Early Review – The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Fairy Tale
Length: 160 pages
Publisher:‎ Tordotcom
Release Date: ‎ February 27, 2024
ASIN : ‎ B0C1X7W5B2
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eBook through NetGalley for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars

“At the northern edge of a land ruled by a merciless foreign tyrant lies a wild, forbidden forest ruled by powerful magic.

Veris Thorn—the only one to ever enter the forest and survive—is forced to go back inside to retrieve the tyrant’s missing children. Inside await traps and trickery, ancient monsters, and hauntings of the past.

One day is all Veris is afforded. One misstep will cost everything.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley for this for review through NetGalley.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this, it’s a well done dark fairy tale read. The story follows Veris, the only woman to enter the forbidden forest and return. When the tyrant ruler’s children go missing, he forces Veris back into the forest to find them, else her family’s life is forfeit.

I enjoyed the dark and twisting secrets of the forest which intersects with the fae realm. This has a very traditional dark fairy tale feel with it. Dangerous bargains are made and deals sealed in order for Veris to navigate the forest safely.

This ended up being a bit darker than I expected. Veris has some very dark secrets of her own in her past and these are unveiled as she tries to survive the forest.

The writing was easy to read and flowed well. There is some adventure and a lot of dark fae in here. I enjoyed Veris as a character and liked her resourcefulness. The story wraps up nicely with a bit of a mystery still unanswered at the end.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a quick read that I enjoyed. I think if you are a fan of traditional dark fairy tales you will enjoy this. It was engaging and well written and I look forward to future books the Mohamed writes.