Novella Review – Drowned Country (Greenhollow Duology, Book 2) by Emily Tesh (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 160 pages
Publisher: Tordotcom
Release Date: August 18, 2020
ASIN : B07YJHVG4T
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Greenhollow Duology
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Even the Wild Man of Greenhollow can’t ignore a summons from his mother, when that mother is the indomitable Adela Silver, practical folklorist. Henry Silver does not relish what he’ll find in the grimy seaside town of Rothport, where once the ancient wood extended before it was drowned beneath the sea—a missing girl, a monster on the loose, or, worst of all, Tobias Finch, who loves him.”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Greenhollow Duology. I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle.
Story (5/5): I loved this story. It is just so magical and does an amazing job of blending what feels like traditional quiet woods magic with the more modern day paranormal aspect of monsters and strange creatures. This story follows Henry most of the book but also focuses on a young woman that Henry, his mother, and Tobias are tasked with finding. There are a lot of fae elements this time around, along with vampires, and tree magic. I absolutely loved how Henry’s tree magic spans ancient forests that have been and could be.
Characters (5/5): There are not a ton of characters in this book but the ones that are here are amazing and really help make the story. While Tobias was a solid and calming presence in the last book, this book focuses on Henry. Henry is much more conflicted and selfish and does a lot of growing throughout this book. We also spend a lot more time with Henry’s mother, who is having to accept the limitation of her age and the fact that she is starting to need more help during her monster hunting missions. A new addition to the story, the girl our monster hunters are tasked with saving, was just as amazing.
Setting (5/5): I loved so many aspects of the setting here. The quiet, yet wild, woods are beautiful and absolutely come alive for the reader. Then we journey to a quant seaside town that is just as amazing. From there we venture into fairyland and a sad landscape of desolation. All the while the woods underlay these lands because in the beginning they were much bigger than they are now. It was magical and enchanting and absolutely engrossing.
Writing Style (5/5): Tesh is an amazing writer and I absolutely love her writing style. It is lyrical and engaging and pulls me completely into another world. So many story elements are blended together in such a seamless way. This is a story that is hard to put down and engaging, but also leaves you feeling strangely peaceful and happy at the conclusion. This is pretty much the art of excellent storytelling at its best.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this book and this duology as a whole. I cannot wait to see what Tesh writes next. I am so excited to have found these books and this author. Tesh does fantasy in a way that seamlessly blends old and new story tropes and does it in a beautiful and engaging way. Every aspect of this story is perfect and I can’t wait to read more!
