Twas the night before Christmas and I was helping the other half finish his Christmas Present shopping, and like any responsible adult I steered him into Waterstones – just incase he needed last minute inspiration for me, and to see if they had a copy of Warcross for me pick up. ( they didnt ) as I was looking at the table I found a copy of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black – out of place and obviously in need of rescuing, so I brought it and managed to wait until Boxing Date to begin my journey into the Fae world.
This story takes place in Fairfold, and follows Hazel and Ben, a brother sister team who had not very responsible parents and spent their youth hunting ‘evil’ faeries. After receiving the gift of music as a child Ben is then gifted with a scholarship to a music academy – thanks to a deal Hazel makes, in exchange for 7 years of her life.
Add in a ‘horned boy’ who has been trapped for years in an unbreakable glass coffin and a best friend who was taken from the faeries for their trickery and some mysterious goings on we are on a whirlwind ride to meet the king.
Why is Hazel having the dreams? Why did she wake up with muddy feet? Why did she kiss Jack and what secrets is everyone hiding?
This book has been around a while but is a good faery-tale for anyone wanting an easy to follow and enjoy read. The characters are likable and work well with the story.Its not deep and dark but still manages to capture the romance of the faeries whilst dealing with family loyalty and friendship.
Official Description:
Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?
One More Chapter 