The Darkest Part of the Forest

I'm writing this review to figure out my rating. XD I picked this up specifically because I was curious about Holly Black, but I knew that some of her adult books cross lines that I don't want to read (I'm full up on betrayal, lol).

And as a fairy tale-loving drama-fearing weenie, I . . . was interested. I liked the ending and I loved the way the characters came together. The setting was stuffed full enough of atmosphere to burst. The folklore was wide-ranging and fun to see used in a modern tale.

However, for the first half of the book, I didn't care too much for the characters. I had a little trouble keeping some of them straight, and I didn't see enough emotion (other than angst) to really hold on to as a reader. It was almost as if, perhaps, the story started in the wrong place. I wonder if I might have felt more invested had there been a prologue containing one particularly important scene, and then more character discussion rather than flashbacks. Perhaps that might have been contrary to the author's style, though.

Suffice it to say, this was a good travel read and the ending was satisfying. If you're soft-hearted like me, you may find yourself a bit turned off by parts of the beginning and skimming a few bits at the end, but other than that you can get a great feel for how the folklore is brought into the modern world and some sweet proclamations of love.