One of the best debuts I've read recently.

Dunato wrote short stories before she wrote the novel. And you can see it! The book - especially its first half - has this amazing atmosphere of adventure. "They go, they go, and people, gods and events meet them along the way".
The other half... the other half is full of Gothic horror. And slightly worse.

But let's start from the beginning.

We have 3 POV here - a folk girl, trying to survive, a daughter of a lord, in love with fairy tales, and a companion of a true hero, loyal to the core. Each of the characters is different, has a different characters and life experiences. And their behaviors reflect those differences. Faced with the same threat, the three of them will react differently and draw different conclusions.

It's obvious that the author put a lot of thought into creating the characters.
However, she was not able to avoid some problems. Sometimes the characters behave irrationally, sometimes we - as readers - do not get enough reasons behind this or that decision. It's the most evident in Elisya (young lady) behavior. We have to add up the decades of her life and the reasons why her character developed in this one particular direction.

The Slavic inspiration is more visible in the atmosphere of the story and its ending than, for example, in the monsters etc. You can also see elements rom a Gothic horror here - a mysterious castle, a curse, the lord of the castle, shrouded in evil legend, and his sad, but beautiful, wife.

But was I scared at least once while reading? No.

What fails is the ending.

After a rather slow, unhurried pace of story development, suddenly there is too much of everything. Dunato closes all plots. At the same time. Chaos ensues, which isn't hard to follow, but which causes... boredom. At the moment, when I should be turning the pages with the greatest commitment, I was most bored.
Still - it's a debut, so I'm not surprised by some shortcomings, and I turn a blind eye to them.

What did I like the most? Message.

Want a good life? You must keep a cool head and take matters into your own hands. Nothing good will come from dreaming of knights and someone to save you from the tower

While I did enjoy the book, I was confused about 60% of the time. Dual timelines, 3 POVs, and a plot that really doesn’t reveal inside until the last 30% of the books. There’s still parts I’m shaking my head over, wondering exactly what happened.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this as an arc.
Unfortunately I struggled to get into this one. I managed to get through around 41% before calling it.
The jumping between three stories was my biggest struggle.
I found the rouge to be the most interesting of the three story tellers but sadly not enough for me to continue reading.

I liked the folklore aspects, but the story was too drawn out and dragged for so long it was difficult to enjoy, and the characters needed more details, especially Telani. The ending was a let down as well, and made the whole plot so very underdeveloped.

Dark Woods and Deep Water is truly the medieval, fairytale style story I have been searching for after reading The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden. The POV’s are a bit confusing but only because each person’s side of the story pulls you in and you expect more in the following chapter. Once you get used to it, it’s an incredible read that transports you right into its vivid world of folklore. Side note- Ida kind of reminds me of Birdy from Catherine called Birdy and I love her. Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy. I enjoyed it.

A spell binding book, evocative and mysterious. The mixing of folklore and human relationships blends beautifully to create an amazingly compelling book.

dark woods, deep water by jelena dunato is an enthralling novel that captivates readers with its fully fleshed and imaginative worldbuilding. from the very first page, i was transported to a realm where magic and the power of gods intertwines with reality, creating an intricate tapestry of wonder and mystery. dunato's attention to detail and rich descriptions bring the world to life, immersing readers in a place both familiar and extraordinary.

one of the book's greatest strengths lies in its well-written characters. among them, ida stands out as a remarkable protagonist, showcasing a complexity that is both relatable and intriguing. her struggles and flaws make her a believable and deeply human character, allowing readers to empathize with her journey. ida's exploration of her personal issues and the way she addresses them and tries to downplay the traumatic experiences she goes through on the daily add layers of depth to the narrative, making her growth and development at the end all the more satisfying.

as i turned the pages, i found myself hoping for a sequel set in the same captivating world. although the characters may change, the immersive setting dunato has crafted begs for further exploration. the author has created a universe brimming with untapped potential, leaving me yearning to uncover more secrets and unravel the hidden truths that lie within.

while dark woods, deep water left me thoroughly engaged and satisfied for the majority of the story, i must admit that my only gripe lies with the ending. as the plot reached its climax, the pace quickened, and the events unfolded with an intensity that had me on the edge of my seat. however, the resolution felt a tad rushed, leaving me craving a more extended denouement. given the compelling nature of the narrative, it would have been a delight to savor the aftermath and witness the aftermath of the characters' tumultuous journey.

despite this minor qualm, dark woods, deep water remains an exceptional novel that will leave readers enchanted and craving for more. with its fully realized world, captivating characters, and a touch of unresolved intrigue, jelena dunato's debut promises an exciting future for both the author and her fans. i eagerly anticipate her next installment, hopeful that it will provide the same depth and immersive experience as its predecessor.

A good take on the Slavic folklore. It worked for me,but the various POV'S kind of didn't mingle together. Anyways,I was so curious about the goddess of death than it make me anxious to read more of the story. Tank you net galley for having me opinion on this one.

This story is told from three points of views that go between the present and the past. Dark Woods, Deep Water is about the Goddess of Death, Morana, and her servants. This book is fantasy with dark otherworldly elements.
I gave this book 4/5 stars. I really liked the plot of this book and it’s fantasy elements. The characters were all different from each other. The horror aspect of this novel was good as well. I personally think it would be cool for the author to do a book about the Goddess of Death. I started to get into this book at around 3/4 of it. At first, I didn’t really know what was going to happen. I like how this was easy to follow and the multiple POV’S. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook. The opinion is mine.

3.5 stars

A story told with three POV characters that change chapter by chapter.
The beginning is slow paced and introduces the characters and the events that lead them to the curse place. This is about half the book.
The rest of the book kind of derailed. I feel that we were given so much about the characters but somehow not enough about the world for the the climax to truly hit you. It felt like we were going from one scene to another but something was missing in between.
Good imagery and the characters were very good. I had the urge to slap some sense into characters in a "you are written so well this feels in character from what is shown but oh go let me slap you."

Super engaging from the first paragraph, but I wish the POVs meshed a bit better. Definitely cool world building, a neat insight into Slavic myth.

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the there POVs, the folklore in this was enjoyable. I wasn’t a fan of the characters but enjoyed the storyline enough to finish the book I love when an author writes about folklore and the Slavic folklore in this made this a worth while read.

I loved the world building, and the characters were charming! I have some people in mind to recommend this to. I was personally hoping for some more tension throughout the story.

A very okay novel. The premise is amazing but the povs did not mesh well together at all. The cover is beautiful though.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The first few paragraphs, WOW!
I was drawn to Idas' story from the start and I wish the momentum with her had kept up.
Telani needed more background and so did the Prince he served.
Elisya was annoying and I don't agree with her ending.
Actually, I didn't like the ending for any of these characters. The ending was so underwhelming and predictable. You almost feel betrayed, haha.

Overall, the story is okay but its not developed well. We are left with way too many questions.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Here is my honest review:

I’m a massive folklore, dark fantasy, and Gothic lit geek. That being said, Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato is a fulfilling and atmospheric blend of all three. For me, that’s a dream!

Dunato draws inspiration from Slavic folklore and successfully brings that glittering darkness I’ve come to connect with Slavic folklore into your mind. We have three perspectives: an aging prince on his last adventure, a young woman who falls into the trap of romanticizing legends, and an almost-brigand just making an attempt at surviving the world.

None of the three had much business being connected in any way, yet a hungry goddess of Death makes it so. All are at her mercy after stumbling across an illusioned castle in terrifying woods.

The hold of the castle seeps in slowly throughout most of the book and you’re in the midst of a Gothic nightmare before you even fully realize it. It gives the creeping sense of "oh, this is going to be weird in the best way" that makes your stomach feel like it's turning over with anxiety/anticipation. Which is exactly as it should be! I’d love to read some short stories of the other nightmare hunts.

The writing is quality, and I enjoyed how it went from feeling like an innocent, simple folk tale to a dark, Gothic horror fantasy.

Great for fans of Naomi Novik and Hannah Whitten.

I’m excited to order this when it publishes in September!

This review is made possible via an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Dark Woods, Deep Water is a Slavic folklore-inspired Gothic fantasy with light horror elements.

I was immediately drawn to the cover and hooked in by Ida's first POV chapter. It was a really solid opening as was Elishya's. Both Elishya and Ida had fairly engaging POVs and I was a fan of the juxtaposition of their status, their circumstances, and the two sides of the coin of idealism and realism. Elishya wanted love with a knight and Ida just wanted to survive and would do what she had to make sure she did.

Telani's POV chapters were, personally, underwhelming and I found myself wishing for more of Ida and Elishya when we were in his head.

The Gothic elements blended in well with the Slavic-inspired fantasy setting and folklore. I was really intrigued by the authors use of description for the castle. I also appreciated how different the tones were across the three POVs and even if Telani wasn't my favorite, I do think Dunato did quite well in establishing him as his own character with his own motivations.

I would recommend this to readers who are interested in stories from authors from Eastern European backgrounds or readers who love medieval-esque settings in fantasy with a hint of horror.

A fast-paced adventure told through two timelines, from three perspectives that eventually meet in a whirlwind of chaos and suspense

Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato is a dark fantasy story that centers on three main characters and how they all, by entirely different circumstances, become embroiled in a life or death struggle with servants of the Goddess of Death.

My broad thoughts on this book is that it feels like a snapshot of a larger world. That works both for and against it, as this particular story feels much too short and much too focused on the wrong things but is still very compelling and engaging.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book with the cursed castle and the Goddess of Death, however I was left wanting more on all accounts. The first third of the book was spent entirely on building up the backstory of each of our main characters, which would have been fine in a book at least double in length, but here it felt like a dire waste of pages, especially since two of the three POV characters felt very… generic. The first, a spoiled lady who is given over to an unwanted marriage after a failed elopement with a charming lord, and the second a poor young woman willing to cheat and swindle to make her way through the world. The third POV, the secretary to a prince who fought the goddess of death and won, had the most potential but the fewest scenes.

While I liked all three of these characters, even Elisya in her own way, I did not need a hundred pages (of a 300 page book) dedicated to how they got in their situation. Elisya’s story felt especially egregious as it was so very… again, generic. Her entire backstory of falling in love with the wrong lord and squandering the chance to be well-married could have been distilled into a single concise chapter instead of the three or four we were given.

Alas, the pacing meant that we did not even arrive at the castle until the midpoint, and the story arc, which we are given to believe is the whole point of the book, regarding the cursed castle and the fight against the servants of the goddess of death, felt exceedingly underwhelming as a result. We are given a very vague notion as to how the curse began, but not the particulars, despite a POV character being responsible for touching off events.

The climax itself had promise, but again felt too focused on the wrong aspects. We are given tantalizing tidbits of lore about Prince Amron and his relationship to the pantheon of gods who oversee this world, and then the book is over.

That being said, after sleeping on it, I think its “snapshot” feel does do this book some credit, because I would very much like to read more stories in this world. The lore we did get was delicious and fascinating, and I would definitely read an entire book about Amron. I just wish that more care had been given in cultivating the story of this book rather than just the characters.

All told, I am giving Dark Woods, Deep Water three stars.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the mention of it being Slavic folktale inspired. I don't normally read horror, but this had more of a Gothic horror feel than it did the fairytale vibe I was expecting. All that being said, I still was not disappointed in it. I loved the multiple points of view, and the introduction with Ida had me hooked from the first chapter. The twist ending is clever and well done. The only complaint I have with the story is it feels like it could have been fleshed out more with backstories.