Beyond the Deepwoods

I'd never heard of the Edge Chronicles before, but I found this in a secondhand bookstore while on vacation and I was so taken with the illustrations that I bought it.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the thought and care that's gone into the world building of the Deepwoods is rich and clever. The illustrations are as detailed as the print quality will allow, and are expressive and exciting. The writing is very descriptive and lively, and it's a real treat to read something so imaginative, and then also have en equally engaging depiction right next to it. It makes for a very fun reading experience, and kind of made me wish that more adult genre fiction had rich illustrations as well. I love using my imagination on my own steam, but it's quite delightful sometimes to have that immersive visual experience as well.

The story has a meandering, episodic kind of vibe to it, similar I would say to Alice in Wonderland, where you're constantly meeting new characters and exploring new places. It meant that we never really spent enough time with anyone other than Twig long enough to become attached to them, but there's never a dull moment, and the pace keeps everything moving forward at a clip. I can definitely understand how that would appeal to middle-grade readers — and adults looking for a fun and imaginative read.

The story is obviously intended as one part of a larger story, but it ends very satisfyingly. It sets up a good foundation for more adventures without making you feel like you've read a teaser rather than a complete book. I don't feel pressure to immediately launch myself into the next one, which is nice since I'm not much of a series-reader. That said, I would quite happily continue the series if I happen to pick them up.