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sophiemeink's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
"Only dead men fight fair."
Forest of Souls is a captivating YA fantasy that starts with our main character Sirscha who discovers her powers which are not only feared where she lived but she also has the magic that no one has seen for years. so..... PERFECT.
Instead of being captured like she thought she would, she is sent to the ominous Spider King who maintains the peace over the lands with the dead wood, the haunted wood that everyone is afraid of, which is sliced across the them all.
I really liked the set up as it involved so much political unrest and fear. There were many players in the game all balanced precariously and we get to see our main character thrust into it. It brings a lot of tension and uncovering of secrets straight away which I always find interesting.
The political aspect continued to be involved throughout the book so it keeps you captivated and it is very easy to follow.
"Signing a contract agreeing not to act on standing hatreds is not a promise to stop hating."
I thought Sirscha was an interesting main character being an underdog in the world and fighting for her place. It was interesting to see how she would react when it was all taken away from her as everything shifted. Her determination and desire to bend the rules/uncover the truth also made her a great character to follow as she learnt new things and kept getting herself into situations.
I also really liked that there was a female friendship at the front of the book . Sirscha and Saengo has a lot of past and you could feel for their relationship. It was bond over time so I loved seeing that.
The development of the side characters was always really good. I found them entertaining as they always had something to offer in terms of personality or there position in the political 'games'.
I really liked the writing. It was able to build up a haunting atmosphere at times and some of the descriptions with the way it built up people and scenes were really lush. It was easy to follow. Plus I thought the pacing was well delivered throughout. We were always heading towards something and things were uncovered in due time.
I would say that the way that some of the mystery were solved didn't feel as smooth as I would have liked and seemed to jump to conclusions in a way.
The ending was really intense and captivating though as things went down . IT. WAS. ALL. HAPPENING. I think book 2 will be even stronger so I'll be excited to see what happens.
★★★★
Overall, a really captivating start to the series which many strong elements. I thought the mystery could have developed a little stronger and I would have liked to connect a little more to the connect but still a good start which left me excited for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Medical content, Blood, and Slavery
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