Whisper of the Woods has a lot of fantastic elements. There's a mystery, the incorporation of folklore, and an appealing art style. This didn't feel finished to me though. I didn't even realize that I had finished the book at first, since I read a digital copy. I kept swiping for a bit before I checked and saw that the reason the page wasn't changing was because there were no more left. I appreciate short works of fiction but, in this case, I would have liked to have had this story fleshed out more.

Now, this is the ending I love, and this is probably an unpopular opinion. Unfortunately, I feel I can´t say more without ruining the fun.

Whisper of the Woods is a short graphic novel about a man who goes to the "hoia baciu" forest to find his missing best friend despite all the locals advising him against it.
Whisper of the Woods is a great idea, loved how it was written, loved the art with the traditional Romanian clothing. I also love folklore, I think I've learned something more about Romania which is great coming from such a short book.
Additionally, within the few 86 pages or so there is a plot twist! Amazing, and despite this the story does not feel rushed yet I do wish we could get more information about the folkloric creature.
Also, I do wish that before publication we can get some translation, especially as there are almost two full pages in another language unless that would ruin the plot twist. In fact, I'll translate it right now to get some peace of mind.

3,5 stars

I loved this and I am so excited to see if there will be a follow up. The art style was amazing and the differences in the colors really set the mood. I love the idea of using true urban myths/legends as the story line. I am really excited , this one gave me super chills!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Mad Cave Studios for an advanced copy of this graphic novel that deals of the weird doings in a small village deep in the woods of Romania.

The woods are lonely dark and deep. Strange, beautiful creatures abound in the darkness, hidden in the shade of trees and the deeper shadows of the village buildings themselves. Males have a habit of not coming of the woods, or if they do they are different, changed forever but what the have seen. Witches offer portents, about lives ending before their time, of strangers not belonging, but the shadowy woods draw people, and sometimes they don't return. Whisper of the Woods is a graphic novel based on myths and legends of Romania, and is brought to life by writer/artist Ennun Ana Iurov and letterer Micah Myers.

Vlad is Adam's best friend, who Adam met at university. Vlad was a friendly fellow, well liked and loved by everyone. Vlad's invited Adam to come to Romania, but when Adam arrives he finds that Vlad is missing. Vlad's mother tells him that Vlad went to the Hoia-Bacia woods, a place known for the many odd and supernatural things that happen there. Adam decides to travel to the village where Vlad was last seen to look for him. Hitching a ride Adam finds that he area is known to many and not in a good way. Arriving Adam is warned that bad things are out in the trees, and that Adam might not live to find his friend. For Iele, witches that lure men to their doom are hunting prey, and Adam might be a part of it.

A story that is based on Romanian tales and myths, with a strong feeling of atmosphere, and confusion. Adam being an outsider does not pick up on the many clues that people around him are trying to give. That was interesting, but the story never really came together for me. I liked the feeling that things were bad, the slow drawing of tension, but the characters never really came alive. The art work though is really impressive. Almost a mix of manga with European style. The people all look great, the character is distinctive, the dresses in the village, the outfits outside of the village, the backgrounds, the woods. All really stand out. Especially the backgrounds. I really enjoyed the colors and the feeling that came off the page. Also it was nice to see lettering that fit with the story again. I feel that gets dismissed quite a bit.

An ok story, that is saved by the art. European comic fans will feel familiar with the layout and the feeling. Also the use of folktales from unfamiliar locations is a nice touch. I would like to see more by Ennun Ana Iurov as I was quite impressed with the art.

A short but fun graphic novel about a young man looking for his friend that went missing in the woods.

The artwork isn't exactly my cup of tea. However, I was left wanting more, I hope there will be a sequel in the future.

Good Reads Review sent

A special thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios/Mad Cave Studios Inc for the ARC!

This was a charming, short graphic novel (unexpectedly short; I was taken back by how quickly I finished it) about a young man who travels abroad to meet a friend at his home before they travel around the rest of Romania sight seeing. When he arrives, he discovers his friend is missing; he disappeared when he traveled in advance to the village of Vâștea without the main character to visit the haunted forest there, Hoia Baciu. From there, the main character travels to Vâștea in search of his friend and is met with hesitant assistance and clear cut warnings about what he determinedly is walking into.

I thought the storytelling was brilliant for how short the graphic novel. I am admittedly not a fan of the art style. The line work is too thin for my tastes, and it comes off sketchy rather than a finished piece. Stylistic choices like that are pleasing to others though, and I'm sure that many will find the art more beautiful than I did; I truly hope that that is the case! I wish that the frequent use of Romanian had been translated, or given more in novel context, than it was, but that is an editorial choice I can respect as it made me feel as lost as the main character did, and it adds to the atmosphere in hindsight!

I enjoyed it and highly recommend it to anyone who has a couple minutes on their hands to expand their folklore knowledge!

Holy hell. The plot twist at the end made me immediately go back and restart this, looking for clues I missed at the beginning. Reading this at midnight was a…choice. I haven’t read much horror, especially not in the form of graphic novel, but I really enjoyed it as a form. The creepy glitchy art was terrifying and shoutout to page 24 for just having one of the most beautiful illustrations. The bodice of Madam Maria’s dress? Stunning.

[This review is for an advanced reader copy provided through NetGalley; I was not compensated for this review.]
What a beautifully simple horror story! I love it when a story just leaves questions open-ended rather than feel forced to confine one’s imagination to a page limit. “Whisper of the Woods” was a fun yet dark vignette into a culture, a time, and the main character’s feelings. I would recommend this to fans of short graphic novel horror.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc.

Creepy little short story? Sure. Me being an absolute chicken didn’t find it as creepy though. I also kinda expected a Happy End haha. It was good. Solid little comic. The art style was cool but not really my fav. Reminded me a lot of old comics from the 80s. Would still recommend.

Whisper of the Woods is a super short and somewhat creepy graphic novel about Adam trying to find his friend who has gone missing in a small Romanian town. When Adam arrives it's clear there's something different about this town and sure enough, there's talks of a mythical creature called the iele that stalks the town's men at night...

I'm always up for stories on mythical creatures and lore from other cultures than my own and this was definitely interesting! What's not to love about feminine mythical creatures luring men in at night? My only issue with Whisper of the Woods is that it is far too short. You don't get to be invested enough in the characters and it ends far too abruptly (with a small twist though, which is neat). But otherwise I think it's well worth the read!

// Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this advanced copy!

“Whisper of the Woods” is a short and spooky graphic novel. The protagonist Adam travels to Romania looking for his missing friend and encounters a dangerous supernatural force, unfortunately it’s not a particularly unusual set-up for the horror genre. Some good tension was built up, and I was pleased with the reveal of the “IELE”. I love a terrifying and seductive forest spirit. Sadly the story just feels a bit too short, it needed a bit more build up to the climax while he was in the village, I needed to get to know Adam more. I also wish we had learned a bit more about the village witch and her daughter. More story was hinted at with these two characters but wasn’t delivered, they’re just sorta there to give vague warnings. I enjoyed the art, especially the drawings of the traditional clothes. The spooky atmosphere was well done, the story just needed more fleshing out to be completely satisfying for me. I would recommend this to adults who enjoy supernatural horror and want a quick read.

This was a well told short story that really grips the reader. I especially love the comic book style, I just wish it was a bit longer

Set in Transylvania, Romania, the story begins with Adam, the main character, recounting the disappearance of Vlad, his best friend, who ventured into the haunted “Hoia-Baciu” forest. So, Adam embarks on a quest to find Vlad in a small town outside of the forest, but he is warned that supernatural women, called Iele, lure men never to return. As the story unfolds the character development takes a darker turn, however it isn’t exceptional.

“Whisper of the woods” is a book about supernatural beings, mystery and secrets that will enthrall anyone who reads it. The lore woven into the narrative is thoroughly executed to create the precise ambiance, immersing the reader in Adam’s world.

In this graphic novel, the art style is not as elaborate or as polished as it could be due to the characters’ simplicity. Additionally, the depictions of the Iele are unsuitable for a young audience and the book contains violent images towards the end.

Ideal for enthusiasts of fast-paced, short books, this graphic novel is a dream come true. Furthermore, the storytelling of the author, Ennun Ana Iurov, is intriguing and addictive, hence it would be advisable to check out her upcoming works.

I’m grateful with NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity of letting me read this before its publication.

I desperately wish this book was longer or perhaps even part of a series cause I really want to see more of it! I loved the art style, especially the creepy full-page panels. The story itself was short but fun, with a few creepy scenes that set me on edge.

However, I do think that the length does detract from the story. I would have liked to know more about our protagonist before he was thrown into this nightmare. Some more scenes in the town would have been nice too, as I felt like there could have been more explored with some of the characters that we were introduced to.

I was so excited for this graphic novel. I love stories of the supernatural from other countries. This graphic novel unfortunately didn’t live up to the potential. The story revolves around an Iele in a Romanian forest taking men. At no point does the author really say what an Iele is. At various points I thought maybe a ghost? Maybe a vampire? I had to Google it to find what she really is. There isn’t really enough build up for me to care about the character. It’s very short at 87 pages. And many of the panels are wordless. I’ll be doing more research on the Iele for my own personal knowledge, but other thank sparking my interest in a new paranormal being this story didn’t do it for me.

When Adam goes searching for his missing friend Vlad in Transylvania it seems like you know exactly how this story is ending. The actual plot, however, was unique and memorable! Although this graphic novel is short, it’s dark and will definitely haunt you. Due to its length, it’s hard to be emotionally invested in the characters enough to fully feel the tension of the plot beats. Overall, if you’re looking for a short but spooky read—this is it!

The art work was great. The story was ok but a bit disappointing. There should have been more to it than a missing friend, warnings, the end. So this one was not for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Whisper of the Woods by Ennun Ana Iurov in exchange for an honest review. This was a very interesting graphic novel. I liked the premise and it was fun to read at night.

I was hoping for a bit more content in this book. The illustrations were good and the storyline made sense. But it could have been more.


Thank you NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for giving me the opportunity to read this!

Everything about this graphic novel feels unfinished. It's too short for the story it tries to tell. The ending feels rushed. The art style is rough and unpolished. The idea is good, I really like folk horror and I was excited to read it, but the delivery isn't the best. The story could use a lot more development. Also, translating the dialogues in Romanian would have been nice. We're left wondering what was said in many parts. All in all, this was a disappointing read.