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The Butcher of the Forest
A world-weary woman races against the clock to rescue the children of a wrathful tyrant from a dangerous, otherworldly forest.
At the northern edge of a land ruled by a monstrous, foreign tyrant lies the wild forest known as the Elmever. The villagers know better than to let their children go near—once someone goes in, they never come back out.
No one knows the strange and terrifying traps of the Elmever better than Veris Thorn, the only person to ever rescue a child from the forest many years ago. When the Tyrant’s two young children go missing, Veris is commanded to enter the forest once more and bring them home safe. If Veris fails, the Tyrant will kill her; if she remains in the forest for longer than a day, she will be trapped forevermore.
So Veris will travel deep into the Elmever to face traps, riddles, and monsters at the behest of another monster. One misstep will cost everything.
At the northern edge of a land ruled by a monstrous, foreign tyrant lies the wild forest known as the Elmever. The villagers know better than to let their children go near—once someone goes in, they never come back out.
No one knows the strange and terrifying traps of the Elmever better than Veris Thorn, the only person to ever rescue a child from the forest many years ago. When the Tyrant’s two young children go missing, Veris is commanded to enter the forest once more and bring them home safe. If Veris fails, the Tyrant will kill her; if she remains in the forest for longer than a day, she will be trapped forevermore.
So Veris will travel deep into the Elmever to face traps, riddles, and monsters at the behest of another monster. One misstep will cost everything.
160 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2024
395 people are currently reading
31251 people want to read
About the author
Premee Mohamed
76 books657 followersPremee Mohamed is a Nebula award-winning Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction author based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is an Assistant Editor at the short fiction audio venue Escape Pod and the author of the 'Beneath the Rising' series of novels as well as several novellas. Her short fiction has appeared in many venues and she can be found on Twitter at @premeesaurus and on her website at .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,359 reviews
February 27, 2024
Happy publication day!
We all love a dark, twisted fairytale, but this was much more unnerving than usual. One part dark fantasy fairytale novella, one part cosmic horror, with a good pinch of gruesome grimdark, this macabre novella juxtaposed with lush beautiful prose combines a few of my favourite elements. Set in a deep, dark forest, where nightmarish fantastical forces lurk, the Elmever woods are full of the uncanny and ominous. In this twisted realm, nothing is as it appears, and venturing too far might mean never coming back.
Unfortunately, our main character Veris, is tasked with retrieving the Tyrant's wayward children who ventured too far into this perturbing forest, under the threat that everyone Veris loves will die if she fails. Right from the beginning the author builds up a sense of dread, doom and tension, blurring the lines between the familiar and unfamiliar on the protagonist’s fever-dreamlike quest. I also really liked Veris’ character, a wise, 40-year-old, no-nonsense, and resilient woman with a haunted past (and I especially appreciate her character after reading many romantasies this year).
If I have any critique, it's that the sentences can be lengthy and the prose can lean towards flowery, but in this case, it worked for the world-forest-building and it worked for me. It might not work for others depending on how you prefer your prose.
🚏🚏🚏If you intend to read this novella, it’s best to avert your eyes from the below due to the mild spoilers + trigger warnings below:
The Butcher of the Forest transcends a literal tale, delving into metaphorical layers that go beyond physical monsters versus confronting one’s inner demons, which I thought was quite artistic. There are a few trigger warnings to be mindful of including: Body horror, gore, violence, child sex abuse and the death/s of a loved one.
End of mild spoilers 🚏🚏🚏
I really liked this, but I have been travelling a lot so didn’t get to immerse myself in this world in longer stints as I would’ve preferred. I would recommend reading this novella in one to four sessions to get maximum enjoyment, not in many short sessions, as I did.
All in all, I definitely recommend this one if you’re into deeply unsettling cosmic horror grimdark fairytale fantasy (sorry I’m not sure how to classify it, but I had a go). If you’re looking for cosy fantasy feel-good vibes, I would stay away!
My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and author Premee Mohamed for the opportunity to read this work in exchange for an honest review.
----
Resisting pressing the request button is a lost cause for me when it comes to dark adult fairytales it seems. Thanks to Tor, NetGalley & author Premee Mohamed.
We all love a dark, twisted fairytale, but this was much more unnerving than usual. One part dark fantasy fairytale novella, one part cosmic horror, with a good pinch of gruesome grimdark, this macabre novella juxtaposed with lush beautiful prose combines a few of my favourite elements. Set in a deep, dark forest, where nightmarish fantastical forces lurk, the Elmever woods are full of the uncanny and ominous. In this twisted realm, nothing is as it appears, and venturing too far might mean never coming back.
Unfortunately, our main character Veris, is tasked with retrieving the Tyrant's wayward children who ventured too far into this perturbing forest, under the threat that everyone Veris loves will die if she fails. Right from the beginning the author builds up a sense of dread, doom and tension, blurring the lines between the familiar and unfamiliar on the protagonist’s fever-dreamlike quest. I also really liked Veris’ character, a wise, 40-year-old, no-nonsense, and resilient woman with a haunted past (and I especially appreciate her character after reading many romantasies this year).
If I have any critique, it's that the sentences can be lengthy and the prose can lean towards flowery, but in this case, it worked for the world-forest-building and it worked for me. It might not work for others depending on how you prefer your prose.
🚏🚏🚏If you intend to read this novella, it’s best to avert your eyes from the below due to the mild spoilers + trigger warnings below:
The Butcher of the Forest transcends a literal tale, delving into metaphorical layers that go beyond physical monsters versus confronting one’s inner demons, which I thought was quite artistic. There are a few trigger warnings to be mindful of including: Body horror, gore, violence, child sex abuse and the death/s of a loved one.
End of mild spoilers 🚏🚏🚏
I really liked this, but I have been travelling a lot so didn’t get to immerse myself in this world in longer stints as I would’ve preferred. I would recommend reading this novella in one to four sessions to get maximum enjoyment, not in many short sessions, as I did.
All in all, I definitely recommend this one if you’re into deeply unsettling cosmic horror grimdark fairytale fantasy (sorry I’m not sure how to classify it, but I had a go). If you’re looking for cosy fantasy feel-good vibes, I would stay away!
My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and author Premee Mohamed for the opportunity to read this work in exchange for an honest review.
----
Resisting pressing the request button is a lost cause for me when it comes to dark adult fairytales it seems. Thanks to Tor, NetGalley & author Premee Mohamed.
November 9, 2024
Like a mix between Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer and The Call by Peador O’Guillan.
I loved this!! I need more horror fantasy like this. My absolute favorite thing about this book was how seamless the world building was. The world simply *was*, didn’t really explain anything, and just instantly envelopes you with gorgeous prose, unique descriptors, and high stakes. Dark, creepy, intense, and short!! I read this in a few hours.
I loved this!! I need more horror fantasy like this. My absolute favorite thing about this book was how seamless the world building was. The world simply *was*, didn’t really explain anything, and just instantly envelopes you with gorgeous prose, unique descriptors, and high stakes. Dark, creepy, intense, and short!! I read this in a few hours.
June 16, 2024
I loved this! It gave me Labyrinth + the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe + Alice in Wonderland vibes. Who doesn’t want a dark fairytale set in a creepy woodland aesthetic with an evil unicorn, reanimated animal corpses, a sly fox-man, and danger lurking around every corner. So much fun.
March 13, 2025
Ok, so this is a quirky little dark fantasy novella. It’s part horror, part fairytale and I was all about it. The writing is what threw me. The way the FMC character is portrayed makes her seem deft and the overall movement and flow is a little disjointed.
I like the idea of the book more than the actual book unfortunately and I think that had a lot to do with the way it’s written.
The story itself is fun, with dark magical woods that capture children, never to return. Our would be heroine is an older local village woman (which I enjoyed) but the author didn’t give her the attributes I would consider to be likeable (the kind where the reader attaches themselves as cheers for her). It kind of reminded me of a Grim brothers fairytale without the artful storytelling.
The writing is my hangup in the book but others may like the way the author chose to make this seem fairytale like.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in review for my honest review.
I like the idea of the book more than the actual book unfortunately and I think that had a lot to do with the way it’s written.
The story itself is fun, with dark magical woods that capture children, never to return. Our would be heroine is an older local village woman (which I enjoyed) but the author didn’t give her the attributes I would consider to be likeable (the kind where the reader attaches themselves as cheers for her). It kind of reminded me of a Grim brothers fairytale without the artful storytelling.
The writing is my hangup in the book but others may like the way the author chose to make this seem fairytale like.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in review for my honest review.
April 9, 2024
4 Stars
If you’re looking for a light adventuresome quasi-fairy tale, then this is not it.
The world that Mohamed has created is far from kind or picturesque. It is a world whose lands have been conquered with brutal force by the Tyrant, and what he wills, goes without argument or hesitation. To resist means death to you and all you hold dear.
So, when Veris is tasked to find the Tyrant’s children who have wandered into the dangerous Elmever woods, the chances of her success are pretty much zero, but she must venture forth to have a miniscule shot at saving not only herself, but also her family and ultimately, her village from the retribution if she fails.
What Mohamed reveals is a dark sinister place within the forest, full of all sorts of horror ready to trap and bind or pounce and consume. Beware unseemly gore, menacing creatures beneath a benign facade, and an oppressive feeling of inevitable doom for all those who have never made it out.
Here, Veris is another heroine to root for. She’s brave, steadfast, and with an iron will to continue on in the face of failure and hopelessness. On the surface, this is a quest in an alternate fantasy realm, but it also seems an outlet for a contrasting commentary on what’s left behind war’s conquering annihilation. What Veris and her people have suffered shows the tragic inhumanity and the justified compartmentalization of evil that is doled out and the evil that is endured.
Overall, despite this book’s grim atmosphere, the ending is impactful with its not so neat, imperfect unidealistic ending. It shows that there is triumph in survival and though at times nebulous, the drop of hope given represents a balm to possibly start healing, and that’s what left a mark on me having read this.
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a honest review
If you’re looking for a light adventuresome quasi-fairy tale, then this is not it.
The world that Mohamed has created is far from kind or picturesque. It is a world whose lands have been conquered with brutal force by the Tyrant, and what he wills, goes without argument or hesitation. To resist means death to you and all you hold dear.
So, when Veris is tasked to find the Tyrant’s children who have wandered into the dangerous Elmever woods, the chances of her success are pretty much zero, but she must venture forth to have a miniscule shot at saving not only herself, but also her family and ultimately, her village from the retribution if she fails.
What Mohamed reveals is a dark sinister place within the forest, full of all sorts of horror ready to trap and bind or pounce and consume. Beware unseemly gore, menacing creatures beneath a benign facade, and an oppressive feeling of inevitable doom for all those who have never made it out.
Here, Veris is another heroine to root for. She’s brave, steadfast, and with an iron will to continue on in the face of failure and hopelessness. On the surface, this is a quest in an alternate fantasy realm, but it also seems an outlet for a contrasting commentary on what’s left behind war’s conquering annihilation. What Veris and her people have suffered shows the tragic inhumanity and the justified compartmentalization of evil that is doled out and the evil that is endured.
Overall, despite this book’s grim atmosphere, the ending is impactful with its not so neat, imperfect unidealistic ending. It shows that there is triumph in survival and though at times nebulous, the drop of hope given represents a balm to possibly start healing, and that’s what left a mark on me having read this.
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a honest review
October 30, 2023
The butcher of the forest is a dark fairytale like novella, with a stunningly beautiful writing, and an immersive atmosphere.
This book has everything needed for a spooky season read:
- Enchanted forest where kids disappear
- Creepy and mythical creatures
- Difficult decisions
- Magic
- High stakes
- 24-hour limit to the saving operation
This was much darker than I was expecting and I was anxious the whole time, but I really liked it!
Despite the short size and limited knowledge of the past, I was able to connect and care about the characters deeply. I believe that knowing they live under a tyrant played a significant role on this.
The story is very fast paced, and we are thrown into the action immediately, with no time to adjust. This kept me at the edge of my sit the whole time, and the only reason why I didn’t read it in one sitting was because I needed to take some breaks from the dark atmosphere.
Premee Mohamed is a fantastic writer and was able to create an enticing world that captured my attention, and that I wanted to know more about, even while recoiling from its darker theme. I am sure going to read more by her!
If you are looking for something light-hearted, this is not it, this is the absolute opposite of a cosy fantasy read… But if you enjoy dark fairytales, or even if you don’t, you enjoy well written fantasy, do pick up this book upon its release in February 2024.
I would like to thanks TOR and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has everything needed for a spooky season read:
- Enchanted forest where kids disappear
- Creepy and mythical creatures
- Difficult decisions
- Magic
- High stakes
- 24-hour limit to the saving operation
This was much darker than I was expecting and I was anxious the whole time, but I really liked it!
Despite the short size and limited knowledge of the past, I was able to connect and care about the characters deeply. I believe that knowing they live under a tyrant played a significant role on this.
The story is very fast paced, and we are thrown into the action immediately, with no time to adjust. This kept me at the edge of my sit the whole time, and the only reason why I didn’t read it in one sitting was because I needed to take some breaks from the dark atmosphere.
Premee Mohamed is a fantastic writer and was able to create an enticing world that captured my attention, and that I wanted to know more about, even while recoiling from its darker theme. I am sure going to read more by her!
If you are looking for something light-hearted, this is not it, this is the absolute opposite of a cosy fantasy read… But if you enjoy dark fairytales, or even if you don’t, you enjoy well written fantasy, do pick up this book upon its release in February 2024.
I would like to thanks TOR and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2024
The rules were vague but should not be broken: don't cut living wood; don't shed any animal's blood; trade if you must, but do not negotiate. And certainly never accept any "gifts."
The deep, dark forest, home to magical creatures both good and evil, is a staple of many fairy tales, and in this story that involves a quest to rescue two missing children, it looms larger than life; it becomes a character almost. Veris has ventured into these woods once before, and managed to bring home the lost child. She barely survived the experience. Now she is ordered, by the tyrant who killed both her parents, no less, to retrieve his heirs . . . or he will kill her only living relatives, and burn their village. What follows is a tense adventure fraught with peril and more creepy foes than you can shake a walking stick at. It's an enjoyable, mesmerizing read that ends with the promise of more terrors to come.
I'll be tagging along on that next walk in the woods.
Gulp!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the read.
The deep, dark forest, home to magical creatures both good and evil, is a staple of many fairy tales, and in this story that involves a quest to rescue two missing children, it looms larger than life; it becomes a character almost. Veris has ventured into these woods once before, and managed to bring home the lost child. She barely survived the experience. Now she is ordered, by the tyrant who killed both her parents, no less, to retrieve his heirs . . . or he will kill her only living relatives, and burn their village. What follows is a tense adventure fraught with peril and more creepy foes than you can shake a walking stick at. It's an enjoyable, mesmerizing read that ends with the promise of more terrors to come.
I'll be tagging along on that next walk in the woods.
Gulp!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the read.
January 3, 2024
This is a 4 star read only because I disliked the ending. Yes, I know I'm being petty.
This was absolutely beautiful! I'll forever love any and all well-written Alice in Wonderland retellings that lean toward dark fantasy. (Loved American McGee's Alice video game and Christina Henry's Alice.) While The Butcher of the Forest isn't as violent and gruesome like those two examples, there's still enough darkness and despair that it touched my rotting heart.
There are layers upon layers of metaphors in this story that could apply to any number of historical contexts (people's lives during war and conquest, classicism, human trafficking, etc.). These are hinted at time and again without being heavy-handed and written off as historical facts or even life lessons. The author leads you into those metaphors without having to hold your hand as a reader.
Even though this is a novella, I think the author excelled in creating an MC to root for. There are enough details to make me care whether Veris succeeded or not in her quest to find the Tyrant's two children.
There's a twist at the end that added more depth to Veris as a character. While it was sort of obvious, it really made everything come full circle in the end.
I have a slight aversion to long sentences and purple prose, but strangely, it actually worked out pretty well in this case. Reading the prose felt like I was eating a box of my favorite chocolates. So delectable!
I'm very happy that this was one of my first reads of 2024!
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
This was absolutely beautiful! I'll forever love any and all well-written Alice in Wonderland retellings that lean toward dark fantasy. (Loved American McGee's Alice video game and Christina Henry's Alice.) While The Butcher of the Forest isn't as violent and gruesome like those two examples, there's still enough darkness and despair that it touched my rotting heart.
There are layers upon layers of metaphors in this story that could apply to any number of historical contexts (people's lives during war and conquest, classicism, human trafficking, etc.). These are hinted at time and again without being heavy-handed and written off as historical facts or even life lessons. The author leads you into those metaphors without having to hold your hand as a reader.
Even though this is a novella, I think the author excelled in creating an MC to root for. There are enough details to make me care whether Veris succeeded or not in her quest to find the Tyrant's two children.
There's a twist at the end that added more depth to Veris as a character. While it was sort of obvious, it really made everything come full circle in the end.
I have a slight aversion to long sentences and purple prose, but strangely, it actually worked out pretty well in this case. Reading the prose felt like I was eating a box of my favorite chocolates. So delectable!
I'm very happy that this was one of my first reads of 2024!
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
February 27, 2024
The Butcher of the Forest
by Premee Mohamed
Dark Fantasy Novella
NetGalley ARC
Tor Publishing Group
Pub. Date: Feb. 27, 2024
Ages: 16+
Bordering the land on the north is a forest called Elmever and is where monsters live. To enter more than a few trees means you'll never find your way out. Veris Thorn once went beyond those first few trees to save a young child and is known to be the only person to go in and find their way out.
When the Tyrant's two children disappear, all tracks leading to Elmever, he orders Veris to find them and bring them out alive. If she does not, her entire village will pay.
The blurb caught my attention. A haunted scary forest that has monsters! The first few chapters were dark and I was caught, then the story flushed as it failed to include depth of this forest and the monsters. They weren't monsters, they didn't have enough monstrosity to them.
Sure one of the monsters was an interesting take on the 'species' but it was just a little lame, as were most of the other monsters and the human characters. Of them all, the Tyrant had the most personality.
The plot is based on the fairy myths, don't eat the food, etc, but as I said it lacks so much depth that a hundred or so pages of descriptions and back story would have brought this story to life. As is, it reads as if it was a bedtime story then hurriedly changed up for adults.
As to the title, ehhh. I saw no butchering, except for the Tyrant's rule but he didn't live in the forest, and the cover, the animals could've been 'a little more'.
It's not scary, not gory... It's mostly suitable for readers 16 and older, but I'm sure there are some 14-year-olds mature enough to read this. (At 14, I don't think would have been too impressed with this one, let alone scared.)
Had promise but didn't reach what it could have been.
2 Stars
by Premee Mohamed
Dark Fantasy Novella
NetGalley ARC
Tor Publishing Group
Pub. Date: Feb. 27, 2024
Ages: 16+
Bordering the land on the north is a forest called Elmever and is where monsters live. To enter more than a few trees means you'll never find your way out. Veris Thorn once went beyond those first few trees to save a young child and is known to be the only person to go in and find their way out.
When the Tyrant's two children disappear, all tracks leading to Elmever, he orders Veris to find them and bring them out alive. If she does not, her entire village will pay.
The blurb caught my attention. A haunted scary forest that has monsters! The first few chapters were dark and I was caught, then the story flushed as it failed to include depth of this forest and the monsters. They weren't monsters, they didn't have enough monstrosity to them.
Sure one of the monsters was an interesting take on the 'species' but it was just a little lame, as were most of the other monsters and the human characters. Of them all, the Tyrant had the most personality.
The plot is based on the fairy myths, don't eat the food, etc, but as I said it lacks so much depth that a hundred or so pages of descriptions and back story would have brought this story to life. As is, it reads as if it was a bedtime story then hurriedly changed up for adults.
As to the title, ehhh. I saw no butchering, except for the Tyrant's rule but he didn't live in the forest, and the cover, the animals could've been 'a little more'.
It's not scary, not gory... It's mostly suitable for readers 16 and older, but I'm sure there are some 14-year-olds mature enough to read this. (At 14, I don't think would have been too impressed with this one, let alone scared.)
Had promise but didn't reach what it could have been.
2 Stars
November 14, 2023
A dark fairytale that blends fantasy and horror, The Butcher of the Forest follows a woman who is forced into a harrowing journey into dangerously magical woods to rescue the children of a ruler. While inside (for the second time in her life) she encounters strange and disturbing creatures, tricksters, and things that want to kill her and the children or keep them there forever. It's evocative and a really effective, contained story that will never let you think about unicorns the same way. Content warnings include body horror, gore, violence, peril, references to child sex abuse (past). I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
October 19, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ (rounded up)
This book was a delicious, dark and atmospheric novella set nearly, entirely in a forest ~ PERFECT for this time of year!!! I loved the themes in this, its whimsy and all of its folk horror vibes... as much as I wish there was more of this (in length and more character depth) I would definitely recommend!
This book was a delicious, dark and atmospheric novella set nearly, entirely in a forest ~ PERFECT for this time of year!!! I loved the themes in this, its whimsy and all of its folk horror vibes... as much as I wish there was more of this (in length and more character depth) I would definitely recommend!
April 7, 2024
4.5 territory but rounded up because that’s how I roll. This was excellent and easily read in a day which I did. The blurb on the back said “Hansel and Gretel meet Annihilation” and I found that to be a pretty accurate assessment. The pacing was solid and steady and the world was wildly imaginative and engrossing. Loved the dark fairy tale vibes and there were scenes in the book that are going to stay with me which is something I always appreciate in a well crafted narrative. Definitely recommend if you’re an Annihilation fan.
September 25, 2024
I came for a dark, enchanted forest and was rewarded with so much more. Novella's are tricky things to get right, but the author managed to deliver an impressive multi-layered story. The prose was also fantastic. So glad I picked this one up.
February 27, 2024
The fluid boundary between mystery and puzzle
Veris lives near an enchanted forest, the Elmever. Children who get lost in the forest never come out. People of the villages have learned to mourn those who go lost in the wood as if they were dead, for those who enter the forest to search for their lost children also never come out. With one exception: Veris herself once went into the forest to search for a child and returned with the child. That was years ago.
The Tyrant who rules over the country where Veris lives has two children. Last night they snuck out of the castle and went into the forest, looking for adventure, probably. The Tyrant has Veris brought to him and tells her
Veris walks into the forest. This description intrigued me:
Here is the story as I saw it: to bring the children out, Veris must make puzzles of some of the mysteries of the Elmever. Although I doubt it is what had in mind, her description "At some point, you took a step, and you were simply there, and you would not see the difference between it and the true woods" felt to me like the imperceptible slip from puzzles -- things unknown -- to mysteries -- things unknowable. And to return Veris must do the opposite -- move from mystery to puzzle.
The actual story of what happens to Veris in the Elmever is far more concrete than that abstract question makes it sound. In fact, Veris meets things and fights things and talks to things and makes bargains. It becomes clear as the story progresses that we will not understand what Veris is doing unless we also know the story of her past foray into the forest, why she went, who she was pursuing, how she succeeded and how she failed. We do eventually learn these things.
I was left with a puzzle, and this is definitely a puzzle rather than a mystery: why is the book called ? Nothing that Veris encounters in the forest is referred to as a butcher, nor does anything obviously merit that description. I am left puzzled as to where the title of the book comes from. I am pretty sure knows why she called it that, but I am clueless.
I really enjoyed this. It was not like anything I had read before. It is just the right kind of weird. Different readers will see different things in it.
I thank NetGalley and Tordotcom for an advance reader copy of . This review expresses my honest opinions. Release date 27-Feb-2024.
*Quotes are from an advance reader copy of and may change before publication. If necessary, this review will be corrected on the release date.
.
Veris lives near an enchanted forest, the Elmever. Children who get lost in the forest never come out. People of the villages have learned to mourn those who go lost in the wood as if they were dead, for those who enter the forest to search for their lost children also never come out. With one exception: Veris herself once went into the forest to search for a child and returned with the child. That was years ago.
The Tyrant who rules over the country where Veris lives has two children. Last night they snuck out of the castle and went into the forest, looking for adventure, probably. The Tyrant has Veris brought to him and tells her
“You are to go into the woods again, and recover my children.”*He will kill her family and raze her village if she fails. He is a cruel man who has done such things for far less reason in the past.
Veris walks into the forest. This description intrigued me:
Really, the problem was that people believed that there was some kind of . . . door, or gate, or at any rate some visible thing that let you enter the Elmever, and it was thought that this lured children in some way, tempted them with sparkle or song to step through it.There are two kinds of questions that are hard to answer -- more, really, but we start with these two: mysteries and puzzles. It has been pointed out (by , among others) that these are different things. A puzzle has a right answer. A mystery does not -- it is an unknowable thing. But if you know anything of the history of ideas, you know that sometimes puzzles become mysteries and mysteries puzzles. Sometimes you have to find a different way of knowing. (The history of mathematics is full of examples.)
The truth was much more dangerous, Veris knew. For the world of those others was not at all through a doorway that alerted you to its presence, but was instead adjacent to the real one in a way that could not be perceived by human senses, and that was precisely why people went missing into it. At some point, you took a step, and you were simply there, and you would not see the difference between it and the true woods, and you would never take another step that led you back home.*
Here is the story as I saw it: to bring the children out, Veris must make puzzles of some of the mysteries of the Elmever. Although I doubt it is what had in mind, her description "At some point, you took a step, and you were simply there, and you would not see the difference between it and the true woods" felt to me like the imperceptible slip from puzzles -- things unknown -- to mysteries -- things unknowable. And to return Veris must do the opposite -- move from mystery to puzzle.
The actual story of what happens to Veris in the Elmever is far more concrete than that abstract question makes it sound. In fact, Veris meets things and fights things and talks to things and makes bargains. It becomes clear as the story progresses that we will not understand what Veris is doing unless we also know the story of her past foray into the forest, why she went, who she was pursuing, how she succeeded and how she failed. We do eventually learn these things.
I was left with a puzzle, and this is definitely a puzzle rather than a mystery: why is the book called ? Nothing that Veris encounters in the forest is referred to as a butcher, nor does anything obviously merit that description. I am left puzzled as to where the title of the book comes from. I am pretty sure knows why she called it that, but I am clueless.
I really enjoyed this. It was not like anything I had read before. It is just the right kind of weird. Different readers will see different things in it.
I thank NetGalley and Tordotcom for an advance reader copy of . This review expresses my honest opinions. Release date 27-Feb-2024.
*Quotes are from an advance reader copy of and may change before publication. If necessary, this review will be corrected on the release date.
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Read
November 26, 2024Nađoh se u šumi gde tama prebiva...
Možda nije primereno reći za horor fentezi pripovest da je simpatična ali... baš jeste. Premi Mohamed ovde vrlo spretno upliće motive iz više različitih bajki, topose grimdark fantastike i ponešto od horora a možda se na trenutak čak nazire i Stingova pesma "The Soul Cages". Stilski je na tragu barokne raskoši Anđele Karter ali ipak prohodnija i pitkija; i uopšte, sve je vrlo pažljivo odmereno, sklopljeno i kako treba u ovoj potrazi sredovečne žene za malim tiranskim prestolonaslednicima izgubljenim u mračnoj i čarobnoj šumi. Neko je na Gudridsu već rekao da je kao T. Kingfišer, samo bez humora, i s time mogu da se složim. Jedina zamerka bi se svela na to da sam je čitala u pogrešnom trenutku i da mi stoga nije legla kao što sam očekivala.
Možda nije primereno reći za horor fentezi pripovest da je simpatična ali... baš jeste. Premi Mohamed ovde vrlo spretno upliće motive iz više različitih bajki, topose grimdark fantastike i ponešto od horora a možda se na trenutak čak nazire i Stingova pesma "The Soul Cages". Stilski je na tragu barokne raskoši Anđele Karter ali ipak prohodnija i pitkija; i uopšte, sve je vrlo pažljivo odmereno, sklopljeno i kako treba u ovoj potrazi sredovečne žene za malim tiranskim prestolonaslednicima izgubljenim u mračnoj i čarobnoj šumi. Neko je na Gudridsu već rekao da je kao T. Kingfišer, samo bez humora, i s time mogu da se složim. Jedina zamerka bi se svela na to da sam je čitala u pogrešnom trenutku i da mi stoga nije legla kao što sam očekivala.
February 27, 2024
“What did not live here was people, and even that was not strictly true, because nothing was. They were people-ish, and they had no name, and sometimes they did not look like people, even though they could speak. This place was their home, though, and whatever it took to keep it that way, they would not shirk to do it.”
A Land oppressed by the Tyrant, a malevolent forest of horrors and a woman who must confront both and live to tell her tale.
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed lures you into a deeply gothic and eerie fairytale of myth and monsters where everything is a dream and a nightmare come to life.
The foreign Tyrant came with his armies, his guns and his bombs and for many years the land has only known his lineage’s rule. Veris Thorn, now a middle aged woman, had lost much to the Tyrant’s war—her parents, her home and her pride. Yet when the Tyrant calls upon her to rescue his children from the deadly forest they have wandered off in, she has little choice but to obey or see the remaining people she loves, and herself, killed. Years ago Veris had entered the northern forest, entered the enchanting but deadly Elmever and has been the only one to come out alive. She had never wanted to return, had never wanted to face the traps, riddles and bargains of the inhabitants of the Elmever… but she must and she must use all her Knowledge to bring the children safely home.
“It was hard to tell how long she spiraled and circled, how many trees she had to climb and drop down on their far side to get through, how many eyes peered at her from the undergrowth or worse, much worse, from far above her.
But the day was burning away, she knew that much.”
At just over 150 pages this story may be a short read but it definitely packs such a punch. Immediately Mohamed’s prose captures a dark and foreboding atmosphere, there is a dreamlike, surreal feel to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is most prominently seen once we enter the Elmever and discover exactly what is hidden within, for nothing is as it seems. This is a place of deception—much that looks beautiful and inviting is deadly, creatures that seem or behave innocently are evil and what appears dead is very much alive. Some of my most favourite fairytales have been by The Brothers Grimm which are known for being dark, twisted and rather gory, and I was reminded of them whilst reading this. Mohamed does not hold back, her tale revels in the macabre, her monsters are bloody, skeletal, horned and vicious, there is always a sense of tension, always something to fear. The narrative constantly includes some absolutely fantastic turns of phrases where everything, even the horror, is poetically expressed.
There is also a surprising level of depth and emotion included that I was not expecting. Mohamed reflects poignantly on the cost of war, the loss and the grief that inevitably comes with it. Veris is a powerful and strong woman but she is also powerless in such an oppressive, manipulative and cruel world. Throughout Veris’ mission she often questions if the children she is saving would grow up to be monsters like their father? A mere copy of The Tyrant who would eventually cause untold deaths in the ongoing war. Could she save lives by sacrificing her own and leaving the children to their fate? Time and time again she has to remind herself that no matter what their future holds at this age they are innocent, they may have wealth and comforts but they are still scared and lost little children in need of help. It was very interesting to see Veris’ moral dilemma and the turmoil which came with it. I also enjoyed the exploration of the power of names as not only should names be hidden and guarded in the Elmever, but the Tyrant is denied an identity throughout—he and ancestors have only ever been known as the Tyrant. I believe that by the people refusing to give their oppressor any kind of individuality shows him to be inhuman, a mere monster akin to those in the forest. By the end Mohamed makes us question much and for a novella to be able to achieve this was rather impressive.
“She thought of her own house in the village, and the two elders within waiting for her to come home, and the two guards without, and the two guards within, and the dented, yellow-enameled kettle on the top of the iron stove. Alive and well, alive and well.”
Mohamed showcases a psychedelic, striking and philosophical tale which portrays the essence of horror in the best of ways. The Butcher of the Forest is a sumptuous delight.
ARC provided by Bahar & Kabriya at Titan Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!
A Land oppressed by the Tyrant, a malevolent forest of horrors and a woman who must confront both and live to tell her tale.
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed lures you into a deeply gothic and eerie fairytale of myth and monsters where everything is a dream and a nightmare come to life.
The foreign Tyrant came with his armies, his guns and his bombs and for many years the land has only known his lineage’s rule. Veris Thorn, now a middle aged woman, had lost much to the Tyrant’s war—her parents, her home and her pride. Yet when the Tyrant calls upon her to rescue his children from the deadly forest they have wandered off in, she has little choice but to obey or see the remaining people she loves, and herself, killed. Years ago Veris had entered the northern forest, entered the enchanting but deadly Elmever and has been the only one to come out alive. She had never wanted to return, had never wanted to face the traps, riddles and bargains of the inhabitants of the Elmever… but she must and she must use all her Knowledge to bring the children safely home.
“It was hard to tell how long she spiraled and circled, how many trees she had to climb and drop down on their far side to get through, how many eyes peered at her from the undergrowth or worse, much worse, from far above her.
But the day was burning away, she knew that much.”
At just over 150 pages this story may be a short read but it definitely packs such a punch. Immediately Mohamed’s prose captures a dark and foreboding atmosphere, there is a dreamlike, surreal feel to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is most prominently seen once we enter the Elmever and discover exactly what is hidden within, for nothing is as it seems. This is a place of deception—much that looks beautiful and inviting is deadly, creatures that seem or behave innocently are evil and what appears dead is very much alive. Some of my most favourite fairytales have been by The Brothers Grimm which are known for being dark, twisted and rather gory, and I was reminded of them whilst reading this. Mohamed does not hold back, her tale revels in the macabre, her monsters are bloody, skeletal, horned and vicious, there is always a sense of tension, always something to fear. The narrative constantly includes some absolutely fantastic turns of phrases where everything, even the horror, is poetically expressed.
There is also a surprising level of depth and emotion included that I was not expecting. Mohamed reflects poignantly on the cost of war, the loss and the grief that inevitably comes with it. Veris is a powerful and strong woman but she is also powerless in such an oppressive, manipulative and cruel world. Throughout Veris’ mission she often questions if the children she is saving would grow up to be monsters like their father? A mere copy of The Tyrant who would eventually cause untold deaths in the ongoing war. Could she save lives by sacrificing her own and leaving the children to their fate? Time and time again she has to remind herself that no matter what their future holds at this age they are innocent, they may have wealth and comforts but they are still scared and lost little children in need of help. It was very interesting to see Veris’ moral dilemma and the turmoil which came with it. I also enjoyed the exploration of the power of names as not only should names be hidden and guarded in the Elmever, but the Tyrant is denied an identity throughout—he and ancestors have only ever been known as the Tyrant. I believe that by the people refusing to give their oppressor any kind of individuality shows him to be inhuman, a mere monster akin to those in the forest. By the end Mohamed makes us question much and for a novella to be able to achieve this was rather impressive.
“She thought of her own house in the village, and the two elders within waiting for her to come home, and the two guards without, and the two guards within, and the dented, yellow-enameled kettle on the top of the iron stove. Alive and well, alive and well.”
Mohamed showcases a psychedelic, striking and philosophical tale which portrays the essence of horror in the best of ways. The Butcher of the Forest is a sumptuous delight.
ARC provided by Bahar & Kabriya at Titan Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!
March 25, 2024
I would like to thank Edelweiss and Tordotcom for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
There's something ferociously vital about a FMC who resonates on the most basic level...i mean the real one. it's refreshing to read a grown up, fallible, smart, vulnerable, high stakes heroine who hasn't fucking "strutted" once while running for her and her wards' lives.
Who is scared beyond measure, screams when it's called for, makes mistakes there's NO coming back from, but has the presence of mind to endure, keep going, dig in...in this case, for the children, her retrieval quest objective in the death-dealing, monster teeming Elmever forest that has fucked up her life on more than one occasion now.
this dark fairy tale, with its luscious imagery and its eldritch horror heartbeat, claimed my brain from beginning to end. and though it was shorter than most of the books i read, and the ending a bit abrupt for my wanting, there's an implication here that is both haunting and alluring, a legacy of irredeemable loss and heartbreak that perpetuates long after the final sentence is issued.
The Butcher of the Forest will stay with me for a while, like both The Hazel Wood and The Language of Thorns did in spades. it's been a while since a dark forest fairy tale has cast its shadow over my reality, an eye dimming sort of gloominess, though i'm clinging to a firespark of hope that teases a future installment...the one where leo takes up the mantle and braves Elmever's tapestry of mythic doom. i am a fan of this and i look forward to everything premee has coming for this world, because it's feral and magnificent and i could read it forever...or at the very least, a couple hundred pages more, which is my only criticism for this menacing, gorgeous novella!
There's something ferociously vital about a FMC who resonates on the most basic level...i mean the real one. it's refreshing to read a grown up, fallible, smart, vulnerable, high stakes heroine who hasn't fucking "strutted" once while running for her and her wards' lives.
Who is scared beyond measure, screams when it's called for, makes mistakes there's NO coming back from, but has the presence of mind to endure, keep going, dig in...in this case, for the children, her retrieval quest objective in the death-dealing, monster teeming Elmever forest that has fucked up her life on more than one occasion now.
this dark fairy tale, with its luscious imagery and its eldritch horror heartbeat, claimed my brain from beginning to end. and though it was shorter than most of the books i read, and the ending a bit abrupt for my wanting, there's an implication here that is both haunting and alluring, a legacy of irredeemable loss and heartbreak that perpetuates long after the final sentence is issued.
The Butcher of the Forest will stay with me for a while, like both The Hazel Wood and The Language of Thorns did in spades. it's been a while since a dark forest fairy tale has cast its shadow over my reality, an eye dimming sort of gloominess, though i'm clinging to a firespark of hope that teases a future installment...the one where leo takes up the mantle and braves Elmever's tapestry of mythic doom. i am a fan of this and i look forward to everything premee has coming for this world, because it's feral and magnificent and i could read it forever...or at the very least, a couple hundred pages more, which is my only criticism for this menacing, gorgeous novella!
March 1, 2024
You can get this on Kindle for $4.99 today 3/1/24! I want to read it again already…
This is a downright marvelous novella. I devoured it, and when I was torn away from reading by daily activities, I was resentful and couldn’t wait to get back to it. I even read it at my son’s activity! Also, I may or may not have pushed this ARC to the front of my to-read list, since I love Tor Publishing and the plot sounded so intriguing.
The writing in here is superb. Mohamed brings the forest and the characters to life so effortlessly, and I’m in awe of her skill at painting dazzling pictures with her words. My only complaint is that it’s not a full-length novel—I want more!
5 out of 5 stars. I wish I could give it more. I’m definitely reading other books by Ms. Mohamed.
Look for this on February 27th!
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for a free advance copy. All opinions are my own.
This is a downright marvelous novella. I devoured it, and when I was torn away from reading by daily activities, I was resentful and couldn’t wait to get back to it. I even read it at my son’s activity! Also, I may or may not have pushed this ARC to the front of my to-read list, since I love Tor Publishing and the plot sounded so intriguing.
The writing in here is superb. Mohamed brings the forest and the characters to life so effortlessly, and I’m in awe of her skill at painting dazzling pictures with her words. My only complaint is that it’s not a full-length novel—I want more!
5 out of 5 stars. I wish I could give it more. I’m definitely reading other books by Ms. Mohamed.
Look for this on February 27th!
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for a free advance copy. All opinions are my own.
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April 20, 2024A quaint dark little woodsy fairytale about colonialism, power, and grief.
I loved how bizarre and prosey and confusing the writing was, it added a lovely dream-like logic to the journey through this world and this story and was properly disorienting while still easy to digest. The atmosphere was rich and haunting in all the right ways. The themes this book played with were really fascinating, and I appreciated the open-endedness of many of its strings.
I think the only critique I have is that it felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop for much of the story. There was a clear setup here about different relationships to land: the inhabitants of the ancient forest where people go to die or lose themselves, the folks of the village who have lived in cautious fear of the ancient forest, and the king's men who have come to conquer the lands and understand little of the forest. And maybe I missed something, but I felt like I was waiting for some reveal or some twist about power or land ownership that never really happened.
If anyone else read this and Gets It, please let me know if I missed something. But I did enjoy my little time with this story, and I'm intrigued to read more of Mohamed's work.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
CW: colonization, blood & gore, grief, child death (past), dead bodies, death of parents (past), death of illness (past), death of loved one (past), war (past), alcohol, animal abuse (off page), emesis
I loved how bizarre and prosey and confusing the writing was, it added a lovely dream-like logic to the journey through this world and this story and was properly disorienting while still easy to digest. The atmosphere was rich and haunting in all the right ways. The themes this book played with were really fascinating, and I appreciated the open-endedness of many of its strings.
I think the only critique I have is that it felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop for much of the story. There was a clear setup here about different relationships to land: the inhabitants of the ancient forest where people go to die or lose themselves, the folks of the village who have lived in cautious fear of the ancient forest, and the king's men who have come to conquer the lands and understand little of the forest. And maybe I missed something, but I felt like I was waiting for some reveal or some twist about power or land ownership that never really happened.
If anyone else read this and Gets It, please let me know if I missed something. But I did enjoy my little time with this story, and I'm intrigued to read more of Mohamed's work.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
CW: colonization, blood & gore, grief, child death (past), dead bodies, death of parents (past), death of illness (past), death of loved one (past), war (past), alcohol, animal abuse (off page), emesis
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February 9, 2024
A lush and scary story of an awful bargain matched with an awful bargain.
Veris has been into the woods, once. She's the only person who has ever gone in and returned alive. And now she's about to do it again, or have the rest of her family and her village die. The Tyrant who rules her people with an iron fist has lost his children to the woods, and he's going to send Veris in to get them back. But the woods are mysterious, dark and deep...and there are secrets to keep.
This was so good. The writing style was dense and lush, with layers woven and monsters everywhere, both human and other. I loved Veris as a main character. I loved the lightly built world-building and how anti-imperialism was baked into every sentence. I really adored the way Veris saw the children, and how the children saw her.
And the ending...hmm. I'm curious to read more, but also like how it ended at the same time.
If you adore books with evil fae who remain evil and inhuman the entire time, this is for you.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
Veris has been into the woods, once. She's the only person who has ever gone in and returned alive. And now she's about to do it again, or have the rest of her family and her village die. The Tyrant who rules her people with an iron fist has lost his children to the woods, and he's going to send Veris in to get them back. But the woods are mysterious, dark and deep...and there are secrets to keep.
This was so good. The writing style was dense and lush, with layers woven and monsters everywhere, both human and other. I loved Veris as a main character. I loved the lightly built world-building and how anti-imperialism was baked into every sentence. I really adored the way Veris saw the children, and how the children saw her.
And the ending...hmm. I'm curious to read more, but also like how it ended at the same time.
If you adore books with evil fae who remain evil and inhuman the entire time, this is for you.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
February 28, 2025
Sometimes you hear a new-to-you author on a podcast, and decide you'd really like to try one of her books, and your library has their most popular title, hooray! So you place it on hold and one day it's ready for you, you go to pick up, looking forward to an untried fantasy novel, only to discover it's this big:
Must I check page count and/or book dimensions in advance? Yes this is my fault for making assumptions, and it's also a flaw in online book discovery, wherein every cover image is the same size. I had this same experience recently with . I take it as the universe's ongoing message that life is better offline. Stick to physical book browsing, in store and library and other people's books.
Thwarted expectations aside, I am pleased to report that this book's quality far exceeds its tiny package. It's a dark, harsh, unforgiving horror-fantasy novella rooted in proper folk traditions. Thankfully, it in no way resembles any kind of retelling, those trendy things which were already tired in 2018. Rather, it evokes all the grim menace of those worldwide tales of yore, when the notion of anything fae would rightfully give one nightmares, and brought to mind all the excellent examples of the same I have had the pleasure to read in my lifetime. The terrors don't only lie in the forest, either. The threats of the real world in this book are equally horrific and immediate.
The writing is sublime, a prose style that left me chilled and breathless for the entire journey. This is a writer worth going back to, no matter how big her other books may be.
Must I check page count and/or book dimensions in advance? Yes this is my fault for making assumptions, and it's also a flaw in online book discovery, wherein every cover image is the same size. I had this same experience recently with . I take it as the universe's ongoing message that life is better offline. Stick to physical book browsing, in store and library and other people's books.
Thwarted expectations aside, I am pleased to report that this book's quality far exceeds its tiny package. It's a dark, harsh, unforgiving horror-fantasy novella rooted in proper folk traditions. Thankfully, it in no way resembles any kind of retelling, those trendy things which were already tired in 2018. Rather, it evokes all the grim menace of those worldwide tales of yore, when the notion of anything fae would rightfully give one nightmares, and brought to mind all the excellent examples of the same I have had the pleasure to read in my lifetime. The terrors don't only lie in the forest, either. The threats of the real world in this book are equally horrific and immediate.
The writing is sublime, a prose style that left me chilled and breathless for the entire journey. This is a writer worth going back to, no matter how big her other books may be.
March 5, 2024
The Butcher of the Forest is about a woman named Veris who is tasked with entering a magical forest that no one ever returns from to retrieve the Tyrant’s two children who ran into it.
This has a very classic dark fairytale vibe… but like… darker. There were points in the story that took extremely dark turns and I wasn’t really prepared. Content warnings for:
All that being said, the writing is poetic. It’s almost aware of rhythm and beat. I’m guessing it would make a good audio book. The writing is atmospheric. The forest portrayed as a magical, if dangerous place. Almost becoming a character in the story.
I read an ARC/egalley of this so I’m not sure if the actual book has chapters or not, but my copy didn’t. This is a pet peeve of mine. I don’t like it no matter how short the book is. And the ending left me wanting a little more, I think. So 4 stars.
I would be interested to check out a full length novel from this author.
Assuming there are chapters.
Thank you to Tor.com and Edelweiss for the ARC.
This has a very classic dark fairytale vibe… but like… darker. There were points in the story that took extremely dark turns and I wasn’t really prepared. Content warnings for:
All that being said, the writing is poetic. It’s almost aware of rhythm and beat. I’m guessing it would make a good audio book. The writing is atmospheric. The forest portrayed as a magical, if dangerous place. Almost becoming a character in the story.
I read an ARC/egalley of this so I’m not sure if the actual book has chapters or not, but my copy didn’t. This is a pet peeve of mine. I don’t like it no matter how short the book is. And the ending left me wanting a little more, I think. So 4 stars.
I would be interested to check out a full length novel from this author.
Assuming there are chapters.
Thank you to Tor.com and Edelweiss for the ARC.
April 2, 2024
This was an absolutely stunning novella. The Butcher of the Forest tells the story of Veris, a villager under the rule of a cruel tyrant who lives near a wild forest called Elmever. While Elmever looks like a normal forest, it is really two forests - a magical one and a real one - layered upon one another. Anyone who enters Elmever crosses into the magical forest without realizing and never returns to the world outside of the forest. When the two young children of the tyrant go into the forest, Veris, the only person ever to escape Elmever, is commanded by the tyrant to rescue them, or suffer the deaths of everyone she knows.
Veris enters Elmever and must contend not only with the monsters of the forest, but also the monsters of her own world. Are the children of a monster innocents?
The writing in this is just unbelievably good. I loved the tension between knowing the innocence of the children and the evil of their father. This was the best version of ~haunted magic forest~ I think I've ever read.
Thanks so much to Premee Mohamed and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC through NetGalley. The Butcher of the Forest is available now. Highly recommended!
Veris enters Elmever and must contend not only with the monsters of the forest, but also the monsters of her own world. Are the children of a monster innocents?
The writing in this is just unbelievably good. I loved the tension between knowing the innocence of the children and the evil of their father. This was the best version of ~haunted magic forest~ I think I've ever read.
Thanks so much to Premee Mohamed and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC through NetGalley. The Butcher of the Forest is available now. Highly recommended!
August 12, 2024
Veris Thorn had my attention from the very beginning of this short - yet long - read. There was an eerie beckoning that persisted even when I had to back-track to try and find lost bits only to not find them. When it happens over and over, a short read becomes long. This reader was lost in the fog often, I must admit.
Having issued that admission, I still claim the ability to wave the 3-star flag - having read and re-read and feel confident that I wrapped my head around at least the gist of this dark, fairytale-ish account of a tragic, heroic woman who repeatedly put her own life (head, body, existence) up as collateral in exchange for other creatures not able to save themselves. Even ones who didn't appear to be on her side of things, or any other side - random lost souls caught in the same kind of enslavement she felt in her own life outside the Forbidden Forest. (She's been sent on a Find-My-Kids-or-All-Your-People-Die quest by a villainous Tyrant who has the power to do so.)
Confusion is not my friend, and has been known to throw a book out of my hands and send me off to the library in search of new reads. So, in spite of the confusion I felt with this read, the writing kept me in. . .often there were observations that evoked an uncanny familiarity with my not-at-all-in-a-fairytale life. Here's my favorite - Veris' thoughts as she looks at the woebegone faces of some of the creatures in the thrall of her enemies:
Monsters, the children of monsters. But innocent. You do not inherit what you are born to; and you do not inherit your own theft. Their innocence will not save them from harm. And it has not. Still it must be remembered.
Nice, eh? Doesn't that rise up your backbone and make your hair stand a little, thinking of darkest actions arising from your own dna (ya don't get to choose your ancestors, do ya?). . .it did me that way. . . whether it was 500 years ago or 50. . .hmm.
Bottomline, 3 stars, and I'll stay open-minded on this author, or any other third-party persuasions.
*A sincere thank you to Premee Mohamed, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
Having issued that admission, I still claim the ability to wave the 3-star flag - having read and re-read and feel confident that I wrapped my head around at least the gist of this dark, fairytale-ish account of a tragic, heroic woman who repeatedly put her own life (head, body, existence) up as collateral in exchange for other creatures not able to save themselves. Even ones who didn't appear to be on her side of things, or any other side - random lost souls caught in the same kind of enslavement she felt in her own life outside the Forbidden Forest. (She's been sent on a Find-My-Kids-or-All-Your-People-Die quest by a villainous Tyrant who has the power to do so.)
Confusion is not my friend, and has been known to throw a book out of my hands and send me off to the library in search of new reads. So, in spite of the confusion I felt with this read, the writing kept me in. . .often there were observations that evoked an uncanny familiarity with my not-at-all-in-a-fairytale life. Here's my favorite - Veris' thoughts as she looks at the woebegone faces of some of the creatures in the thrall of her enemies:
Monsters, the children of monsters. But innocent. You do not inherit what you are born to; and you do not inherit your own theft. Their innocence will not save them from harm. And it has not. Still it must be remembered.
Nice, eh? Doesn't that rise up your backbone and make your hair stand a little, thinking of darkest actions arising from your own dna (ya don't get to choose your ancestors, do ya?). . .it did me that way. . . whether it was 500 years ago or 50. . .hmm.
Bottomline, 3 stars, and I'll stay open-minded on this author, or any other third-party persuasions.
*A sincere thank you to Premee Mohamed, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
December 27, 2023
2.5* — i see what this was going for and while i love the vision, i’m not really sold on the execution. the author clearly had a goal in mind for the type of language and prose, but i think the way it read was slightly mismatched and just seemed excessively long at times. as a result, the pacing seemed off as well. though in terms of the plot, we are thrown directly into the start of the story, the excessive descriptions makes the hook lose its shine.
the vibes of the book are totally there: a dark, grim fairytale/horror. that’s one thing the author really succeeded with, in my opinion. the main character is another aspect i enjoyed, in that she was complex. unfortunately, a lot of the plot lacked luster and fell short at times (especially the ending), maybe because of the overt lyricism.
i would love for this plot to be expanded not in terms of prose, but backstory and life. that’s what would make me, and i’m sure a lot of other readers, enjoy this much more.
thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the arc!
the vibes of the book are totally there: a dark, grim fairytale/horror. that’s one thing the author really succeeded with, in my opinion. the main character is another aspect i enjoyed, in that she was complex. unfortunately, a lot of the plot lacked luster and fell short at times (especially the ending), maybe because of the overt lyricism.
i would love for this plot to be expanded not in terms of prose, but backstory and life. that’s what would make me, and i’m sure a lot of other readers, enjoy this much more.
thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the arc!
January 10, 2024
Do you like scary fairy tales? Fae deals that are much more than you bargained for? Fairyland that is dark and ominous? Then The Butcher of the Forest is for you. It's set in a medieval-inspired fantasy land. We don't know much about it other than that "the Tyrant" subjugated the land years ago, and still rules with an iron fist. There's also a frightening Forest that serves as a border between the real world and an uncanny fairyland. Years ago, Veris managed to go into the Forest and rescue a child. Now, she's pressed into the service of the Tyrant, whose two children have disappeared.
The bulk of the novella follows Veris as she navigates "fairyland" while dealing with her own trauma, both from her previous time spent there and from her experiences under the Tyrant's rule. Her sense of self and her own hard-won principles in the face of so much adversity make this more of a character study than an adventure story. It packs a punch! It's not an easy read, but it's worth the journey.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
The bulk of the novella follows Veris as she navigates "fairyland" while dealing with her own trauma, both from her previous time spent there and from her experiences under the Tyrant's rule. Her sense of self and her own hard-won principles in the face of so much adversity make this more of a character study than an adventure story. It packs a punch! It's not an easy read, but it's worth the journey.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
May 6, 2024
The Butcher of the Forest is a lush, dark fantasy novella, reading more like a dark fairy tale than a full on horror story. A woman is forced into a dark, enchanted wood to find the children of a tyrant who wandered into it, and a vivid, confusing, dark, fever dream ensues.
I wish I could have enjoyed this much more, but I think stories that lean toward being told as fairy tales just aren't for me. I couldn't get a good grip on the story being told, nor figure out why I should care.
Premee Mohamad is certainly a fantastic writer with some great ideas - but this one didn't land for me.
I wish I could have enjoyed this much more, but I think stories that lean toward being told as fairy tales just aren't for me. I couldn't get a good grip on the story being told, nor figure out why I should care.
Premee Mohamad is certainly a fantastic writer with some great ideas - but this one didn't land for me.
May 21, 2024
Behold this blending of fairy tale epistemology and post genocidal confession. There’s a haunted forest where the locals know not to venture. Alas the murderous horde didn’t research local lore and things have went bad.
Unlike other recent (and disappointing) literature which is keen to explore legends as fodder for terror, this is truly disturbing, maybe twenty pages too long?
I’d been impressed by Mohamed’s stories and will now pursue more of her work.
Unlike other recent (and disappointing) literature which is keen to explore legends as fodder for terror, this is truly disturbing, maybe twenty pages too long?
I’d been impressed by Mohamed’s stories and will now pursue more of her work.
June 9, 2025
Still doing the one short fiction a day thing along with the Hugo reading. This is a novella, and a stretch, but hey theoretically short fiction I guess (but I was overambitious, a tennis match I wanted to watch turned out to take a very very long time and be very very very good, so I will stick to shorter fiction for the rest of the challenge.)
This is a finalist for the Hugo as a novella, and she has two finalist works, another story of hers, By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars for the novelette category.
Both of these Hugo finalists are set in what I call generic medievalesque (European) setting stories (castles and horses and low-tech )universes. It seems a change to me from her earlier work, and the type of stories told reminds me of Patricia McKillip. This would normally be a plus for me, except it only made me miss something special for McKillip, which is just not here.
A small village near the castle of a tyrant, a magic wood which gets and keeps stray children, the tyrant's children disappear, and a woman who once got a child out of the woods must get the tyrant's missing children out or else... There are a few surprises (mostly because the author hints and withholds information), some touches of grim for impact, and I just did not care.
The 8 deadly words of writing are supposedly when the reader (or viewer...) thinks "I don't care what happens to these people." I have yet to actually care about any of Premee Mohamed's characters, and there are not any new, amazing ideas or humour or whatever to make up for it, for me.
One point: like already mentioned, the setting is generic European-ish medievalesque, like almost 79% (made-up number) of all fantasy stories ever written. This is the easiest type of universe to get right if the author cares about worldbuilding, tonnes of research and examples of it done right. But Mohamed does that common amateurish thing: the size of the universe she shows does not at all fit the size of the universe she tells us about. The tyrant is responsible for the deaths of millions (several times we are told that), but he lives in a stone castle near villages where the people working at the castle are all known to the people living in the villages nearby. It must be hard to keep control of that empire of many, many millions, and it does not seem to have needed any large capital city or palace. This is a very big step down in worldbuilding from fantasy stories nominated for the Hugos 20 or 30 years ago; think Bujold or George R.R. Martin (though Robert Jackson Bennett does get it right).
Trying to rate quality, maybe 3 stars because it is not that bad, really, but the worldbuilding was so profoundly annoying,, and this is getting so much love from so many others it compensates if am cranky about it. And I am cranky about this banality. But I will give it some credit: it is making me want to reread Patricia McKillip ..
This is a finalist for the Hugo as a novella, and she has two finalist works, another story of hers, By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars for the novelette category.
Both of these Hugo finalists are set in what I call generic medievalesque (European) setting stories (castles and horses and low-tech )universes. It seems a change to me from her earlier work, and the type of stories told reminds me of Patricia McKillip. This would normally be a plus for me, except it only made me miss something special for McKillip, which is just not here.
A small village near the castle of a tyrant, a magic wood which gets and keeps stray children, the tyrant's children disappear, and a woman who once got a child out of the woods must get the tyrant's missing children out or else... There are a few surprises (mostly because the author hints and withholds information), some touches of grim for impact, and I just did not care.
The 8 deadly words of writing are supposedly when the reader (or viewer...) thinks "I don't care what happens to these people." I have yet to actually care about any of Premee Mohamed's characters, and there are not any new, amazing ideas or humour or whatever to make up for it, for me.
One point: like already mentioned, the setting is generic European-ish medievalesque, like almost 79% (made-up number) of all fantasy stories ever written. This is the easiest type of universe to get right if the author cares about worldbuilding, tonnes of research and examples of it done right. But Mohamed does that common amateurish thing: the size of the universe she shows does not at all fit the size of the universe she tells us about. The tyrant is responsible for the deaths of millions (several times we are told that), but he lives in a stone castle near villages where the people working at the castle are all known to the people living in the villages nearby. It must be hard to keep control of that empire of many, many millions, and it does not seem to have needed any large capital city or palace. This is a very big step down in worldbuilding from fantasy stories nominated for the Hugos 20 or 30 years ago; think Bujold or George R.R. Martin (though Robert Jackson Bennett does get it right).
Trying to rate quality, maybe 3 stars because it is not that bad, really, but the worldbuilding was so profoundly annoying,, and this is getting so much love from so many others it compensates if am cranky about it. And I am cranky about this banality. But I will give it some credit: it is making me want to reread Patricia McKillip ..
April 15, 2024
Hmm. The writing is lovely in this novella, and I'm always down for a romp in an enchanted forest, but it took me two days to finish 156 pages, and it lost out to a jigsaw puzzle with an image almost entirely composed of chaotic green leaves.
The Butcher of the Forest starts in the middle of things: a knock at the door in the middle of the night, the summoning of an ordinary middle-aged woman to the castle of the Tyrant. There's nothing special about Veris (an ironic name, perhaps?), who grows vegetables and raises rabbits, except that she once rescued a child out of the sinister north woods where the Tyrant's children have vanished into. With her whole family and village at stake, Veris must return to these strange woods once again.
And what follows is a series of phantasmagorical encounters in the Elmever with strong horror elements - more T. Kingfisher (sans most of the humor) or than Jeff Vandermeer, I think, with rules taken from European fairylore. There's a personal journey as well, which I found less compelling , as Veris relives some very painful memories and tries to come to terms with rescuing the spoiled children of someone who killed her parents.
I found some elements genuinely unsettling and admired the author's imagination:
The denizens of the forest are intriguingly drawn but encountered only briefly in Veris's flight through the Elmever. That's fine, but I was disappointed in the forest, which could have been a character but was mostly a menacing backdrop for interactions with other characters and an occasional root to trip over. I get that a desperate rescue mission doesn't allow a lot of time for, say, admiring the wonders of photosynthesis, but the Elmever never felt like a forest to me.
I would absolutely read something else by Premee Mohamed, but this one wasn't love. Let's say 3.5 stars, rounding up.
The Butcher of the Forest starts in the middle of things: a knock at the door in the middle of the night, the summoning of an ordinary middle-aged woman to the castle of the Tyrant. There's nothing special about Veris (an ironic name, perhaps?), who grows vegetables and raises rabbits, except that she once rescued a child out of the sinister north woods where the Tyrant's children have vanished into. With her whole family and village at stake, Veris must return to these strange woods once again.
The further in she went, the thicker and stranger the light became as it filtered through the leaves; after half an hour it was like syrup where it fell on her hands and the pale sleeve of her sweater, or like the orange sun after a forest fire.
And what follows is a series of phantasmagorical encounters in the Elmever with strong horror elements - more T. Kingfisher (sans most of the humor) or than Jeff Vandermeer, I think, with rules taken from European fairylore. There's a personal journey as well, which I found less compelling , as Veris relives some very painful memories and tries to come to terms with rescuing the spoiled children of someone who killed her parents.
I found some elements genuinely unsettling and admired the author's imagination:
Her fingerprints remained on the cover of the deep-green book as she opened it, running her thumb along the edge of what they had passably mimicked as paper. It felt like the surface of a mushroom. One of the ones, she thought prudently, that you weren't supposed to eat. But grown whole and tome-shaped from the ridged bark of an oak or elm...
The denizens of the forest are intriguingly drawn but encountered only briefly in Veris's flight through the Elmever. That's fine, but I was disappointed in the forest, which could have been a character but was mostly a menacing backdrop for interactions with other characters and an occasional root to trip over. I get that a desperate rescue mission doesn't allow a lot of time for, say, admiring the wonders of photosynthesis, but the Elmever never felt like a forest to me.
I would absolutely read something else by Premee Mohamed, but this one wasn't love. Let's say 3.5 stars, rounding up.
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