Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Please be aware that this is the second book in a series so this review will contain spoilers.
Goodreads Synopsis for The Hazel Wood…
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”
Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.
Review
So I didn’t actually realise that there was going to be a sequel to The Hazel Wood so when I saw this book up on NetGalley I knew I couldn’t miss out on the chance to re-enter this magical world that captivated me when I read it.
I would love to spend a day in Melissa Albert’s head. The stories that she has created and the complete twist on fairy tales are amazing. It’s what drew me into The Hazel Wood and gave me high hopes for The Night Country.
I loved being back with Alice and Ella and whilst it had been a while since I read The Hazel Wood I found myself quickly remembering what happened so I didn’t have too long of an awkward period of feeling completely lost. Both Alice and Ella are such strong characters who are fighting their own battles. They just want to live normal lives, but nothing ever goes right for the pair.
However, as much as I grew to love Finch in The Hazel Wood, I found his part of the story incredibly boring and found myself skim reading parts to get back to Alice’s story. I wanted more of Finch, I wanted more of an interaction between him and Iolanthe and honestly, I think the way they merged the two stories was incredibly rushed.
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved The Hazel Wood but, in all honesty, I was left feeling disappointed. The book was much shorter than I thought it would be and the pacing just felt off for me.
Overall it was a good read but for me it just fell flat. However, I do love Albert’s way of writing, her dark twist on fairy tales and I look forward to her future books.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Comments