The Witchy Storyteller: Whisperwood by Alex Woodroe

Author: Alex Woodroe

Publication Date: 11th July 2023

Publisher: Flame Tree Press

Distributor: Simon & Schuster

Format: Digital Copy (ISBN- 9781787588448)

Page Count: 304 pages

Price: [USD] $26.95 (HC) / $16.95 (PB) / $4.99 (EB)

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology

Book Synopsis

A must-read dark fantasy debut for fans of "The Witcher", woodland survival guides, the gruesome original Grimm Brothers stories, and dark folklore from around the world...

A journey into the wild woods with a character who just needs a break—and the terrible things that stare back at her.

When curious nomad Anna hears about Whisperwood, a town that’s not on any maps, that nobody goes to, and nobody comes from, she sees an opportunity to hide from her violent witch-hunting ex.

But not everything is peaceful in the isolated community. A vanishing town, a gruesome funeral rite, an emergency field surgery—these surprises and more test Anna's resolve.

Prevented from leaving the frontier settlement by folk magic she doesn’t understand, Anna lends helping hands everywhere she can, but quickly finds that investigating the forest too closely could end up being the last thing she does.

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My Review

3 Stars

One Liner: Good atmosphere, great premise; choppy execution

What I Like:

Folk horror is my favorite, as it relies on setting, atmosphere, and folklore rather than excessive gore. The descriptions of the woods, the mythical creatures (from Romanian folklore and author-created), and the creepy vibes are spot on.

The descriptions of the creatures are detailed enough to easily visualize them. I like how I didn’t have to wonder about their appearances or stop reading to Google them. This made them more real and integral to the setting.

The narrator’s voice has a good dose of dark humor that’s snarky, self-deprecating, and the kind you see when someone’s trying to stay sane (coping mechanism). This perfectly suits Anna’s backstory and her arc.

The dialogue can be a hit or a miss. They are choppy and come with random jokes that will not make you laugh. I like this because the dialogues seem to fit whatever little we understand about the town and its people.

The prose has quality without feeling heavy-handed or dense. It imagery of the setting is strong but doesn’t go overboard. A few alliterations (violent violet) made me smile.

The ending feels gentler than it could have been. I think it’s intentional and eases the reader out of the setting rather than shoving them with force. Also, there’s no attempt to add a ‘twist’ at the end or shock the readers. I appreciate this and like the ending (even if all questions aren’t answered).

What Could Have Been Better for Me:

The book is slow and fast at the same time. The narration is super slow, and it feels like we are going in circles at times. However, the events happen so fast (literally in a couple of days) that it’s amazing how people form and break bonds in minutes.

The book has a strong beginning and establishes a sense of eeriness. However, it fails to sustain the intensity over time, especially with the villagers. They turn into regular superstitious witch-hunting folk but still don’t feel dangerous. Also, the period is vague. The dialogues read modern, but the costumes and stuff feel historical. Maybe it’s set somewhere in between.

It’s common for people to die in horror books. However, that doesn’t mean they will not be fully developed. Many side characters are vague and don’t have enough depth. Even Anna despite her tragic past is blurry. Since I couldn’t empathize with her character (despite all the hardships), it’s harder for me to see her growth as organic. That impact just isn’t there.

Furthermore, I’m not entirely sure how Anna’s past plays into the core plot. While we see some moments linking to it, those could have been done through means too. Though it shows there are different kinds of horrors, the concept needs to be more cohesive.

This book should either have been a novella (by removing unwanted parts) or a longer novel (with another 50-70 pages) that elaborates on the setting, characters, their pasts and motivations. Right now, it’s stuck in the middle, exactly where it should not be.

To summarize, Whisperwood is a decent debut combining Romanian folklore and creativity to present an atmospheric story. However, it needed more structuring to deliver the intended. The author is definitely talented, and I’d be happy to read more books by her.

Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #Whisperwood

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Author Alex Woodroe

Alex Woodroe is a Romanian writer and editor of dark speculative fiction. She’s the author of Whisperwood, as well as several short horror, fantasy, and science-fiction stories published in venues like Dark Matter Magazine, Horror Library, the Nosleep podcast, and more. She lives in the heart of the Transylvanian region of Romania and lets her country’s culture and unique natural landscapes influence her work. She’s been a translator, a beermaid, a teacher, a copywriter, and a dog trainer, but ultimately realized she wouldn’t be happy until she terrified people for a living. Alex now runs her own company doing freelance editing, translations, and writing, as well as working as an acquisitions editor for Indie Horror upstart, Tenebrous Press.

Website: https://alexwoodroe.com/

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About the Publisher

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime/mystery/thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Publicity Contact: Sarah Miniaci / pr@flametreepublishing.com / +1 917 725 5102 (US)