A Girl Walks into the Forest by Madeleine Roux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Girl Walks into the Forest follows Valla, a teenage girl selected for her beauty to marry a member of the aristocracy of a neighboring kingdom.
Valla sees her betrothal to mysterious Count Leonid as a blessing. It’s not just a way for her to escape the confines of her small desolate village, but it’ll also win favor for the village. Life should be easier for everyone after this.
Unfortunately, in order to get to her new husband, and new kingdom, Valla must traverse the infamous Gottyar Wood, where many dangerous creatures lurk.
Valla is escorted by her brother and sister-in-law, and it seems their journey is cursed from the start. After a vicious attack leaves Valla in a feverish stupor and her face maimed, they’re lucky to make it through alive.
The Count isn’t pleased when presented with Valla’s new, altered appearance. Where is the beautiful bride he was expecting? Ugh, how frustrating for him…
Valla feels the same. Where is her beautiful prize? The luxurious lifestyle and extravagant castle, not to mention the sweet Prince, she was expecting? Because she’s not finding any of those things here.
But Valla’s shock and surprise at the state of the castle, her soon-to-be husband and his family is just scratching the surface of the unpleasantness she is in store for.
This is such an engrossing, beautifully-told YA Dark Fantasy. The blending of Horror elements with the Fairy Tale-feel captured my attention from the start.
I loved the incorporation of the Baba Yaga lore, and the atmosphere was very well done. I was also impressed by the level of body horror included, and how far Roux took some of the darker elements.
I will say the 1st-half was stronger for me than the later half, but overall, I was happy with the conclusion, and the story as a whole. We like it dark!
I’ve never read from this author before, but I’m definitely interested in checking out more of their work. If you have a favorite, drop it below.
The writing was so readable. I liked that Roux didn’t get too flowery with it. I hate when a plot gets lost with overly-purple prose. The way this was told was easy to follow, yet still complex and exciting as far as the themes and action.
I liked the feminist elements as well, and feel like this would be such a great story for younger Readers looking to expand further into the Horror genre. I think this is a great transition novel from YA to Adult, though it can clearly be enjoyed and appreciated by Readers of all ages.
Additionally, if you are a Reader like me, who craves lush, creepy atmosphere, you have to check this out. Starting with the forest, and then into the castle, Roux riddled this story with an atmosphere to get under your skin.
I also appreciated how Roux paced the story. Once the main action in the castle kicks off, things escalate fairly quickly, until everything starts to unravel at once. I was so attached to Valla; I was at the edge of my seat wishing for her safety.
At the end of the day, I think this is a must for Readers of Dark Fantastical Fiction. Particularly, if you still enjoy novels in the YA-space. Bonus for the Feminist Feels.
Thank you to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m definitely excited to pick up more from this author!