An enjoyable spooky read!

I thought this graphic novel, while short, had a great vibe to it and encompassed a nice spooky feel steeped in folklore. While I think it could have benefitted from being a bit longer to give more detail on things overall it still did its job in the end!

Not a bad short read . The art is a little bland and lacks detail for my personal taste. I liked the story but it seemed a little drawn out and them it rapidly spiraled away from the lead up of the story. We never found out what happened to everyone that went missing, whether the witches were purposefully feeding the men to the creatures. I just felt as if it could have been paced out better. And why does the main character suddenly become apparently hypnotized by the monsters and forget the reason he is there to hurt for his friend? It just seems like more explanation would be helpful.

2.5 stars

This graphic novel is a dark horror fantasy that is an exercise in why men are dumb and foolish enough to chase after one another into a forest that women are specifically telling them not to go into. You know, seeing some naked woman in the forest continues to make men even dumber. An exercise in stupidity, indeed. I didn't love the art style, but this isn't a very long graphic novel, so I can't really give it anything more than 3 stars and I didn't love it, so 2.5 stars feels pretty generous.

Thank you, Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was an enjoyable, but ultimately forgettable read. It ended up not being as creepy or eerie as I had hoped, and I think that's because it just felt so short. The art was okay, but it mostly felt sketchy & unfinished to me. Plus, since it was more on the cartoon-y side, it took away from the potentially frightening atmosphere. I'm somewhat disappointed because the premise was so promising, but it didn't deliver. I didn't totally hate it, but I also didn't really love it either--it was very middle of the road.

"Whisper of the Woods" is the first graphic novel I've ever read, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a unique collection of art and story, and it was also quite terrifying. The author did a great job of drawing the reader in and keeping them engaged throughout with the menacing storyline.

Fun and engaging story with good art. A bit confusing as there is a lot of dialogue in Romanian with no translation. Wish it was longer so the story can develop more and continue.

the exposition/premise of the graphic novel was interesting but then the story was rushed. overall, it was okay.

This comic is so dark, mysterious, and creepy. I wish it was longer and I can understand some of the Romanian language. I can't wait to see more from this author.

The premise and setting of the graphic novel was really captivating. It started with a banger and I was completely invested in the story. But as the story got interesting, the story was rushed and ended. It was like - a person went missing, his friend went looking for him and he died as well, so where's the catch in that?? The art style was also very mediocre, it could have been better.

Whisper of the Woods is a short yet spooky graphic novel based on a Romanian myth which ended in a lot of people going missing.


This book follows Adam as he goes to a small village in Romania on a search for his best friend who went missing after leaving for the forest that the duo had planned to go to together.

But now, as his friend did, he must travel there alone.

Even with the multiple warnings from the townsfolk for him to leave and dont look back, while also hearing the stories of the Iele Adam refuses to leave without searching for his friend.

I had such high hopes for this book, I adore graphic novels and I'm trying to read a lot more with horror aspects, but this one felt incomplete.

Before I could really get to know Adam, or even learn anything or have any feelings for his missing friend or other characters, the story ends. And with a lot of it set in a separate language there was that barrier of not understanding some of it (which, considering the MC is in Romania I understand, and some of it is translated by another character).

I think the story was there. I just wished it was a bit longer and the characters were more developed and fleshed out. There was a twist that I wasn't expecting but the book overall felt rushed, especially during the spooky moments which took me out of it.

I loved a lot of the artwork, especially for the creepy stuff! I think my favourite character has to be Carol. He's an outsider, but you can tell he cares, even when his appearance in the story is so short.

But overall if you're looking for a quick read, then this book could be up your street! It is based on Romanian folklore which I will definitely be looking more into! The book did make me interested in the myth but now it's making me wish I knew more and it could have added that.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers over at Mad Cave Studios for providing me with an eArc in exchange for my honest review!

I was hoping for so much more. I can't say it was all bad, I liked the artwork of the woods and of the girls, their hair, clothes etc look great (except the shoes which seemed to have been drawn quickly) and I loved the font of the "night 1" titles.

But the "introduction", the time it takes for the story to take place and for something to actually happen takes like 60%, and when something does happen, it's not explained and very confusing. The ending is even more confusing with 0 explanation of anything that just happened. I feel like the author had a whole backstory, universe, in their head and thought it was understandable from what was in the book but it wasn't, as a reader I was lacking a massive ton of context. I'm not saying it needs to be explained in great details but even a panel showing more of the "monster"'s true nature or anything, anything at all.

The artwork itself was good, but apart from the elements I talked about before, I was disappointed, especially with the MC's appearance. When his entire body appears in a pannel, it feels unfinished, like a first draft. Maybe it's to create a contrast with the attention to details present with the girls, if so, it's effective but too subtle. And my biggest issue was with the characters' faces, they all looked exactly the same with the same round cheeks and eye shape. They all had a feminine, chubby face.

Overall it was much more light-hearted than I expected. I went in thinking it was a horror comic book but it didn't carry that horror vibe.

The story feels incomplete, I think the author/creator (I'm not sure what the proper term is here) needs the revisit it and put more time, more pages, more context, more action into it. But then again, to each their own.

The moral of the story is men are arrogant, and stupid. 3 stars for women and women only <3


[review posted on Goodreads and I'll make an insta story on it]

While this book did a great job of having an entire story completed within a single, short graphic novel, I don't think the story really fleshed out, nor did the ending make sense. While the story was technically creepy, the characters weren't developed enough and so much of the book is in Romanian that it's incredibly difficult to understand what's happening.

Whisper of the Woods was a quick fun graphic novel. Lots of Romanian words I didn't bother looking up, but book still made since. Images were easy to understand and the story line was interesting. All the makings of a good scary supernatural movie. And the main guy Adam looks like Michael Jackson.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cabe Studios for the opportunity to read rage and review this arc.

Yeah no. The art style was atrocious. The story was asinine and I want the hour it took me to read this drivel back.

Wow! Adam is searching for his missing friend in Romania ignoring local warnings and entering a haunted forest. It was so creepy, I loved it! I did some research because I was hooked in the myths surrounding the forest and the fact that there has been reports of UFOs in the forest in the 60s. It did a great job with the Eastern European stories.

5 stars

Whisper in the Woods is a highly atmospheric storytelling, and this is a well-rendered look at what comics can do. Ennun Ana Iurov was kind enough to podcast with me about this book, and I highly recommend it for comics fans and those who want to explore a comic that tackles genre in interesting ways.

Adam travels to Romania to visit his friend, only to find out he has gone missing in Hoia Baciu, a creepy, supernatural forest. In an attempt to find his friend, he goes to the village right outside of Hoia Baciu. The locals warn him that men do not do well, either in the village or the forest. Iele, feminine mythical creatures, roam the forest and take advantage of the men. But desperate to find his friend, Adam enters the forest...

The final words are "Humans...are such fools." I think in this situation men instead of humans is more apt, but agreed.

While some of the artwork was not really to my taste, I enjoy folklore from other cultures and found the story interesting.

I had super high hopes for this one. The cover art completely drew me in. Upon starting, I noticed that the hook is there. It makes me want to know what the situation is with his friend and why men are going missing in the woods; however, my curiosity kept growing but my satisfaction never quite arrives.

Here is what I liked: the illustrations are good and definitely help draw me in. The story idea also drew me in, and I was very interested to read more at the beginning. I've seen similar storylines, and I really like this style. Anything set in the woods and people going missing is a big yes for me, but the plot just didn't hit my sweet spot.

There are chunks of the book that are in a different language, so not only is there not a lot happening, I don't understand the bits that are. I like a lot of tension, especially when the story lies on the creepy side, but this one just didn't do much for me.

While I did enjoy reading Whisper in The Woods, I found it abrupt and alarmingly short when it came to pacing. Upon finishing, I felt no wrap up, which is typical of horror. However, as soon as I had grown used to the protagonist, the book was over. A longer character arch would have made him (and his missing friend, and all supplementary characters) more endearing and would have sparked a larger buy in for myself as the reader.

The art was also off putting. I'm no stranger to manga styles but the absence of the nose was what really made things seem rather uncanny valley.

The character I loved most was Angelica, though her presence was absent much of the time. All of this could benefit from stronger character development, as culturally and intrinsically it is a sharp concept with huge potential.

Arc received from NetGalley.

Honestly, I thought the art was not very good. It looks like it’s in a rough draft. I also thought the story was way too short.

I do like reading about different myths from different cultures and it was creepy, so it does get points for that.