A review by kalventure
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

dark medium-paced

5.0

 I adored The Bones Houses and the short story included in His Hideous Heart, so the excitement I felt for The Drowned Woods cannot be overstated. I preordered a copy of the book before finishing the prologue, and by the time I finished the book, Emily Lloyd-Jones was added to my autobuy author list! I hope I can write somewhat of a cohesive review to do this amazing book justice.

"Magic was not a human trait. It was other; it was something to be feared and wondered at."

Part heist novel and part dark fairytale, The Drowned Woods is a lush and captivating tale that draws you in on the first page. It feels like nestling into bed for the night for storytime and the story unfolds easily around you with atmospheric writing.

"[T]here was no light. None at all. The darkness was all-consuming -- the kind that seemed to close around a person, to fill their every breath."

Expertly plotted and fast-paced, there is not a word that doesn't serve to expand the reader's understanding of the world or the events driving the plot forward. Lloyd-Jones expertly unveils not only the history of magic but also Mer's backstory and quickly instills a sense of danger for the road ahead in a manner of pages. As a lover of immersive and vast worldbuilding, this book is a beautiful delight.

"Sometimes it felt as though she were more storm than person, bringing chaos and pain everywhere she went."

Worldbuilding and atmosphere are met with characters you can't help but root for... and then curse. The diviner, the ironfetch, and the thief (and the corgi spy?) have found one another on an unlikely adventure, and I loved each of them. Especially Trefor the delightful and loyal doggo companion with an affection for boots who sneezes near magic and might be a spy for the Otherfolk. (Side Note: I found myself emotionally attached to another animal companion from Lloyd-Jones! Let us not forget the delightful zombie goat from The Bone Houses!)

I love stories with an unlikely band of characters with a common goal, and the ragtag crew that Renfrew pulled together for the heist to topple a cruel ruler . The banter! The barbs! The quiet moments of concern. Each character breaths life into the story and have their own complex set of motivations. There's tension and action, and there are real stakes.

"She had learned how to be a deadly shadow, but Fane had the power to walk where he liked without fear. She didn't understand why he sounded so haunted."

🌊 The Diviner Mer has power over water and was stolen from her family as a child, bound in service to a cruel king who used her powers against his enemies. She's quick to temper when seeing injustice and is haunted by the results of her actions at the behest of others.
👊 The ironfetch Fane bargained with the fey who has a pure moral compass and has experienced more heartbreak than I'd like. He's also haunted, but I won't say more about that. He has an adorable corgi named Trefor and I will die for him.
💰 The Thief Ifanna is a former paramour who brings sarcastic comedic relief and is also haunted by her former choices.

"Death lurked in the shadowy spaces between his fingers."

At its heart, The Drowned Woods is a dark fairy tale exploring power, and choice - and the consequences of our choices. The lengths one will go to in order to ensure a better world. Mer has been a pawn and weapon all her life but does that absolve her from the consequences of her actions? Where does the blame lie? Will she be able to live with herself if she keeps running?

"A person with a knife was one thing. A person with a knife and a cause could topple kingdoms."

There's so much I could say about this book. It made me cry. It's beautiful and painful and powerful. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and need more people to read it so I can scream with them about [redacted] and [redacted], so please be sure to scream at me when you read it, ok?

I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. This has not affected my opinions or the contents of my review. I have since purchased a finished copy.

Content warnings: character death (both on-page and off-page), grief & survivor's guilt, violence, war (off-page)