The Darkest Part of the Forest

Summary:
In Fairfold, regular people live side by side with magical Folk. Tourists come to visit Fairfold and its main attraction, a strange faerie prince lies sleeping in a glass casket. Hazel and her brother pretend they are his knights, but Hazel knows he will never wake up. Then one day, he does. Hazel discovers that in her past she made a bargain with the Fae so that Ben could go music school, but has kept this a secret. Hazel and Ben both have to remember and use their pasts to save the present.

Strengths:
The Darkest Part of the Forest is an urban fantasy. Black merges the real world with that of the Folk seamlessly. She also incorporates a gay romance subplot that doesn't feel forced or unnecessary. The book is dark and has some creepy elements. Characterization is handled well with Hazel, Ben and Jack being multi faceted and complex. The plot progresses through fractured pieces of present and past chapters, mostly told by Hazel, though a few are told from Ben's perspective. This keeps the mystery of the novel going.

If you liked this book, try these!

Sabriel
Graceling

Black, H. (2015). Darkest Part of the Forest. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

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