Review: And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Silla and Nori flee an abusive home, escaping the only haven they know of: their aunt's home, La Baume. Shortly after their arrival, their aunt Cathy warns them of the danger in the woods. A man, known as The Creeper man, will take possession of them if they cross into the woods.

The only other person they encounter is Gowan, a former orphan who lived at La Baume.  Still, the isolation of their new home is suffocating, the trees seems as though they are closing in. Everything changes with the man, the only only Nori can see. The man that draws her to him for games in the night, the man encouraging to join him in the woods.

I’m going to be intentionally vague in my comments regarding this book.  Everything, from the beginning to the very final pages, is not as it seems. A genuine horror novel at its finest, the reader forced to question everything the narrator relays.  The entire novel is a whirlwind of experiences, a gradual descent into madness. Interspersed in the novel are excerpts from a journal, chronicling this journey into madness, but also giving the readers hints as to what actually transpired.

Is this the merely the case of a deeply distraught young woman or is there true evil within the woods? Only the reader can discern this by following the main characters on a dark and confusing journey.  While not riddled with horror elements, the confusion and the madness alone is enough to send chills down your spine.

A must read for this Halloween season. Highly recommended.