the hazel wood | book review
“I REMEMBERED LESS FROM MY OWN LIFE THAN I DID FROM THE BOOKS I READ.”
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away-by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”
Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.
Okay so I didn’t completely hate this book, but I didn’t really have much thoughts or completely love it either. I’m pretty sure I spent more time being confused on what was going on than actually reading and enjoying the book. This novel isn’t exactly an Alice in Wonderland retelling but the second half of the book did lean heavily on the fantasy side which by all means, is really interesting. The only problem was I’m a bit dumb so I didn’t understand anything and felt like I was reading this in like Chinese, and my Chinese reading/writing skills are kinda nonexistent.
The Hazel Wood opens up with the background about Alice, her mother Ella, and her mysterious grandmother Althea Proserpine. Alice’s grandmother is also the author the dark twisted fairytale book: Tales from the Hintherland which gained a bit of popularity over the years. Alice has never met her grandmother, nor does she have a chance to with Ella always packing up and moving the two of them from place to place. But when Ella suddenly disappears, seemingly kidnapped, Alice teams up with superfan, Ellery Finch with his knowledge of the stories to find her grandmother’s secret estate: The Hazel Wood
The first half of the book felt like was dragging on for way too long and the second half just felt way too confusing. I didn’t exactly like the characters in the book so maybe that’s what made it less enjoyable. Alice is a bit rude and self-centered and I was irritating by her complaining and ranting about her anger issues. Finch on the other hand, was the complete opposite and I just saw him as the puppy who followed Alice around. The two had very little character growth or development and weren’t exactly the most likable as well.
The part I did really enjoy in the novel was the fairytales. Although the stories were very confusing, they were extremely dark and creepy. I found myself wishing that Alice did know about all the Stories within Hinterland because with all the new Stories being introduced, it kept harder to track which stories were which and what their story was about. I remember being so invested in the stories that were introduced in the book, but being extremely confused when I read them. Other than being confused, I felt like the stories weren’t really completed but that’s also what made them so captivating. The writing style was definitely lyrical and although I didn’t love love the book, I would recommend it. The fantasy retellings and stories would make anyone fall and dream about the secret hidden world of Hinderland.
FINAL RATING:
1 comments
Yeah the fairytales were what got me through this book - I would listen to it on audio and then go rant to my friend about how annoying Alice was...
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