Review: The Woods

The Woods by R.L. Toalson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After suffering an unimaginable loss, Lenora is forced to move in with her uncle Richard, a man she has never even met. Lenora's father never told her about his brother or their childhood home, which happens to be a mansion, so imagine her shock when she sees her new home for the first time. All uncle Richard asks of Lenora is that she not enter the east wing of his home where he does his work, and she must never go into the woods. The woods behind his home are a dangerous place, but he won't explain why. Lenora only knows that her uncle's son disappeared in those woods many years ago.

When Lenora hears a familiar voice calling her name, she is lured into the woods by the hope of reuniting with her family. Once there, she meets a magical creature named Bela. Bela promises her that the woods will do her no harm if she has no ill intent, but the deeper she ventures into the woods, the more uncertain Lenora is about Bela's promise. Lenora desperately wants to reunite her uncle with his son, and she thinks that she can find him and bring him home with Bela's help. In trying to save her cousin, Lenora is putting her own life at risk. Can she save her cousin without dooming herself? Is her cousin even still alive? This novel will have you begging for answers to these questions and so many more.

I was a big fan of R.L.Toalson's debut novel, The Colors of the Rain. For some reason, I was fully expecting her second novel to be written in verse as well. I was shocked to see that it was 465 pages of prose. The size of this novel may be daunting for reluctant readers, but I think after reading the first two chapters, anyone would be hooked on this book. I would be sure to tell readers intimidated by the length of the novel that the chapters are very short and high-interest. I read 100 pages in no time. The publisher recommends this book for ages 12 and up, and I agree with that age range. Younger readers may be disturbed by what happens to Lenora's family, and while I wouldn't necessarily call this book scary, it could certainly freak out elementary students. I would definitely add this book to my library if I were in a middle school.


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