It’s no exaggeration to say that The Hazel Wood is one of the most anticipated books of the year. Fortunately, this is one of those cases where the hype is justified. Readers, especially those with a fondness for dark fairy tales, won’t want to miss this brilliant combination of realistic fiction and fantasy.
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother, Ella, have spent years living as nomads; they never seem to be able to outrun their bad luck or avoid the obsessive fans of the hard-to-find fairy-tale collection Tales from the Hinterland, written by Alice’s grandmother, whom she’s never met. But when Alice’s mom is mysteriously kidnapped, Alice and her classmate (and die-hard Hinterland fan) Finch set off to find her in the supernatural Hazel Wood. Along the way, the two encounter dangerous situations and memorable—and sometimes terrifying—characters.
Readers may wish they could get their hands on an elusive copy of Tales from the Hinterland, and they’ll be more than happy to stay up late to accompany Alice on her perilous journey.
This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
