What happened to Hansel and Gretel after the forest?

Kell Woods knows, and if you read her upcoming Grimm inspired fantasy novel, you’ll know, too.

A few years ago, I went on a quest for books related to the famous pair and found very few. I was thrilled to discover this continuation had been written. My expectations were quite high, which I fear hindered my ability to initially get into the story, but once I finally connected with it, I was fully invested!

Kell Woods tied the story of Hansel and Gretel as adults back to the original seamlessly, but she also made it into something that’s completely her own. The tale contains elements of horror, magic, and romance, all balanced perfectly, while also addressing the trauma responses born from the siblings’ abandonment and frightening ordeal with the witch. I am thankful this was considered and included, essentially making After the Woods everything I could hope for in a novel length fairytale!

I am immensely grateful to Macmillan Audio for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Ok so overall, I loved this book, and considering how little I've seen it around, I'm hoping that it picks up steam heading into the fall because I'd love to see it advertised more. I enjoyed this book SO much, as an in-depth folklore/fairytale story that builds well on the original tale while not being afraid to stray into new territory. I can't recommend it enough.

Kell Woods is a strong writer who avoids over-writing but still provides a beautiful, sweeping style that fits the fairytale energy of the story. This is technically a Hansel and Gretel retelling, but it does so many different things with this story and incorporates many different fairytale elements (and even bits of other stories, like Rose Red and Snow White). Greta is a compelling character motivated both by a love of family and by a desire to be free, which fits completely with her backstory.

I was also impressed by the way that the story builds the central conflict throughout, and while I don't think that the ultimate showdown and villain are completely surprising, there are some fun twists along the way that somehow feel a bit surprising while also completely fitting the type of story that Woods is telling here.

When I read a fairytale retelling, I'm usually paying attention first and foremost to atmosphere and characters, and I think that Woods nailed these elements. Something about the story feels universal and accessible, as a fairytale story should, while also feeling like it's about real characters and a real world that feels completely lived in.

I'm excited for more people to read and review this book because it's such a fun read! The narration was also super strong for this book and added to the reading experience.

Absolutely spellbinding! Kell Woods is a genius! Her writing is beautiful and had me leaning in to hear every detail of the forest and the characters shaped in this reimagined tale of Hansel and Gretel. This is a unique look at what their lives looked like after the incident with the witch in the gingerbread house in the woods.

I can’t find a single thing I didn’t like! I loved the characters. Greta was so strong and pure. You get to learn about her as she learns about herself. Hans is lovable while you’re upset with all the choices he makes. The magical element of the wolves was such an imaginative take on transformation and nature used for the protection of individuals and villages. And of course Matias. Gosh, try to find someone who doesn’t love him. It was funny to imagine the panic of waking up with a bear!

What really tops the list for me: ESTHER WANE. I think I’m going to find everything she’s ever narrated and binge listen. I would listen to her read the news. Her acting was superb and the KW + EW combo was a match made in book heaven. Please write another and team up again! Please! Thank you for this story. I didn’t want it to end.

Have you ever wondered what happened to Hansel and Gretel after they escaped the witch in the woods?

Enter this debut novel by Kell Woods which explores where Hans and Greta 20 years after their witchy encounter.

Hans struggles with addiction and gambling and Greta keeps them afloat with her gingerbread - a recipe that came from the witch’s stolen grimoire.

With the town addicted to her magical gingerbread and suspicious of Greta, when villagers start to be killed, all eyes are on Greta.

💫 This was an interesting take on a well-known fairy tale. The pacing was good and the ending felt realistic for a book based off a fairy tale.

The audio was pleasant to listen to.

I love fantasy inspired by fairy tales so this novel sounded right up my alley. This one ask the question of what happens after. I adore this premise.

However in terms of execution, the narrative really fell flat. I should have absolutely loved this one, but instead found myself disconnected from the characters and the story. I wanted a smart commentary, but found the themes a little soft and forgettable. I wanted to love this one and ultimately found it fine.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

"After the Forest" by Kell Woods is an enchanting dark fantasy that invites readers into a world where magic and reality intertwine with haunting consequences. This debut novel weaves a spellbinding tale that explores the aftermath of fairy tales and the complexity of living a life shaped by magic. Set in a world devastated by war and superstition, the story follows Greta and Hans, siblings grappling with the legacy of their past and the secrets they hold.

Through the captivating voice of Esther Wane, listeners are drawn into a world where gingerbread and grimoires hold the power to both sustain and destroy. Greta, the protagonist, stands as a complex and relatable character, shouldering the weight of her past while navigating the challenges of her present. The narrative masterfully unfolds as Greta's connection to magic and her past become increasingly entwined, leading to a series of events that hold the fate of the village in the balance.

In a world teetering between enchantment and peril, "After the Forest" offers a unique and enthralling take on the aftermath of fairy tales. Kell Woods' debut, narrated by Esther Wane, delivers a mesmerizing blend of magic, mystery, and emotional depth that will keep listeners spellbound until the very last word. Fans of dark fantasy and reimagined fairy tales will find themselves drawn into a story where the lines between reality and enchantment blur, and where the power of choice and self-discovery reign supreme.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

Fairytale retellings can be so over-saturated, but what about what happened *after* the fairytale ends? This was such a wonderful concept to see what becomes of Hansel and Gretel and how their tale affected the rest of their lives.

The execution, however, felt a bit lacking. The book felt like it was 3 different plots all chopped up and glued together. I wish that the more fantasy-like plots had been at the forefront, especially when the book began. It felt like there was far too much explanation of their lives and the mundanity of it. And then finally toward the end of the book we got back into the fantastical and the action began.

I loved the romance and loved the way that Gretel took control of her life. It was such a good feminist tale.
If you like retellings, you might like this!

The concept of this was appealing, and it was overall an enjoyable read, but there were just too many plot points shoved together that were not fleshed out enough. It seemed as though Woods wanted to hit on as many fairy tales as possible even if they didn't quite fit. The pacing was extremely slow, and the characters didn't have as much chemistry as they should have.

The narration felt inconsistent, and it seemed like some voices changes throughout the story.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audioARC of After the Forest in exchange for an honest review.

This story is the aftermath of the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel. Mainly following Gretel as our MC.
This story is dark and whimsical all at the same time. If you are a mood reader definitely read this in the fall/winter months to help with the atmosphere.

The aftermath of a well-known fairy tale always feels like a great premise for a novel. Here we have the happily (or perhaps not so happily) ever after of Hansel and Gretel, set years after the children escaped the witch by pushing her into her oven.

Hans and Greta are now adults, and their childhood trauma has a lot of repercussions on who they are today. The story incorporates a few fronds of other fairy tales into their story too (think wolves and bears, mostly), as well as some witchcraft tropes.

I really liked the feel and atmosphere of this book, far more so than the story. Though the premise is an excellent one, the actual plot is just ok, and unravels a lot toward the end. As a result I wound up appreciating the book’s sense of place and feel for atmosphere a lot more than I cared about what happened to Greta and her brother.

That said, the story moves reasonably well and boasts at the very least a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audioARC of After the Forest in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!

After the Forest is a fairytale retelling that is unlike any I’ve read before. While it definitely reflects the more grotesque and frightening aspect of the Grimm tales it also weaves many different tales to create a fascinating story.

While I found the story itself extremely compelling, I found myself at times screaming internally for Greta, our MC, to connect the dots at a quicker pace. Her naïveté and helplessness irritated me enough to interfere with my enjoyment which is why it sits at 4 stars.

Overall, a great stand alone for those who want a twist on the Grimm fairytales.

If you love Katherine Arden, Juliet Marillier, and Alice Hoffman, you’ll love this book. Its subtle, enchanting, and woodsy atmosphere are so perfect for a spooky fall reading season. I loved the mystery and foreboding intricately woven throughout the story that, despite the slower pacing, still kept my attention hooked until the very end.

Fairy Tales are a bit of a reading desert for me. I cannot remember enjoying a retelling like this for a while. I often find myself hating retellings because many are just the same fairytale scene for scene with different characters or creatures with some kind of spin to them that is odd, grating, or completely ridiculous. It’s monotonous, to say the least. I’ve read great ones, to be sure, and enjoyed some, truly; but After the Forest possesses a magical quality I haven’t experienced since reading my last Marillier, McKillip, or Arden novel (about 6 months ago from the writing of this review).

We have in After the Forest a unique perspective of what happens to the siblings Hansel and Gretel (Hans and Greta for this story) after they survived the tumultuous time they spent in the witch’s cottage. Greta bakes to keep the family afloat, Hans gambles his money away, and the village folk are pyromaniacs out to get any woman they suspect is a witch. While Hans sinks deeper and deeper into debt, Greta’s gingerbread cookies continue to bewitch the townsfolk around her. When the village leader dies, his wife takes control over the town, and soon, people begin disappearing and not returning. Strangers show up in the village, and Greta must contend with violent townsfolk, suspicious newcomers, and a sinister witch who has begun to descend on the town, spreading darkness in her wake.

What could have been another bland retelling unfolds into more than what it seems. Readers don’t have to endure recycled material; they get to catch a glimpse of “happily ever after,” except, in true Grimm form, it’s not happy at all—its miserable and the fight’s not over yet. I also loved that all of the elements stay true to the source material. Same place, same time period, same people. Anyone who has every been curious about what happens after the children push the witch into the oven will be quite satisfied after reading this.

I’ve had such a pleasure reading more than one book this year that perfectly complements spooky season. After the Forest belongs solidly in the category of Spooky Reads, and is a perfect pick for relaxing in the fall air with a cup of whatever hot drink you prefer with something pumpkiny and candles everywhere. If you’re a fall person, it’ll be right up your bookish alley. If you’re lamenting the end of summer, it will certainly soothe your hangover for perfect summer nights with the sounds of crickets and cicadas all around. This book will be in the OwlCrate September Adult and Illumicrate October boxes. If you have the budget, I’d sign up or get on the waitlist as soon as possible. I don’t think you’ll want to miss this gem.

My profuse thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly (and heartily) give my own, honest opinion.

#kellwoods #aftertheforest #aussieauthor #macmillan #tor #titanbooks #hachetteuk #harpercollinsau #harpervoyagerau #fantasy #fairytales #grimm

After the Forest just didn't work for me. While I love fantasy novels and the premise sounded incredibly interesting, it just fell a bit short of expectations. There were just so many things that felt shoved into the novel that just ended up with them not being delved into enough to pack an emotional punch. So many plots were started and then continuously interrupted and only brought back up for a short time much later. It felt like the story was written in the hopes of becoming a movie. Which, admittedly, I think would work out well. I just struggled with the pacing in which it felt as if nothing was happening. Only for things to start up and end too abruptly, in a very chaotic manner. I also found the characters to be dull and one dimensional with them all being frustrating to read. Every character felt as if they had one trait attributed to them but held no substance past that. I wish there had been more of a focus on fewer characters and plots so that readers could better connect to what was being presented. And while I found the narrator great, I did struggle some when she read the male parts as it just kept sounding as if many of the men, despite their age, were old. I just wish I had enoyed the story as much as I loved the cover design and overall plot idea.


*Received through Netgalley for my honest opinions*

I loved the concept and the cover.
I felt like I was listening a lot, and then I would see how much I had left and nothing had happened.
It's too slow for me and I couldn't garner enough interest to finish

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to After The Forest audio book early in exchange for an honest review!

After The Forest is a dark magical retelling of Hansel and Gretel, taking place in the after years of killing and escaping the witch in the gingerbread house. Focusing on the sister, Greta, we are guided into a storybook world that mirrors the dark fairytales of the Grimm Brothers. A world of dark magic, shifters, and witches, all tucked away in an old village, tucked deep in the Black Forest of 17th Century Germany.

Audiobook: I quite loved the narrator for this audiobook. Her accents and voices lended to the magic of the story and drew me deeper into the location and its people. However, it was a bit difficult to follow this story as there seems to have been little intros at the start of each chapter that were an entirely separate tale from Greta’s tale. Keeping track of all the people and who they were was also slightly trickier for me, as opposed to being able to visually see them in a book. Other than that, this was seriously delightful to listen to and I felt even more transported into the author’s mystical world!

Writing: Kell Woods has an absolutely beautiful, lyrical, and enchanting storytelling voice. With detailed descriptions, Kell Woods recreates the dark, yet enchanting atmosphere of the Grimm fairytales of old. The writing of this tale felt as rich, smooth, and velvety as a glass of full bodied aged wine. The more you drink of it, the better and better it continued to get.

Characters: Greta was a wonderful and practical lead character. Her struggle with being true to her green witch self or taking the easy route with dark (tanta) magic was a very compelling arc to follow. While the story does continually show that using dark magic results in hard consequences, one can never really fault Greta for choosing tanta magic when circumstances forced her hand. The supporting cast was full of rich characters that gave flourishing life to this tale. With a whole host of villagers with diverse personalities and backgrounds, it was easy to find oneself slipping into verbal paintings of old Germain forest villages - still beholden to the old ways and superstitions.

Plot: The plot took a bit of a windy road to slowly unravel and reveal itself, but honestly, it was worth it. The exposition set up a quaint 17th Century Black Forest village, and introduced us to Greta, her brother, and many of the key players to the story. There were mysteries that hid in the dark boughs of the old forest trees, waiting for us to find their answers alongside Greta. Magic - both green and dark - swirled around the plot, enchanting the reader with every minute passed. The plot rise and fell evenly, pacing itself beautifully.

Recommendation: I’m honestly shocked to discover this is Kell Woods’ debut novel! It was a beautiful fairytale retelling masterpiece. It is wonderfully reminiscent of Grimm Brothers’ Tales. The atmosphere is darkly enchanting. I was completely transported during the entirety of my listen. A wonderfully dark fantasy to read as the days begin to darken and the earth moves into hibernation.

Content Warning: This is a DARK Fairytale a la the original Grimm Brothers’ Fairytales. Which means there are some scenes that will be disturbing to some readers. If detailed violence - towards both humans and animals - is not your thing, then either take care going forward with your reading or consider skipping this book.

This book has extremely well written verse throughout. You can feel yourself being swept into the story through the author's words. I found the audiobook really good as well - good characterization and enjoyable to listen to. The first two thirds were really well done but the last part I found I was getting a bit lost in the story. There were a lot of branches off of the main storyline and I had trouble remembering who was who and how they were interconnected. The villain was a bit boring and the ending was pretty abrupt. Overall an interesting read and I would definitely read more from this author. This story just needed a bit better pacing in my opinion.

3.5-4 stars mainly because it was really interesting and enjoyable despite being a bit odd and random towards the end.

Thanks very much to netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

Kell Woods drew on the Hansel and Gretel story and made it into a completely entrancing story of love, family, power and magic. I was hooked from beginning to end.
Esther Wane does and absolutely fantastic job of narrating. It has a good pace and all the character voices are very well done.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review!!

4.5 stars!

After the Forest takes place twenty years after the events we know as Hansel and Gretel, and we follow Hans and Greta as they navigate adult life in their tiny village. Both are surviving, not thriving, as Hans sinks into debt from gambling and Greta has the witch’s grimoire in her ear as she bakes magic gingerbread. But this is Germany in the seventeenth century, and to be accused of being a witch is no small thing. Trouble starts as a group of mercenaries come to town, along with a very strange man, and perhaps Greta must deal with more than she bargained for.

I really enjoyed Woods’ debut! Her storytelling was excellent and I liked the way she wrote about the magic in this world, from Greta’s magic gingerbread to the wolves and bears to the woods more generally speaking. I thought she did a good job at speculating upon what Hans and Greta’s lives were like after escaping the witch in the forest, as Greta suffers rumors of witchcraft from her neighbors and Hans struggles with gambling. It’s quite apparent that their misadventure into the forest has impacted them significantly throughout their lives, and I think it made them all the more realized. I also liked how clearly soaked in fairy tales this world is—they were all woven together really well!—and I think that any adult who loves fairy tales will really enjoy this one. Of course, the trouble with fairy tales is there’s actually a lot to unpack from them, especially in regards to ableism, and I don’t think this did anything particularly subversive; for that I knocked off half a star, but it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment, it’s just something I ruminated on after reading (I’ll have to go back and reread to properly assess). And for those who are particularly sensitive to animal cruelty, there is a bear baiting scene in this. It serves a purpose and is not very long, but something to consider if that sort of thing really gets to you.

In any case, I loved getting to follow Greta as she navigated her world and I thought this was a neat take on what the aftereffects of living through a fairy tale encompasses. This was fun and engaging and I really enjoyed reading this!

As for the audiobook, Esther Wane did such a good job. I thought the audiobook was super well done and Wane’s narration really brought the story to life. Definitely, definitely recommend the audiobook version if this is a format that works for you with the caveat that there are at times epigraphs at the beginning of chapters that might be more useful to see in print.

Okay After the Forest was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. I didn’t think it would be bad, but I just never know what to expect when a book is fairytale-adjacent. After the Forest was very dark and atmospheric, the world building was lush and I could honestly picture everything going on. Greta was such a great character and I loved how she continued to bake her magical gingerbread. While the story did drag a bit for me in the middle, I really did enjoy this overall and was pleasantly surprised. This does contain scenes of animal cruelty, so please keep that in mind if you choose to read this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was cheesy but I love it so much. The narrator read it perfectly. I was enthralled. Anyone who likes retold fairy tales or fantasy will love this one.
I already have a whole bunch of folks I want to recommend it to.