“I abhorred turning real people into legends & heroes. It glossed over the pain & loss.”

“We do not have to fear the dead, but those who use them.”

NetGalley ARC:
Dark Woods, Deep Water was an impressive gothic fantasy read. I loved the atmosphere & world building. It was so unsettling how I constantly felt like I was being watched & had a very uneasy feeling throughout the book.

The beginning of the book was a little slow and rough to get through but once I got over the hump I couldn’t put this book down. The characters were enjoyable and interesting.

Multiple POV’s from very different backgrounds which I loved seeing them all cross paths. The attention to detail in the clothing, personality & aesthetic of each character was definitely something I don’t see regularly in books and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The darkness in the book was really enjoyable and I look forward to Dunato’s future works!

****I’ve already posted to Goodreads but will be posting on my instagram @bradiesbookshelf tomorrow (6/9/23)

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and one that I really enjoyed getting the chance to read. The plot was definitely the main appeal, with a mystery that stretched over 40 years, just waiting to be pieced together. When it eventually came to fruition about halfway through the book, it was satisfying, logical, and entertaining.
Although I felt that this took slightly too long to get going, that's my only criticism of the text. It was made up for in an impressive second half, which moved at a fast pace and was utterly unputdownable.
These characters were all delightful, especially Ida, who was practical to a fault and just immoral enough to be worth the time. She knew what she wanted and how to get it, and I can respect that hustle. Elisya was a great foil to her, with her innocence and somewhat frustrating insistence on treating the world like a story. I think my favourite was Telani though, because I'm a sucker for a guy and his Lord, and for secretaries who definitely aren't kept around for their letter writing ability.
Truly a great book, and I'm looking forward to more from the author- maybe even more from this world because that last chapter left me with so many questions!