Book Review: The Wood
The Wood
by: Chelsea Bobulski
Finished on: August 17, 2017
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
I received a free Advanced Readers Copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway in return for an honest review. I recommend this book for fans of young adult fantasies.
Synopsis:
For generations, Winter's family has been protectors of the wood. The wood is a magical place, home to portals to different times and places. Visitors often stumble into the wood on accident, and it is her family's job to guide them back to to their homes.
As Winter grows older, her father teaches her more about the mysterious and dangerous woods in their backyard. He trains her so that she can can help guide people back to their original portals within the wood. But he warns her that the woods change at night, rendering a dangerous landscape that even Winter can't survive. While Winter is still in high school, her father goes missing while on patrol of the woods. Then, the woods start going under an ominous transformation - leaves and entire trees start to get covered in what looks like a black tar. While patrolling, Winter finds a boy her age wandering in the woods. Instead of wanting to go back to his home, he is trying to escape. He may know something about what happened to Winter's father. But can she trust him?
My review:
I thought The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski was a unique young adult read. There was a bit of insta-love (which is much too common in young adult books), but at least Winter remained practical about her relationship with Henry.
Further, I really enjoyed Winter as a narrator. She is practical when considering school versus her destiny guarding the woods. She is not boy crazy, she tries to be a good daughter and friend, and she actually thinks through her decisions. She is a refreshing main character in the sea of annoying young adult leading ladies. There are still a few moments that require an eye roll, but not so many that you get distracted. If anything, I would recommend this book to younger young adult audiences. The romance is pretty PG and the themes of a young girl using her smarts and making good decisions dominates.
The concept of the wood being a land of magical portals felt special to this book. If there has been a similar overarching fantasy story, I either haven't read it, or didn't make the connection. While the broad plot - two young adults figuring out an nefarious plan and trying to save everyone is fairly common, this this makes for an interesting read. Tons of fall vibes for anyone looking for a new read to add to their to be read lists!
This book is pegged as a "thrilling" read, but I didn't get the thriller vibe at any point, except maybe from the cover image. If anything, I would classify this as a young adult fantasy. Overall, I rate this 3.5/5 stars. A unique young-adult fantasy that is suited for younger readers. I enjoyed this quick read!
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