Holly Black: The Darkest Part of the Forest

[varjohaltia]

Holly Black has always been one of my favorite urban fantasy authors, although in this case modern fairytale might be a better genre description.

The Darkest Part of the Forest tells the story of Hazel, a teenager living with her brother in a town where the Fair Folk are not just a legend, but a part of life and tourist attraction, with some people taking the magic seriously, and others considering it fakery. And there's a beautiful, inhuman, sleeping horned prince in a glass coffin in the forest, where the teens go to party and drink. Think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but substitute fae for vampires and werewolves.

As typical for Black, the writing is solid and professional. The story arc wasn't particularly special; the plot is a typical YA, where the protagonist fantasizes about being a hero destined for greater things, and is then faced with reality expecting just this of her. There's nothing wrong here, but also nothing that specifically stood out to me.

What I did specifically enjoy about the novel was the setting. People with fae magic, changelings trying to navigate life torn between their mortal and fae selves, the beauty and monstrosity of the fae. A depiction of the otherworldly as both close enough and familiar enough for us to understand, and yet utterly alien and inhuman. Characters who have one foot in each camp. The yearning for there to be something more, something magical and mystical, has appealed to me for as long as I can remember. Identifying with a character who has an aspect of supernatural and inhuman, but also grounds themselves and their friends to human reality. Stories where love, loyalty and friendship are important, and people don't have to be perfect. Here The Darkest Part of the Forest delivers, and gave me many hours of enjoyment in a happy, familiar place.