Through the Woods Review

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult / Graphic Novels

Format: e-Book

Pages: 208

With my current work schedule I've been reading smaller during my commute and lunch. It was just my luck that Through the Woods came in from the library during this time. It seemed like perfect time to read it with the weather changing into winter, and me still in the mood for creepy and spooky reads. I just didn't realize how creepy this was book was going to be.

It was the artwork was what first drew to Through the Woods. The creepy cover with bony hands reaching for the girl was enough to let me know this was definitely my jam. I loved the use of color through the five stories as well. Most of the panels were black and white, but color came to draw your eye to a certain moment, characters, or emphasize the danger of what was happening. It's one of my favorite trick illustrates use when it's done right. And, it done wonderfully throughout each story.

I made the mistake of assuming because this was geared toward Young Adult the stories wouldn't be that unsettling. So I started this first story on my first bus, and by the time I got to the third story I had to set this down. Not because I was bored. Because I was sitting outside, in the dark, in the cold, waiting for my bus. It wasn't even that the stories were scary in and of themselves, but it was the way that Emily Carrol writes them. The voice she gave to each character it gets under your skin and leaves you unsettled.

Kind of like the feeling you got as kid when you jumped into bed so the monsters didn't take a swipe at your ankles, or had to have the covers tucked under you feet so they couldn't get in your sleep. You know it's silly, but it makes your heart pound a little faster.

That's these stories. 

I did enjoy all five short stories, but My Friend Janna was my favorite of the five. I do enjoy a good story about a haunting and that one was done so brilliantly. But, as a whole I enjoyed all five stories and I'll definitely have to put more of Emily Carroll's work on my TBR.

HAPPY READING!!