruit the most terrifying witch of all to their cause, Ella, the Glass Witch. But they’ll need all the help they can get to stop the Huntsmen exterminating all the witches and wiping out the Darkwood altogether.
If you’re looking for a twisted fairytale series, that scores a 10 on the fun-o-meter, while giving you plenty of aha moments and social issues to ponder, this series is for you!
January 7, 2026
I really enjoyed this series, obviously, given how quickly I read it. Maybe the redemptive arc in this was a tiny bit unearned? But you know what, who cares - forgiveness is nice, these books are lovely, and I laughed a lot.
April 2, 2021
I love this trilogy! Great, sweet ending :)
July 19, 2021
You can find my full review for this as well as other books on my blog here
Thank you so much to Random Things Tours for organising the tour and the author and publisher for providing a gifted copy of the book for me to read and review.
I have no idea why this series was not on my radar before now but it is now most absolutely, definitely on it now! I had never heard of the Darkwood series prior to agreeing to take part in this tour and I actually had no idea this was the third book in a series. If I had known that I probably wouldn’t have agreed to take part but I am SO glad that I did.
Although I read this out of order I had absolutely no problems understanding what was going on as there is a wonderful “catch up chapter” at the start which introduces you to all the characters, who they are and what they do. There are also small references throughout the book relating to previous events but they are not confusing and are all fairly self explanatory so although you should pick up the first two books before reading this one you definitely do not have to in order to enjoy what is going on in this book.
So in Glass Coffin you have a bunch of absolutely adorable and hilarious fairy tale characters…
Snow the White Knight who definitely does not want to be a princess or a queen is incredibly grumpy is fiercely protective of her dwarves and her girlfriend Buttercup.
Buttercup (a cake witch who has a habit of turning anything she touches into pastries).
Trevor the talking house spider who is Buttercups familiar and best friend. An exceptional spy with a fondness for wearing hats.
Hansel the mudd witch and Gretel the ordinary twin who has an extraordinary knack for inventing.
Jack Trott who accidently caused a war of giants after a beanstalk accident and his boyfriend Hex who was cursed by the glass witch and even though Jack spent a week stitching him a shirt out of nettles to break the curse he is still stuck with one raven’s wing even in his human form.
Patience Fieldmouse who was previously a huntsmen but is now a ghost and she is pretty “Trousered off” about it!
There are more but I think that just about covers the very colourful main cast! I love the LGBT rep here, its amazing. My favourite characters were Trevor and Buttercup. Trevor was just so funny and I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that a house spider could be a favourite of mine but this book surprised me in so many ways so just go with it! Buttercup was absolutely adorable and I loved her relationship with Snow, it was so just sweet and I’d love to have seen more of them together.
The basic story is that the huntsmen are trying to exterminate all the magical folk and so the gang work together to try to recruit Ella, the glass witch to their side but that is easier said than done because Ella is just as scary as the huntsmen and brings about her own problems with her personal agenda!
Honestly, this series was just so much fun! It has everything you would want in a twisted fairy tale and there’s a laugh on every page. I genuinely smiled all the way through this and I am hoping to buy a copy of the first two books as soon as I can because I would love to see more of these characters and learn exactly what led to the events on this final book. I can highly recommend Gabby as an author, her writing style is wonderful and she is just naturally very very funny.
Thank you so much to Random Things Tours for organising the tour and the author and publisher for providing a gifted copy of the book for me to read and review.
I have no idea why this series was not on my radar before now but it is now most absolutely, definitely on it now! I had never heard of the Darkwood series prior to agreeing to take part in this tour and I actually had no idea this was the third book in a series. If I had known that I probably wouldn’t have agreed to take part but I am SO glad that I did.
Although I read this out of order I had absolutely no problems understanding what was going on as there is a wonderful “catch up chapter” at the start which introduces you to all the characters, who they are and what they do. There are also small references throughout the book relating to previous events but they are not confusing and are all fairly self explanatory so although you should pick up the first two books before reading this one you definitely do not have to in order to enjoy what is going on in this book.
So in Glass Coffin you have a bunch of absolutely adorable and hilarious fairy tale characters…
Snow the White Knight who definitely does not want to be a princess or a queen is incredibly grumpy is fiercely protective of her dwarves and her girlfriend Buttercup.
Buttercup (a cake witch who has a habit of turning anything she touches into pastries).
Trevor the talking house spider who is Buttercups familiar and best friend. An exceptional spy with a fondness for wearing hats.
Hansel the mudd witch and Gretel the ordinary twin who has an extraordinary knack for inventing.
Jack Trott who accidently caused a war of giants after a beanstalk accident and his boyfriend Hex who was cursed by the glass witch and even though Jack spent a week stitching him a shirt out of nettles to break the curse he is still stuck with one raven’s wing even in his human form.
Patience Fieldmouse who was previously a huntsmen but is now a ghost and she is pretty “Trousered off” about it!
There are more but I think that just about covers the very colourful main cast! I love the LGBT rep here, its amazing. My favourite characters were Trevor and Buttercup. Trevor was just so funny and I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that a house spider could be a favourite of mine but this book surprised me in so many ways so just go with it! Buttercup was absolutely adorable and I loved her relationship with Snow, it was so just sweet and I’d love to have seen more of them together.
The basic story is that the huntsmen are trying to exterminate all the magical folk and so the gang work together to try to recruit Ella, the glass witch to their side but that is easier said than done because Ella is just as scary as the huntsmen and brings about her own problems with her personal agenda!
Honestly, this series was just so much fun! It has everything you would want in a twisted fairy tale and there’s a laugh on every page. I genuinely smiled all the way through this and I am hoping to buy a copy of the first two books as soon as I can because I would love to see more of these characters and learn exactly what led to the events on this final book. I can highly recommend Gabby as an author, her writing style is wonderful and she is just naturally very very funny.
February 3, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Glass Coffin is the third book in the high fantasy Darkwood series by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch. Released 3rd June 2021 by Duckworth on their Farrago! imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
I've enjoyed this series from the start. This is a strong female-led ensemble high fantasy with whimsy, humour, and a lot of heart. The cast is full of fractured fairy tale and fable tropes, alongside good vs. evil, the meaning of friendship & truth, and found family. I highly recommend reading the trilogy in order, but for readers who want to jump in, the author has included a handy list of dramatis personae at the beginning to get up to speed.
I've been consistently impressed with the quality of the writing throughout. This 3rd book has a more sombre feel with fewer laugh-out-loud moments, but there's still a healthy dose of whimsy and fun. The story arc is well engineered and, as stated earlier, quite capably written. The disparate story threads do culminate in a satisfying denouement and resolution. I hold out fond hopes, despite this being the third book in a trilogy (in the author's own words), that we will be able to revisit the world in future stories. If not, it's resolved well and fairly; but I do have hopes.
The language is clean, the spelling and vernacular are British/UK English (rubbish, honour, dwarves named Oi, etc), but shouldn't present any difficulties in context for readers in the USA. Highly recommended for readers of fantasy and humour. It's not (sadly) Pratchett, but it's in the same school of fantasy/humour and it made me go back and re-read the Discworld novels and that's a good thing.
Five stars for this installment and four and a half for the series overall.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Glass Coffin is the third book in the high fantasy Darkwood series by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch. Released 3rd June 2021 by Duckworth on their Farrago! imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
I've enjoyed this series from the start. This is a strong female-led ensemble high fantasy with whimsy, humour, and a lot of heart. The cast is full of fractured fairy tale and fable tropes, alongside good vs. evil, the meaning of friendship & truth, and found family. I highly recommend reading the trilogy in order, but for readers who want to jump in, the author has included a handy list of dramatis personae at the beginning to get up to speed.
I've been consistently impressed with the quality of the writing throughout. This 3rd book has a more sombre feel with fewer laugh-out-loud moments, but there's still a healthy dose of whimsy and fun. The story arc is well engineered and, as stated earlier, quite capably written. The disparate story threads do culminate in a satisfying denouement and resolution. I hold out fond hopes, despite this being the third book in a trilogy (in the author's own words), that we will be able to revisit the world in future stories. If not, it's resolved well and fairly; but I do have hopes.
The language is clean, the spelling and vernacular are British/UK English (rubbish, honour, dwarves named Oi, etc), but shouldn't present any difficulties in context for readers in the USA. Highly recommended for readers of fantasy and humour. It's not (sadly) Pratchett, but it's in the same school of fantasy/humour and it made me go back and re-read the Discworld novels and that's a good thing.
Five stars for this installment and four and a half for the series overall.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 12, 2021
I really enjoyed the book even though I hadn't read the other books in the series (I didn't know it was a series when I started it) and honestly I think that the author deserves some extra kudos because of that lol. It was funny and wonderfully written with various threads that came together perfectly by the end.
The characters were brilliant, I really liked how they were based around traditional fairy tale characters but with changes that made them so much better. Plus, we had some awesome queer representation in here with two LGBTQ+ couples that feature prominently in the story so that also gives the book an extra boost. I adored the ragtag team that had been formed and the dynamics that existed between them as well as the different groups that formed throughout the course of the book as they split off and rejoined each other. I just thought that all the characters were brilliant and each had a well-defined characteristic that added to the team that had been formed as well as providing a grounding for their actions and I liked how that stayed consistent throughout.
I really liked how we got to follow several storylines that were all interconnected at once and then we saw how they all came together at the end to see the happy endings that everyone got to have. I thought that the story was well-paced and well constructed to keep my interest throughout by keeping enough mystery and excitement as the separate storylines progressed and then come together again by the end to form a very dramatic and satisfying conclusion. I really liked the fact that we were able to see what happened to everyone after the final confrontation because it really added to the fairy-tale type feel of the book
The writing was witty and engaging and I had such a great time reading this book. I would of course recommend reading the other books in the series first but you don't have to because the author calls back to the previous stories enough that you can understand the characters' previous adventures. If you want a funny, fairy-tale vibes book then this one is for you!
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
The characters were brilliant, I really liked how they were based around traditional fairy tale characters but with changes that made them so much better. Plus, we had some awesome queer representation in here with two LGBTQ+ couples that feature prominently in the story so that also gives the book an extra boost. I adored the ragtag team that had been formed and the dynamics that existed between them as well as the different groups that formed throughout the course of the book as they split off and rejoined each other. I just thought that all the characters were brilliant and each had a well-defined characteristic that added to the team that had been formed as well as providing a grounding for their actions and I liked how that stayed consistent throughout.
I really liked how we got to follow several storylines that were all interconnected at once and then we saw how they all came together at the end to see the happy endings that everyone got to have. I thought that the story was well-paced and well constructed to keep my interest throughout by keeping enough mystery and excitement as the separate storylines progressed and then come together again by the end to form a very dramatic and satisfying conclusion. I really liked the fact that we were able to see what happened to everyone after the final confrontation because it really added to the fairy-tale type feel of the book
The writing was witty and engaging and I had such a great time reading this book. I would of course recommend reading the other books in the series first but you don't have to because the author calls back to the previous stories enough that you can understand the characters' previous adventures. If you want a funny, fairy-tale vibes book then this one is for you!
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
April 15, 2021
This can’t be the end of the series, it’s way to good to come to an end! I could read dozens more books involving this series! It’s no wonder why this series if a fan favourite
The representation of beloved fairy tale characters are so imaginative and colourful that they become their own originals. Their friendship is what truly stands out and what makes this gang of quirky characters so awesome to read about. What I like most is that these characters that we all know and love have been reimagined into something different, something I have not read before, instead of the classic old retellings today. The women are strong, unconventional heroines.
British humour is the way to my heart, and Crouch’s sardonic wit is captured so well, almost like a reminiscent whisper of Sir Terry Pratchett’s humour. Of course, Trevor carries the weight of this.
It’s heart-warming but full of action and romance, humour and fantasy. A perfect ending to this perfectly imagined and exhilarating series. (I do hope this a glimmer for more in the future!)
The representation of beloved fairy tale characters are so imaginative and colourful that they become their own originals. Their friendship is what truly stands out and what makes this gang of quirky characters so awesome to read about. What I like most is that these characters that we all know and love have been reimagined into something different, something I have not read before, instead of the classic old retellings today. The women are strong, unconventional heroines.
British humour is the way to my heart, and Crouch’s sardonic wit is captured so well, almost like a reminiscent whisper of Sir Terry Pratchett’s humour. Of course, Trevor carries the weight of this.
It’s heart-warming but full of action and romance, humour and fantasy. A perfect ending to this perfectly imagined and exhilarating series. (I do hope this a glimmer for more in the future!)
June 24, 2021
With Thanks to Duckworth Books and Gabby Hutchinson Crouch for an advance readers copy of the book.
4 1/2*
A very enjoyable, and unique fairy tale retelling.
This is the third of 3, and I hadn't read the first two however there is enough background to catch up pretty quickly. The writing is witty! That's the only real way I can put it, clever, laugh out loud funny with a note of sarcastic social commentary. I'm a big fan of this style of writing, (think Terry Pratchett, Jodi Taylor or Ben Aaronovitch) and I'm really happy to have found a new author to obsess over,
I loved this one enough to go out and purchase the pervious 2, i plan to binge read them all together.
4 1/2*
A very enjoyable, and unique fairy tale retelling.
This is the third of 3, and I hadn't read the first two however there is enough background to catch up pretty quickly. The writing is witty! That's the only real way I can put it, clever, laugh out loud funny with a note of sarcastic social commentary. I'm a big fan of this style of writing, (think Terry Pratchett, Jodi Taylor or Ben Aaronovitch) and I'm really happy to have found a new author to obsess over,
I loved this one enough to go out and purchase the pervious 2, i plan to binge read them all together.
March 27, 2022
Read out some time ago, good continuasion even if the first volume is by far the best i appriciate the seing what happened after. A bit few days this books is about to be able to do all and the ending felt a bit wierd but liked the characters and the warm fuzzy humor is still there. Recomended id you want pratchett-like books.
May 11, 2021
Review copy acquired via Netgalley. Review is 100% honest.
A sweet fairytale retelling!
I love how the author made her own version and mix the characters. It was a sweet ride :)
A sweet fairytale retelling!
I love how the author made her own version and mix the characters. It was a sweet ride :)
May 19, 2023
A satisfying ending...but I could do with a few spin-offs!
December 12, 2021
Once again this author pulls it off with great characters and story. Who could resist Trevor and his selection of hats! Strong plot and the fight against the huntsmen once again ensues. Can Snow win the fight and the day!! I just love this series and I’m not sure if there will be any others as it did finish on a note where it could go either way. I really hope there is another one but if not please Gaby Hutchinson Crouch write more books. If your yet to discover this series what are you waiting for, pick it up today, but be careful of bin night!!
July 2, 2021
There's a beautiful nuance to the Darkwood trilogy that you just miss without Glass Coffin. Gabby Hutchinson Crouch has written an adventure story that reflects our modern world, but focuses on the adventure of relationships: romantic, platonic, community and familial.
Each turn of the page in this book reinforces that it's the way we band together that brings success, and it does this without losing sight of the overall plot.
A wonderful book. I can't wait to read more by her.
Each turn of the page in this book reinforces that it's the way we band together that brings success, and it does this without losing sight of the overall plot.
A wonderful book. I can't wait to read more by her.
December 28, 2021
This is such a fun story and one I enjoyed much more than I expected! While the huntsmen’s leader vows to rid the place of every last magical being, Gretel, Snow and the others decide to go on a mission to recruit a powerful witch, the Glass Witch, to help them. But strange things begin to happen on their journey and the glass witch may not be so willing to help.
I have to admit that I had never read any of the books in the Darkwood trilogy before this one even though I was told, before this tour, that this one could be read as a standalone. It’s good but I really wish I had read the other two books first, as this story is just so good and I just wish I had known more about the characters and their back stories before diving into this one. The writing style, though, made me enjoy reading this straight away and I found myself smiling and often laughing at some of the things happening. At the start of the book something happens to Gretel and then with Jack and Hex, and soon after the group decide they must separate, with some of them going off to find the Glass Witch while the others head off to the Citadel. The story follows both parties as well as a few others who are left behind to wait for them. I didn’t know the characters in detail before I started this book and although I of course knew how the chracters are based on well known fairy tales, I didn’t know everything that had happened in the previous two books which did make it a little harder to really get into until I was about a quarter/third way into the book.
The story is funny and also exciting. I like what happens to the characters and the adventure they all have. I especially liked what happened with Buttercup who shows herself to be stronger and more resilient than expected. I love how she constantly turns things into pastries and breads even at dramtic moments, and I also loved all the moments with Trevor the talking spider who made the whole story much more fun and funny. A lot happens in the Citadel and I like how interesting and some of the charcters are, with their different abilities. The story is exciting and also gets very dramatic especially the moments with the Glass witch. I love how that particular fairy tale comes to life, the back story to it and how different and unexpected it is.
Even though I wasn’t sure about reading this at first, I was completely invested in the story after about a third of the way in and and I couldn’t put this book down as I just wanted to see what would happen. The ending is really good with so much happening, some dramatic moments, some sad and also some interesting and unexpected surprises too! I really like the conclusion to the tale and how things work out for so many of the characters and what ends up happening with them all. Even though this is a ya book I don’t think there’s anything triggering in this and it’s just such a funny and brilliant story with some often very silly moments. It feels like a book that slightly younger readers could enjoy too. At the start of the book is a guide to all the characters which was good for me as I didn’t know them and a good catch up for anyone who’s forgotten after reading the previous books.
Reading this book before the first two I do feel that I missed out a little and especially at the beginning in not really knowing what had happened to the characters before. But the author does do a good job of giving you some of the back story within the novel and by the end I felt I did know the characters and had even grown to love many of them! I was told that the book could be read as a standalone and it can, it’s certainly made me interested in reading the rest of the trilogy, however, I do recommend reading the first books before this one if you can, as I think you’ll just get more enjoyment out of it if you do. I’m certainly going to read the first two books in the series as soon as I can as this book has made me want to find out more about these characters and their adventures before this!
Overall I’d recommend this book, even after just reading the last book in the series, it really is a brilliant story and I can’t wait to read more of this author’s work. I just love the writing style so much, it’s just so fun and made me laugh in so many places, but with a sweet story and some great and dramatic moments too that I’m sure any fan of fairy tales, that have some interesting twists, will love to read this!
-Thanks to the publisher for a free copy for review.
I have to admit that I had never read any of the books in the Darkwood trilogy before this one even though I was told, before this tour, that this one could be read as a standalone. It’s good but I really wish I had read the other two books first, as this story is just so good and I just wish I had known more about the characters and their back stories before diving into this one. The writing style, though, made me enjoy reading this straight away and I found myself smiling and often laughing at some of the things happening. At the start of the book something happens to Gretel and then with Jack and Hex, and soon after the group decide they must separate, with some of them going off to find the Glass Witch while the others head off to the Citadel. The story follows both parties as well as a few others who are left behind to wait for them. I didn’t know the characters in detail before I started this book and although I of course knew how the chracters are based on well known fairy tales, I didn’t know everything that had happened in the previous two books which did make it a little harder to really get into until I was about a quarter/third way into the book.
The story is funny and also exciting. I like what happens to the characters and the adventure they all have. I especially liked what happened with Buttercup who shows herself to be stronger and more resilient than expected. I love how she constantly turns things into pastries and breads even at dramtic moments, and I also loved all the moments with Trevor the talking spider who made the whole story much more fun and funny. A lot happens in the Citadel and I like how interesting and some of the charcters are, with their different abilities. The story is exciting and also gets very dramatic especially the moments with the Glass witch. I love how that particular fairy tale comes to life, the back story to it and how different and unexpected it is.
Even though I wasn’t sure about reading this at first, I was completely invested in the story after about a third of the way in and and I couldn’t put this book down as I just wanted to see what would happen. The ending is really good with so much happening, some dramatic moments, some sad and also some interesting and unexpected surprises too! I really like the conclusion to the tale and how things work out for so many of the characters and what ends up happening with them all. Even though this is a ya book I don’t think there’s anything triggering in this and it’s just such a funny and brilliant story with some often very silly moments. It feels like a book that slightly younger readers could enjoy too. At the start of the book is a guide to all the characters which was good for me as I didn’t know them and a good catch up for anyone who’s forgotten after reading the previous books.
Reading this book before the first two I do feel that I missed out a little and especially at the beginning in not really knowing what had happened to the characters before. But the author does do a good job of giving you some of the back story within the novel and by the end I felt I did know the characters and had even grown to love many of them! I was told that the book could be read as a standalone and it can, it’s certainly made me interested in reading the rest of the trilogy, however, I do recommend reading the first books before this one if you can, as I think you’ll just get more enjoyment out of it if you do. I’m certainly going to read the first two books in the series as soon as I can as this book has made me want to find out more about these characters and their adventures before this!
Overall I’d recommend this book, even after just reading the last book in the series, it really is a brilliant story and I can’t wait to read more of this author’s work. I just love the writing style so much, it’s just so fun and made me laugh in so many places, but with a sweet story and some great and dramatic moments too that I’m sure any fan of fairy tales, that have some interesting twists, will love to read this!
-Thanks to the publisher for a free copy for review.
June 12, 2021
𝗚𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻
𝗕𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
Thank you to @annecater14 and @farragobooks for my #gifted copy for #randomttours
*Synopsis*
The tyrannous Huntsmen have declared everyone in one village to be outlaws, since they insist on supporting the magical beings of neighbouring Darkwood. Why won’t they accept that magic is an abomination?
Far from being abominable, the residents of Darkwood are actually very nice when you get to know them, even Snow the White Knight, who can get a bit tetchy when people remind her she’s a Princess.
In order to stop the Huntsmen from wiping out all magical beings, Snow and her friends have to venture into the Badlands of Ashtrie, and seek the support of the Glass Witch – but she has plans of her own, and let’s just say they’re not good ones.
Well this book was a load of fun, I read it in a single sitting and couldn't help just reading and reading.
I didn't realise that this book is actually the 3rd and last book of The Darkwood series. However, even though I've missed out 2 books, Glass Coffin is very good as a standalone as well in my opinion. What helped with this book is the glossary of characters and the forest. There was a little background and with that it made it easier to understand each character, and what's going on. Still considering I've missed 2 books out, this story is so easy to follow and I couldn't help feel like I was really close to all the characters.
Speaking of characters, Glass Coffin has a full cast of characters and I LOVE THEM ALL! I felt so invested in each and every character. Our main MC is Snow the White Knight and a with whose technically a princess but she hates that. I love her so much and she is exceptionally funny. And then we have the wonderful Buttercup who can't help but turn everything into food. I generally want to be her character, turn stuff into food...my favourite food!? Oh gosh yes... chocolate on tap? Yes please, thank you very much. We also have Hansel and Gretel. Hansel is a badass witch and Gretel is a badass inventor, she is brilliant the things she makes. Yes to the feminism btw in this book! 🙌🏻 We also have Patience a ghost, Trevor the spider, Gilde a bear and Scarlett a wolf. Plus Jack and Hex (a cursed boy that turns into a Raven.) Like I said big cast and each character have just wonderful personalities. I want them all to be my friend to be perfectly honest.
I love that we have a both a sapphic romance and a gay romance. Yes to the LGBTQ+ rep, we love that in books, especially YA books.
I also love the different take of retellings and the magic and adventures these characters go through. I love that the characters we've known to be the baddies in fairytales, were the good guys. And the known goodies were the bad guys. I can't believe Ella (Cinderella) was the wicked witch....loved it!
Honestly I had a blast reading this book. I couldn't put it down. The waiting it done both captivating and beautifully. The humour and banter in this story leaves you smiling and laughing out loud. I love the different take to fairytale folklore and rettings. It was an original masterpiece and I definitely want the other 2 books to read, so I can fully know the whole story and know more of how these characters become friends. Definitely a fabulous YA fairytale rettelling masterpiece and a must read for sure! I hope there's more books in the near future, because I want more!
𝗕𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵
🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡
Thank you to @annecater14 and @farragobooks for my #gifted copy for #randomttours
*Synopsis*
The tyrannous Huntsmen have declared everyone in one village to be outlaws, since they insist on supporting the magical beings of neighbouring Darkwood. Why won’t they accept that magic is an abomination?
Far from being abominable, the residents of Darkwood are actually very nice when you get to know them, even Snow the White Knight, who can get a bit tetchy when people remind her she’s a Princess.
In order to stop the Huntsmen from wiping out all magical beings, Snow and her friends have to venture into the Badlands of Ashtrie, and seek the support of the Glass Witch – but she has plans of her own, and let’s just say they’re not good ones.
Well this book was a load of fun, I read it in a single sitting and couldn't help just reading and reading.
I didn't realise that this book is actually the 3rd and last book of The Darkwood series. However, even though I've missed out 2 books, Glass Coffin is very good as a standalone as well in my opinion. What helped with this book is the glossary of characters and the forest. There was a little background and with that it made it easier to understand each character, and what's going on. Still considering I've missed 2 books out, this story is so easy to follow and I couldn't help feel like I was really close to all the characters.
Speaking of characters, Glass Coffin has a full cast of characters and I LOVE THEM ALL! I felt so invested in each and every character. Our main MC is Snow the White Knight and a with whose technically a princess but she hates that. I love her so much and she is exceptionally funny. And then we have the wonderful Buttercup who can't help but turn everything into food. I generally want to be her character, turn stuff into food...my favourite food!? Oh gosh yes... chocolate on tap? Yes please, thank you very much. We also have Hansel and Gretel. Hansel is a badass witch and Gretel is a badass inventor, she is brilliant the things she makes. Yes to the feminism btw in this book! 🙌🏻 We also have Patience a ghost, Trevor the spider, Gilde a bear and Scarlett a wolf. Plus Jack and Hex (a cursed boy that turns into a Raven.) Like I said big cast and each character have just wonderful personalities. I want them all to be my friend to be perfectly honest.
I love that we have a both a sapphic romance and a gay romance. Yes to the LGBTQ+ rep, we love that in books, especially YA books.
I also love the different take of retellings and the magic and adventures these characters go through. I love that the characters we've known to be the baddies in fairytales, were the good guys. And the known goodies were the bad guys. I can't believe Ella (Cinderella) was the wicked witch....loved it!
Honestly I had a blast reading this book. I couldn't put it down. The waiting it done both captivating and beautifully. The humour and banter in this story leaves you smiling and laughing out loud. I love the different take to fairytale folklore and rettings. It was an original masterpiece and I definitely want the other 2 books to read, so I can fully know the whole story and know more of how these characters become friends. Definitely a fabulous YA fairytale rettelling masterpiece and a must read for sure! I hope there's more books in the near future, because I want more!
June 12, 2021
Review first published on my blog: http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/202...
The magical creatures in the Darkwood and the residents of Nearby Village are preparing for an uprising. They don't want to continue hiding from the Huntsmen until they've all been found and magic has been eradicated. But they know they cannot lead a revolution by themselves, they need help. And so they venture out into the Badlands of Ashtrie, searching for The Glass Witch. With the power of former Queen Ella by their sides, the magical beings, which includes a witch, a ghost, a man with a raven's wing, and even a spider, hope to overrule the Huntsmen and convince the citizens of the Citadel that magic can be good – and everyone should be accepted for who they are.
Before I dive properly into my review, I have to admit something. I was so taken by this book's title and blurb that I completely glossed over the fact that it's the third in a series. And I haven't read the previous two books. From the storyline I *thought* this was to be read as a standalone, but with a large cast of characters, all with a shared history, it took me a little while to keep everyone apart and fully comprehend the various relations between them. That's totally my bad, but in case you also have not read the other books in the series, just a heads-up that it's highly recommended that you pick those up first.
Now onto the rest of the review... What I love so much about retellings, reimaginings, or whatever you want to call them, is that you get to discover a different side to famous characters from classic tales. And Glass Coffin is absolutely jam-packed with creatures from the stories we all grew up with, with a slight twist. Little Red Riding Hood is a werewolf, Snow White is a knight, the Pied Piper is a pickler, and even Odette from Swan Lake makes an appearance. I absolutely loved discovering who all the characters were in the stories I have read before, and they worked so well together as a team in this one.
Another thing I really enjoyed is how modern the stories felt. The author incorporates contemporary topics, particularly in the relationships of the characters, and the language used throughout is so on point. It's witty, with lots of little jokes and generous winks to the audience – and I am all here for it.
Despite the epic proportions of the plot – an all-out war between magic and those that oppose it – the book was light-hearted and fast-paced. Almost too much so at times. There were no less than three different storylines happening simultaneously and it was a shame that we spent so little time with each before switching between them. I wanted more depth and detail for each one of them before they came together for the concluding chapters.
Any tension in the plot was also resolved fairly quickly and easily because of this. Perhaps it's because I'm so used to the original fairy tales these characters were picked from being incredibly bleak, but I would've liked a bit more darkness throughout. I enjoyed the fun tone of the book with the in-jokes and banter, but I missed more balance so the threat of the 'evil' characters would've felt more ominous. If you love a perfect happily ever after though? Then this is definitely the book for you, trust me on that one.
While this wasn't quite the good vs evil epic I was expecting, it was a really enjoyable read overall. I ended up falling in love with a lot of the characters (and their adorable relationships, Jack/Hex forever!) and I now want to know how they all met and ended up in Darkwood. So I guess I'll be reading the previous two books after all...
3.5 stars
The magical creatures in the Darkwood and the residents of Nearby Village are preparing for an uprising. They don't want to continue hiding from the Huntsmen until they've all been found and magic has been eradicated. But they know they cannot lead a revolution by themselves, they need help. And so they venture out into the Badlands of Ashtrie, searching for The Glass Witch. With the power of former Queen Ella by their sides, the magical beings, which includes a witch, a ghost, a man with a raven's wing, and even a spider, hope to overrule the Huntsmen and convince the citizens of the Citadel that magic can be good – and everyone should be accepted for who they are.
Before I dive properly into my review, I have to admit something. I was so taken by this book's title and blurb that I completely glossed over the fact that it's the third in a series. And I haven't read the previous two books. From the storyline I *thought* this was to be read as a standalone, but with a large cast of characters, all with a shared history, it took me a little while to keep everyone apart and fully comprehend the various relations between them. That's totally my bad, but in case you also have not read the other books in the series, just a heads-up that it's highly recommended that you pick those up first.
Now onto the rest of the review... What I love so much about retellings, reimaginings, or whatever you want to call them, is that you get to discover a different side to famous characters from classic tales. And Glass Coffin is absolutely jam-packed with creatures from the stories we all grew up with, with a slight twist. Little Red Riding Hood is a werewolf, Snow White is a knight, the Pied Piper is a pickler, and even Odette from Swan Lake makes an appearance. I absolutely loved discovering who all the characters were in the stories I have read before, and they worked so well together as a team in this one.
Another thing I really enjoyed is how modern the stories felt. The author incorporates contemporary topics, particularly in the relationships of the characters, and the language used throughout is so on point. It's witty, with lots of little jokes and generous winks to the audience – and I am all here for it.
Despite the epic proportions of the plot – an all-out war between magic and those that oppose it – the book was light-hearted and fast-paced. Almost too much so at times. There were no less than three different storylines happening simultaneously and it was a shame that we spent so little time with each before switching between them. I wanted more depth and detail for each one of them before they came together for the concluding chapters.
Any tension in the plot was also resolved fairly quickly and easily because of this. Perhaps it's because I'm so used to the original fairy tales these characters were picked from being incredibly bleak, but I would've liked a bit more darkness throughout. I enjoyed the fun tone of the book with the in-jokes and banter, but I missed more balance so the threat of the 'evil' characters would've felt more ominous. If you love a perfect happily ever after though? Then this is definitely the book for you, trust me on that one.
While this wasn't quite the good vs evil epic I was expecting, it was a really enjoyable read overall. I ended up falling in love with a lot of the characters (and their adorable relationships, Jack/Hex forever!) and I now want to know how they all met and ended up in Darkwood. So I guess I'll be reading the previous two books after all...
3.5 stars
June 18, 2023
I received an eARC of Glass Coffin from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely, heartfelt finale to a series that deserves so much more love than it currently has. I'm annoyed it's taken me so long to read Glass Coffin because I loved it--I didn't like Such Big Teeth quite as much as I loved Darkwood and was a little worried Glass Coffin would disappoint me. But no other book could make me tear up over a spider.
With the powerful Huntsmen on the rise and their campaign against all magical beings growing, Gretel and her found family of fairy tale characters set off in search of the powerful Glass Witch with the hope that they can convince her to join their cause and defeat the Huntsmen for good. The Glass Witch, however, seems to be far more villain than hero.
There's so much to love about Glass Coffin and this series as a whole. I love Gabby Hutchinson Crouch's sense of humour - parts of this story are just plain daft, but they're so charming that the humour doesn't pull you out of the novel's more serious elements - and I love her take on fairy tale characters. Her version of Snow White, in particular, is one of my favourite versions of one of fairy tales' most famous characters. I've said before that this series feels more Shrek than Brothers Grimm, but it still has so much heart. I've loved this series as an adult, but oh my gosh I wish it had been around when I was a child.
I also deeply appreciate how casually queer normative these books are. I adore the relationship between Snow and Buttercup, in particular, and I think Buttercup is the heart of this series.
I'm heartbroken that it's over, but I can't wait to buy hard copies for my shelves and read them over and over again. I love these books and I desperately want more people to read them.
What a lovely, heartfelt finale to a series that deserves so much more love than it currently has. I'm annoyed it's taken me so long to read Glass Coffin because I loved it--I didn't like Such Big Teeth quite as much as I loved Darkwood and was a little worried Glass Coffin would disappoint me. But no other book could make me tear up over a spider.
With the powerful Huntsmen on the rise and their campaign against all magical beings growing, Gretel and her found family of fairy tale characters set off in search of the powerful Glass Witch with the hope that they can convince her to join their cause and defeat the Huntsmen for good. The Glass Witch, however, seems to be far more villain than hero.
There's so much to love about Glass Coffin and this series as a whole. I love Gabby Hutchinson Crouch's sense of humour - parts of this story are just plain daft, but they're so charming that the humour doesn't pull you out of the novel's more serious elements - and I love her take on fairy tale characters. Her version of Snow White, in particular, is one of my favourite versions of one of fairy tales' most famous characters. I've said before that this series feels more Shrek than Brothers Grimm, but it still has so much heart. I've loved this series as an adult, but oh my gosh I wish it had been around when I was a child.
I also deeply appreciate how casually queer normative these books are. I adore the relationship between Snow and Buttercup, in particular, and I think Buttercup is the heart of this series.
I'm heartbroken that it's over, but I can't wait to buy hard copies for my shelves and read them over and over again. I love these books and I desperately want more people to read them.
March 24, 2021
This is the third book of a series, of which I've not read the first two (yet, anyway; I probably will do so). However, there was enough previously-on that I got caught up easily and had no trouble following it.
At first I thought: you can have traditional fairy-tale characters, or you can have rounded characters, but it's very difficult to manage to have both, and this author is attempting to do so more by telling than by showing. However, a lot of that was the backstory/recap, and in the end I did feel like at least some characters exhibited at least some depth. There were a lot of characters, though, and most of them still felt a bit one-note.
It's reasonably funny. It's not Terry Pratchett funny, but then, what is? It's British funny, too, which works for me.
Like Pratchett, it's also good-hearted and believes in people, and their potential, and that all of them should be treated equally and fairly and as people (I can't say "human beings" in this context, given that one is a spider, and another a werewolf, and several have been transformed into one thing or another, but you know what I mean), and that the most unlikely, ordinary-seeming people can be heroes in the right situation.
Overall, the good-heartedness (and the fact that it's not chock-full of the usual copy editing issues, even in the pre-release copy I got via Netgalley) gets it into my Best of the Year recommendation list, though perhaps only by a whisker. For my taste, it's better than Jasper Fforde - I've never been a huge Fforde ffan, to be honest - but has a long way to go to be Pratchett at top form. On the other hand, this is only the third book, and the third Diskworld book had a long way to go to be Pratchett at top form, too. It shows promise, and fulfils at least some of it.
At first I thought: you can have traditional fairy-tale characters, or you can have rounded characters, but it's very difficult to manage to have both, and this author is attempting to do so more by telling than by showing. However, a lot of that was the backstory/recap, and in the end I did feel like at least some characters exhibited at least some depth. There were a lot of characters, though, and most of them still felt a bit one-note.
It's reasonably funny. It's not Terry Pratchett funny, but then, what is? It's British funny, too, which works for me.
Like Pratchett, it's also good-hearted and believes in people, and their potential, and that all of them should be treated equally and fairly and as people (I can't say "human beings" in this context, given that one is a spider, and another a werewolf, and several have been transformed into one thing or another, but you know what I mean), and that the most unlikely, ordinary-seeming people can be heroes in the right situation.
Overall, the good-heartedness (and the fact that it's not chock-full of the usual copy editing issues, even in the pre-release copy I got via Netgalley) gets it into my Best of the Year recommendation list, though perhaps only by a whisker. For my taste, it's better than Jasper Fforde - I've never been a huge Fforde ffan, to be honest - but has a long way to go to be Pratchett at top form. On the other hand, this is only the third book, and the third Diskworld book had a long way to go to be Pratchett at top form, too. It shows promise, and fulfils at least some of it.
May 20, 2021
I was given a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third and final installment in Crouch's Darkwood series. I adored the first book, and I enjoyed the second one. This one, however, did not reach the potential the series set out with.
My primary issue with Glass Coffin is that this book delves much deeper into the personal relationships between several main characters and neglects the overarching narrative to do so. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a venture into romance or reflection, it felt out of place in this series that was written as a light-hearted, sarcastic fairy tale mash-up reminiscent of the work of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. Unfortunately, the novel's increased focus on Snow's introspection and recognition of her feelings and Jack and Hex's oddly one-sided relationship, felt oddly incongruous with that original aim.
Additionally, as the interpersonal relationships became the main story, the primary storyline of the trilogy (the defeat of the Huntsman and the future of humans and magical beings alike), fell out of focus and felt like an afterthought. Instead of the exciting conclusion I was hoping for, this book ended with a couple of weddings (not unlike traditional fairytales) and a sidenote of overall resolution. I found myself disappointed.
Overall, Crouch's writing is extremely fun, and I greatly appreciate her ability to weave significant, cultural issues into a completely fantastical narrative. I would definitely try her books again in the future, but this one was an unfortunate conclusion to a series that could have been amazing.
This is the third and final installment in Crouch's Darkwood series. I adored the first book, and I enjoyed the second one. This one, however, did not reach the potential the series set out with.
My primary issue with Glass Coffin is that this book delves much deeper into the personal relationships between several main characters and neglects the overarching narrative to do so. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a venture into romance or reflection, it felt out of place in this series that was written as a light-hearted, sarcastic fairy tale mash-up reminiscent of the work of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. Unfortunately, the novel's increased focus on Snow's introspection and recognition of her feelings and Jack and Hex's oddly one-sided relationship, felt oddly incongruous with that original aim.
Additionally, as the interpersonal relationships became the main story, the primary storyline of the trilogy (the defeat of the Huntsman and the future of humans and magical beings alike), fell out of focus and felt like an afterthought. Instead of the exciting conclusion I was hoping for, this book ended with a couple of weddings (not unlike traditional fairytales) and a sidenote of overall resolution. I found myself disappointed.
Overall, Crouch's writing is extremely fun, and I greatly appreciate her ability to weave significant, cultural issues into a completely fantastical narrative. I would definitely try her books again in the future, but this one was an unfortunate conclusion to a series that could have been amazing.
June 11, 2021
I just finished this final installment in the Darkwood trilogy and I have to say: I loved it.
Call them fractured, twisted, modern, or whatever else you might want, these fairy tales are alive and kicking. All the old characters are reimagined in humorous and lovable ways: Snow, the White Knight, who lives in a cave with seven very hairy, very smelly, very loyal dwarves; Hansel the Mudd Witch and his twin sister Gretel the inventor; Buttercup, she of edible cottage in the woods fame; Jack the Lad, who accidentally killed a giant as a child and has been a charming rogue on the run ever since. Add to these a talking spider, a half man-half raven, a cranky old witch, a werewolf, and some brand new additions like Rumplestiltskin and Salad, whose magical talent is hair that grows constantly (bonus points if you understand the name reference there), and my favorite new character: Old Nikolas, the Midwinter Witch.
Anyway, there's battles brewing, an evil queen in a glass castle to be overthrown, a crew of evil Huntsman, and some very big feelings to be dealt with as well. This is a great adventure full of magic and fun, humor and ingenuity, with intense scenes of battle and tender scenes of friendship and love, with the theme of accepting yourself and others with love arching over the whole story.
I have loved this whole series and am sad to see it end. I am sure I will return to the Darkwood and the friends that dwell therein again somewhere down the road. Until then, Merry Jolly!
Call them fractured, twisted, modern, or whatever else you might want, these fairy tales are alive and kicking. All the old characters are reimagined in humorous and lovable ways: Snow, the White Knight, who lives in a cave with seven very hairy, very smelly, very loyal dwarves; Hansel the Mudd Witch and his twin sister Gretel the inventor; Buttercup, she of edible cottage in the woods fame; Jack the Lad, who accidentally killed a giant as a child and has been a charming rogue on the run ever since. Add to these a talking spider, a half man-half raven, a cranky old witch, a werewolf, and some brand new additions like Rumplestiltskin and Salad, whose magical talent is hair that grows constantly (bonus points if you understand the name reference there), and my favorite new character: Old Nikolas, the Midwinter Witch.
Anyway, there's battles brewing, an evil queen in a glass castle to be overthrown, a crew of evil Huntsman, and some very big feelings to be dealt with as well. This is a great adventure full of magic and fun, humor and ingenuity, with intense scenes of battle and tender scenes of friendship and love, with the theme of accepting yourself and others with love arching over the whole story.
I have loved this whole series and am sad to see it end. I am sure I will return to the Darkwood and the friends that dwell therein again somewhere down the road. Until then, Merry Jolly!
October 4, 2021
An absolutely phenomenal book series in so many ways. Gabby is a masterful writer, creating lovable and distinct characters you root for with every fibre of your being! With the exception of a couple of the big villains, Gabby expertly shows you the softer and more vulnerable side of even the prickliest of people, making your heart go out to them. Everyone is human, flawed and simply brilliant.
There were moments where I wept like a baby, punched the air, laughed hysterically - everything you could possibly want from a modern classic.
The contemporary and unexpected twists on classic fairytales are delightful, so clever and so engaging! Also so progressive and containing such great messages of inclusion for kids and adults alike.
Speaking of which, this isn’t just for kids. My mum and I have both read the series (in our thirties and sixties respectively) and LOVED every second.
Gabby has such a distinct tone to her work and her writing is so witty and delightful. Every sentence sparkles. Nobody else could have written it this way - her talent shines through in every word.
Basically, if you haven’t yet read this trilogy, I’m very jealous because you’re in for SUCH a treat. Do yourself a favour and buy all three, then clear your schedule.
In short, these books deserve to be bestsellers, adapted and recognised worldwide. I look forward to seeing them soar as more and more people discover them. Thank you, Gabby - these books will be comfort reads for me for years to come.
There were moments where I wept like a baby, punched the air, laughed hysterically - everything you could possibly want from a modern classic.
The contemporary and unexpected twists on classic fairytales are delightful, so clever and so engaging! Also so progressive and containing such great messages of inclusion for kids and adults alike.
Speaking of which, this isn’t just for kids. My mum and I have both read the series (in our thirties and sixties respectively) and LOVED every second.
Gabby has such a distinct tone to her work and her writing is so witty and delightful. Every sentence sparkles. Nobody else could have written it this way - her talent shines through in every word.
Basically, if you haven’t yet read this trilogy, I’m very jealous because you’re in for SUCH a treat. Do yourself a favour and buy all three, then clear your schedule.
In short, these books deserve to be bestsellers, adapted and recognised worldwide. I look forward to seeing them soar as more and more people discover them. Thank you, Gabby - these books will be comfort reads for me for years to come.
November 5, 2021
If you see my reviews for the previous two instalments of this series, you will get an idea as to why I was surprised by the ending(s) provided in this one. For a fairytale retelling that could not be any quirkier, it had a very sedate finale. The conversations and banter in the group and the implied meanings in those words continues to hold the maximum power in the adventures in the narrative.
This is one book I would not recommend unless you have read the previous ones. This will make no sense at all! Over the last two books (although very little actual time has passed), battles have been fought, but the war is still up for grabs. This is probably the shortest of adventures (I say this without looking at the page count), with things happening swiftly and falling over each other in order to reach the finish. This last part should have been a downside, but it worked surprisingly. It forced certain characters to introspect faster than they would have otherwise and grow to reach their own potentials. There are a lot of romantic pairings, providing enough variety- from the most standard to the most bizarre.
There is not much more that I can add here which would make sense in a review of the last in a series. There are versions of popular fairytales mashed together in new ways and put in a sort-of-feudal-time world. It does not seem to take itself seriously, even as it tackles some tricky questions about people's views of themselves. The humour is something that grows on you (if you aren't already familiar with the style) over time. The action scenes are many and frequent, making it a quick read with some speed-breakers in terms of more subtle humour hidden in between.
I would recommend the series as a whole to someone on the lookout for a 'different' retelling.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
This is one book I would not recommend unless you have read the previous ones. This will make no sense at all! Over the last two books (although very little actual time has passed), battles have been fought, but the war is still up for grabs. This is probably the shortest of adventures (I say this without looking at the page count), with things happening swiftly and falling over each other in order to reach the finish. This last part should have been a downside, but it worked surprisingly. It forced certain characters to introspect faster than they would have otherwise and grow to reach their own potentials. There are a lot of romantic pairings, providing enough variety- from the most standard to the most bizarre.
There is not much more that I can add here which would make sense in a review of the last in a series. There are versions of popular fairytales mashed together in new ways and put in a sort-of-feudal-time world. It does not seem to take itself seriously, even as it tackles some tricky questions about people's views of themselves. The humour is something that grows on you (if you aren't already familiar with the style) over time. The action scenes are many and frequent, making it a quick read with some speed-breakers in terms of more subtle humour hidden in between.
I would recommend the series as a whole to someone on the lookout for a 'different' retelling.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
April 1, 2021
*Thanks to Farrago & Netgalley for the advance copy*
Glass Coffin has cemented the Darkwood series as one of my favourites.
The witty twist on our favourite fairy tales takes on a darker shade in this third installment: the characters we've got to know in the last two books showing more depth and intricacy; new characters bringing edges of warmth and of horror. We see different angles of characters we thought we knew, both good and bad, and meet new ones, all with striking individuality and their own ways of thinking.
Glass Coffin is an absolute roller coaster of a read. There are the by now expected moments of laugh-out-loud humour, interspersed with scorching social commentary, seat-of-your-pants adventure, and scenes that made me gasp, and others that left me in tears. There is also wonderful attention paid to the practicalities of shape-changing, which I appreciated.
As a series with a strong heart and social conscience, a dark humour reminiscent of Pratchett, and a cast of wonderfully memorable characters, if Darkwood doesn't soon become a modern classic I shall eat my trousers.
Glass Coffin has cemented the Darkwood series as one of my favourites.
The witty twist on our favourite fairy tales takes on a darker shade in this third installment: the characters we've got to know in the last two books showing more depth and intricacy; new characters bringing edges of warmth and of horror. We see different angles of characters we thought we knew, both good and bad, and meet new ones, all with striking individuality and their own ways of thinking.
Glass Coffin is an absolute roller coaster of a read. There are the by now expected moments of laugh-out-loud humour, interspersed with scorching social commentary, seat-of-your-pants adventure, and scenes that made me gasp, and others that left me in tears. There is also wonderful attention paid to the practicalities of shape-changing, which I appreciated.
As a series with a strong heart and social conscience, a dark humour reminiscent of Pratchett, and a cast of wonderfully memorable characters, if Darkwood doesn't soon become a modern classic I shall eat my trousers.
April 30, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this advanced copy in return for an honest review
In order to get to this book, I had the pleasure of reading the entire trilogy, and I absolutely loved every installment. I binge-read the entire trilogy in less than a week because I could not get enough of Gabby Hutchinson Crouch's writing. Somehow she makes this retelling of fairytales so witty, profound, and funny. I loved how she was able to bring well-known characters into a fresh tale where they weren't necessarily tied down to their original narrative.
I loved the inclusion of romance in this book and how same-sex relationships were casual and inclusive. There was no exaggeration of them, but instead, the celebration of an entire community over two queens getting married to one another.
I liked this book a lot and would definitely recommend it to those that want a fun yet dark reading experience with fairytales.
CW: nakedness, brief fatphobia
In order to get to this book, I had the pleasure of reading the entire trilogy, and I absolutely loved every installment. I binge-read the entire trilogy in less than a week because I could not get enough of Gabby Hutchinson Crouch's writing. Somehow she makes this retelling of fairytales so witty, profound, and funny. I loved how she was able to bring well-known characters into a fresh tale where they weren't necessarily tied down to their original narrative.
I loved the inclusion of romance in this book and how same-sex relationships were casual and inclusive. There was no exaggeration of them, but instead, the celebration of an entire community over two queens getting married to one another.
I liked this book a lot and would definitely recommend it to those that want a fun yet dark reading experience with fairytales.
CW: nakedness, brief fatphobia
March 29, 2021
Glass Coffin is the third and I think final book in the Darkwood series and it is by far the best. We join our intrepid gang of magical and non magical misfits as they prepare to take on the might of the Huntsmen. The team decide to split up (never wise) Snow, Gretel, Hex and Jack go off to cursed Ashtrie in search of the Glass Witch to recruit her to the cause, the rest of the gang head to the citadel to start a whisper revolution to unite the magical people and drum up the support of the non magical through good deeds and general niceness.
These books are so much fun and I love reimagined fairy tales and I like that that’s kind of secondary to the message of the book. They are just a bunch of good guys going up against the corrupted powers that be. Obviously Trevor is the best and props to Gretel for doing it all while on the blob, what a trooper.
These books are so much fun and I love reimagined fairy tales and I like that that’s kind of secondary to the message of the book. They are just a bunch of good guys going up against the corrupted powers that be. Obviously Trevor is the best and props to Gretel for doing it all while on the blob, what a trooper.
April 2, 2021
The final part of the trilogy. Gretel, Snow and the gang continue their battle to protect the magical folk against the evil huntsmen. Seeking the help of the Glass Witch of Ashtrie, part of the group set off through the Darkwood, whilst the others head off to the citadel. Unfortunately, the Glass Witch has no intention of helping them, on the contrary, she wants to eliminate them and the huntsmen feel exactly the same way.
I have enjoyed this series immensely. The variety of characters, the twists of fairy tales and most of all the humour. This book is a beautiful homage to the power of friendship and solidarity. A fabulous ending and Trevor will always be my favourite character. The only downside is that it's all over, I will miss them all so much.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
I have enjoyed this series immensely. The variety of characters, the twists of fairy tales and most of all the humour. This book is a beautiful homage to the power of friendship and solidarity. A fabulous ending and Trevor will always be my favourite character. The only downside is that it's all over, I will miss them all so much.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
April 4, 2021
A romping conclusion to the Darkwood Series that neatly ties up the individual tales of fan favorites from Ashtrie, the Darkwood, Nearby, and even the Citadel. Roughly half the novel is focused on the malevolent machinations of the villainous Queen Ella (Cinderella) whose devastating rule over Ashtrie has long lurked in the background of the other two novels. The other half of the novel focuses on the Citadel and the efforts of the Darkwoods denizens to end the reign of the Chief Hunstman newly installed in Book 2 and put the White Knight (aka Snow White) back on the throne. This is probably one of the darkest books in the series, although most of the horror of war is softened by Crouch's wry narration. Reading the other books in the series before reading this one is highly recommended, verging on required.
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