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A review by emilymahar
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
5.0
This book was probably my most anticipated 2018 release. I’ve been talking about it endlessly on all of my social media. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to say that this book surpassed all of my extremely high expectations!
A modern-day fairytale of its own, this book is a dark take on stories, characters, and traversing worlds. I didn’t want to put this one down. I wanted to keep uncovering the secrets of Alice’s life, her mother, grandmother, and the Hinterland.
One of the reasons I loved it so much was because it’s a story-lover’s book. Centered around fairytales and their crossover with the modern-day world, we’re pulled deep into a mysterious, chilling, but alluring place that is the Hinterland.
The writing, the characters, but I think mostly, the world and the incredibly unique concept is what made me fall in love with this book. The Hinterland is eerie and chilling, but also magical and seductive.
I also really loved Alice. She’s a main character you root for. But she’s also got lots of layers (we learn about more and more as the story progresses). She’s determined to get her mother back at whatever cost.
Ellery Finch (what a great name!), was another highlight for me. He’s quirky, awkward, and a total fanboy for Tales from the Hinterland. But what made him stand out for me was his somewhat conflicting motives for helping Alice find her mom. It’s clear that he’s been kind of crushing on Alice, but it gets a little cloudy when we learn it could just be because of her being Althea Proserpine’s granddaughter.
The detail in telling certain stories from Tales of the Hinterland was great. The stories were dark and creepy, and not at all lacking development. I just wish that the stories as they appeared in the book could have been there for us to read also. I would have loved to experience Althea’s “writing.”
All in all, The Hazel Wood has made its way to being one of my favorite books. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I finished reading! I highly recommend you pick this one up if you love fairytales, fantasy, books, and darker stories. Fans of The Night Circus will be in their glory with this one!
A modern-day fairytale of its own, this book is a dark take on stories, characters, and traversing worlds. I didn’t want to put this one down. I wanted to keep uncovering the secrets of Alice’s life, her mother, grandmother, and the Hinterland.
One of the reasons I loved it so much was because it’s a story-lover’s book. Centered around fairytales and their crossover with the modern-day world, we’re pulled deep into a mysterious, chilling, but alluring place that is the Hinterland.
The writing, the characters, but I think mostly, the world and the incredibly unique concept is what made me fall in love with this book. The Hinterland is eerie and chilling, but also magical and seductive.
I also really loved Alice. She’s a main character you root for. But she’s also got lots of layers (we learn about more and more as the story progresses). She’s determined to get her mother back at whatever cost.
Ellery Finch (what a great name!), was another highlight for me. He’s quirky, awkward, and a total fanboy for Tales from the Hinterland. But what made him stand out for me was his somewhat conflicting motives for helping Alice find her mom. It’s clear that he’s been kind of crushing on Alice, but it gets a little cloudy when we learn it could just be because of her being Althea Proserpine’s granddaughter.
The detail in telling certain stories from Tales of the Hinterland was great. The stories were dark and creepy, and not at all lacking development. I just wish that the stories as they appeared in the book could have been there for us to read also. I would have loved to experience Althea’s “writing.”
All in all, The Hazel Wood has made its way to being one of my favorite books. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I finished reading! I highly recommend you pick this one up if you love fairytales, fantasy, books, and darker stories. Fans of The Night Circus will be in their glory with this one!