Shadow Forest

Author & Illustrator:

Genre: Humour, Fantasy, Spooky

Age Range: 9+

Theme/Subject: Bravery, Bereavement, Norway, Folklore

Publisher: Corgi

ISBN: 9780552555630

Synopsis:

After a disastrous accident ruins a perfect day for Samuel Blink and his sister, Martha, both siblings find themselves flown off to the deepest, darkest ends of Norway to live with their Aunt Eda, whose obsession with smelly cheeses is rivalled only by her fear of the Forest that lies on the borders of her house. It is a Forest full of trolls, huldre, pixies, witches and worst of all, the Changemaker himself. Dare Samuel enter within ? It seems he has no choice but to.

Review:

When I first started this book I found myself enjoyably caught off-guard by the shocking and rather sad beginning: this was a good way to grab that reluctant reader early on (Not that I am one!). Both children find themselves whisked to Norway to live with their Aunt. From here, the story of the ‘Shadow Forest’ unravels at a comfortable pace. The tale itself is a very good one but I found that the authorial intrusions, dotted throughout the story, did not work for me. When we jumped out of the world and into the author’s thoughts (taken up by chapters), the story momentarily lost its flow. I understand that Haig was trying to add a little Snicket-like humour into the telling, but I feel he would have done better omitting it. The story is good enough to stand on its own two legs and I couldn’t help but want to explore and know more about the Forest itself. On saying this, I hope Haig leaves the forest to the reader’s imagination and never writes a sequel.

The story deals with the adventure Samuel goes on in which he attempts to retrieve his mute sister from the clutches of the sinister Changemaker. He conquers his fears and with the help of a special book, is able to tackle the denizens of the Forest. Throughout the pages, we get parallel stories and flashbacks from Martha as well as Aunt Eda and the Changemaker. This shift from different storylines works very well and helps create a sense of pace and excitement throughout.

I would recommend ‘Shadow Forest’ in many different ways. It’s not a book that will stay with me forever, but it is a well-written little story and a complete break from a lot of the same conventional rubbish that is out there at the moment. Haig has the ability to become a solid and exciting writer for those readers who enjoy an adventure that isn’t too predictable and isn’t too cozy. This is a great book to read tucked up at night or have read to in class. A good present and a book aimed at a budding a reader or an accomplished one who wishes to be whisked away to a Norway filled with rather nasty fairies.