The butcher of the forest is a dark fairytale like novella, with a stunningly beautiful writing, and an immersive atmosphere.

This book has everything needed for a spooky season read:
- Enchanted forest where kids disappear
- Creepy and mythical creatures
- Difficult decisions
- Magic
- High stakes
- 24-hour limit to the saving operation

This was much darker than I was expecting and I was anxious the whole time, but I really liked it!

Despite the short size and limited knowledge of the past, I was able to connect and care about the characters deeply. I believe that knowing they live under a tyrant played a significant role on this.

The story is very fast paced, and we are thrown into the action immediately, with no time to adjust. This kept me at the edge of my sit the whole time, and the only reason why I didn’t read it in one sitting was because I needed to take some breaks from the dark atmosphere.

Premee Mohamed is a fantastic writer and was able to create an enticing world that captured my attention, and that I wanted to know more about, even while recoiling from its darker theme. I am sure going to read more by her!

If you are looking for something light-hearted, this is not it, this is the absolute opposite of a cosy fantasy reading… But if you enjoy dark fairytales, or even if you don’t, you enjoy well written fantasy, do pick up this book upon its release in February 2024.

<i>I would like to thanks TOR and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

While I found The Butcher of the Forest a pleasant read, there was also not much that stuck out to me, so overall this was a bit of a forgettable story.

If you like high fantasy and/or dark fairytale vibes, this novella is for you! This type of story can be hit or miss for me, but I thought this was well done and appropriately eerie for spooky season.

I did notice feeling like the reader is held at an arm's length with this one—I wasn't totally immersed in the world because the book simply wasn't long enough to answer all of the questions I had about it. That's not to say that the high stakes weren't there, and I was definitely invested in the characters by the end, but I struggled in the first 25-50% with how aloof everything felt.

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the advance copy!

This novella was closer to a 3.5, but I’ve given it a 4 because the extra half star has to do with my reading preferences and not the worth of the piece. This writing was dense dense DENSE and took twenty or so pages to hit its stride. I think I may have enjoyed it more if it had been longer and had a more fleshed out history. The twists were good but the reveals were very heavy and sad, but not in a way that necessarily leant to the story. This being said, I like a happy ever after. I like satisfying stories tied up with a bow and this was not that. It needed to end the way it did to hold true to the work. Worth the read, but I don’t think I would reread it.

Would you go into a haunted/murderous/dark magical forest to rescue the children of the cruelest ruler taking hostage your people? Veris will. This dark novella is filled with detailed descriptions of action, fighting surreal monsters, introspection, and courage. Veris never gives up although she gambles each step for survival.
I couldn't connect with the main character when in the middle of an eerie mood some of her comments took me out of the eerie narrative vibe, but it is a minor detail and more of personal taste.
The cover is amazing and the readers will keep turning the page to know if she saves Aram and Eleanor (also learn more about Veris too).

I will post on my platforms closer to February

This novella was a bit of a gamble: I’m not familiar with Premee Mohamed’s work, and I can’t really say I’m much of a fan of enchanted forests of any kind - and yet, I found myself racing against the clock alongside the protagonist, Veris, thoroughly engrossed in her reluctant rescue mission.

The story is definitely on the darker side: the forest is magical, true, but also extremely dangerous and beyond strange in all its manifestations, and Mohamed paints that picture with the confidence of someone who knows her world very well and deliberately gives us only a glimpse of it. It would be interesting to explore it further and learn, for example, how and why the Tyrant came to be, and whether he has any connection whatsoever to the other realm. But the genre has its own restrictions, so Veris is the only character whose (admittedly also tragic) story we discover in any real depth, and the other characters we see through her eyes and assumptions.

As I was reading, I kept wondering how dark the ending of this dark fairytale might get and caught myself thinking I’d probably appreciate a “traditional” happy ending, but it would be unlikely. Personally, I feel that Mohamed wrapped it up in quite a satisfying way, leaving an opening to maybe go back and tell more stories in the same setting.

Overall, quite an enjoyable read - especially recommended to those who appreciate an element of creepy/horror-like magic in their fiction.

Thanks to Netgally and Tor Dot Com for an advance copy of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of The Butcher of the Forest! This can be a very quick read, perfect to enjoy one dark, chilly night. I found this to be a fast paced and intriguingly frightening fairytale that had me pretty much on the edge of my seat. There were some good twists for such a short story. The world building was a little lacking but Premee Mohamed did really well creating the creepy and dangerous atmosphere of the forest our hero Veris’ quest takes place in!

Butcher of the Forest is a quick read that has a lot of promise, but ultimately shoots itself in the foot with an abrupt and unsatisfying ending.
The atmosphere and setting of this magical and dangerous forest was captivating and intriguing. It often felt like reading about fey/faeries but without naming them as such. There are tricksters and creatures galore that crave whimsy and human flesh alike. The main character, while not entirely original or engaging, was still enjoyable to follow. There are a few 'twists' that aren't hard to see and feel underdeveloped.
The ending comes along quickly and abruptly, causing me to flip several times between pages to make sure I didn't accidentally fat finger my way through the last bit of the story some how. A lot of Butcher of the Forest feels polished and entertaining, but the. ending had it feeling like a rough draft that needed a little more time and attention.

I was already excited for this when Ms. Mohamed pitched this as "Escape from New York" but with an evil fantasy forest. The cover feeling like a William Morris painting but with some very interesting friends (who you WILL get acquainted with) was icing on the cake. And the story itself, which I raced through in a few nights, was tightly and fantastically wound. The ticking clock here is two children of the local tyrant who have wandered into an evil forest that will swallow them unless our middle aged, world weary protagonist can get them out. There's always something terrifying around the next corner, and there's a not insignificant chance that it might be something that fucks you over further. There's a fantastic twist at the end that leaves an opening for a continuation if Ms. Mohamed chooses, but if she decides not to, this is still a hell of a read that you're going to want to pick up when it comes out next Feb.

A really good little dark fairytale novella! I liked how truly dangerous the journey through the forest was. The ending felt a tad rushed but overall made sense with the story.

For the most part, I liked this, though I wasn't aware at first that it was a novella. The atmosphere of the entire story is haunted and tense, with an undertone of grief. I feel that's definitely where the majority of this novella shines. There were a few moments, though, where the writing wasn't entirely clear to me as to what was going on at the moment or what had happened. Also, I felt like the ending was both very abrupt and that things kind of fizzled out in a way that left me a little dissatisfied. Overall, I do think it's worth a try if you like haunted forests with a semi-Over the Garden Wall feel (minus some of the cheerful whimsy).

I didn't know what to expect going into this novella - I requested it purely based on the strength of Premee Mohamed's works I had read before, and on this point especially I wasn't disappointed. As ever, her prose is lush but also petrifying. The Butcher of the Forest is a dark fairytale, with plenty of body horror (not only concerned human bodies). For my tastes it perhaps didn't delve deeply enough - although for a novella it packs a lot in, and the atmosphere is pervasive, I found Veris (our protagonist, and the only fully explored character) to still feel rather flat. The conclusion is fairly open-ended, so there is potential for this world to be explored further - and I will continue to pick up anything Premee Mohamed writes. Even when her works provide a mere glimpse into a world, the feeling of them (and creeping fear) stays with you after reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a haunting and dark fairytale perfect for the fall season. Mohamed manages to entrance the reader with her prose as she leads us into a forest full of mystery and ominous threats. I loved how gruesome the story was and the strong character of the heroine who is fierce in her beliefs. I absolutely loved reading this, it felt like a fever dream.

"The Butcher of the Forest" by Premee Mohamed is a haunting and atmospheric dark fairytale that plunges readers into a world of magic, danger, and ancient mysteries.

The story is set in a land under the oppressive rule of a foreign tyrant, where a forbidden and perilous forest lies at the northern edge. Veris Thorn, a world-weary woman with a mysterious past, is the only person known to have entered this forest and survived. When the tyrant's children go missing inside the forest, Veris is compelled to return to the treacherous woods to retrieve them.

Mohamed's storytelling is nothing short of mesmerizing. The prose is beautifully crafted, immersing readers in the eerie and enigmatic world of the forest. The author weaves an atmosphere of palpable tension and dread, making every step into the forest feel like a descent into the unknown.

Veris Thorn is a compelling protagonist, haunted by her past and driven by a fierce determination to survive and protect the children. Her complexity and resilience make her a character readers can readily invest in. The forest itself becomes a character, a malevolent force filled with ancient secrets and maleficent creatures that keep the tension high throughout the narrative.

The novella's brevity is one of its strengths, as it maintains a relentless pace, keeping readers engaged from beginning to end. Every sentence serves a purpose, and the story wastes no time in delivering its dark and eerie atmosphere.

"The Butcher of the Forest" is a masterclass in dark fantasy storytelling. Premee Mohamed skillfully combines elements of horror, fantasy, and fairytale to create a rich and immersive reading experience. This novella is a testament to the author's talent for crafting unforgettable and atmospheric tales. Fans of dark fantasy and those who appreciate stories with a sinister edge will find much to savor in this chilling and beautifully written work.

2.5 🌟
A gruesome fairytale.

Veris, a reluctant hero, is forced by a tyrannical ruler to venture into the Elmever forest, a cursed place where no one has ever returned alive. But Veris knows the forest better than anyone, having once escaped its clutches. Now, she must use her knowledge and cunning to rescue the tyrant's children, or her family will pay the price.

I quite liked the writing style, but at times it became too heavy with too long and detailed descriptions that honestly took me out of the story a bit. The plot twist didn’t really surprise me at all, I just didn’t care much for it. The ending left some things unanswered that made me question whether this was just a setup for an upcoming series. In that case, I would’ve liked more worldbuilding.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC. This is my honest review.
The Butcher of the Forest is a sad, dark, almost beautiful, and definitely strange novella/fairytale.
At first, it feels as though you are reading someone’s creative writing project. Then it slowly morphs into something (not a little) resembling a Grimm’s Fairy Tale. Not a Disneyfied fairy tale, but one that is brooding, and scary, and not without its morals.
There are many lessons to learn in this little story, and it is very well written, but so well written that it becomes almost a hindrance to the storytelling. The prose is so verbose, and the descriptions so long, that sometimes I found myself wandering away from the story.
And then, once in awhile, the author would throw in a piece of modern language (like the expression ‘pushing forty’) that just felt completely out of place.
All told, I didn’t NOT like it. I wanted to know where it would lead, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was sequel at some point, because it certainly leaves open that possibility. There are so many questions unanswered.
As for the morals of the story, we’ll some are obvious…but, in the end, I struggled with what I was really supposed to have learned, if anything at all. There is no happy ending, or really any ending at all. But so it is with most old school tales.
For lovers of dark fairytales, have a go. You may love it.

Wanted to love this, but the writing was a big too literary for me, and the story way too slow in pace for a Novella.

I’m a fan of Stephen King and have read several of his lengthy tomes. I also adore Tolkien and have read LOTR two times (once with appendices). I love fantasy and am unafraid to read a lengthy book. That said, the amount of 500 + page books in the genre that are part of an ongoing series often intimidates me into avoiding it. I was in the mood for a short, lighthearted fantasy book after reading several extremely dark titles dealing with murder and crime. Though Premee Mohamed The Butcher of the Forrest wasn’t lighthearted, it was short, so I decided to give it a shot.

The Butcher of the Forrest, a slim novella, is a fairytale for adults. The main story is quite simple: a tyrannical ruler, known simply as The Tyrant, forces one of his peasants to go into a darkly enchanted forest to retrieve his two lost children. Veris Thorn, the peasant, is somewhat skilled in magic; she once successfully went into the forest to retrieve another child. Because of this, the Tyrant tells her that if she’s unable to rescue his kids, she and the people of her town will be murdered. What a guy!

Fantasy books tend to spend a lot of time building the world. In Butcher, Mohamed drops us right into the action; the book begins with The Tyrant’s men forcing Veris to leave her house and get into a carriage to see their boss. She’s immediately told what she needs to do and what will happen if her mission fails. You learn all you need to know about the world and the characters that populate it along the way. The fast pace jibbed quite well with my ADHD.

If you liked Stephen King’s Fairy Tale, or the original Grimm’s, I highly recommended checking this one out. I was given an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It will be available for purchase on February 27, 2024.

A world-weary woman races against the clock to rescue the children of a wrathful tyrant from a dangerous, otherworldly forest.

This was good but not great. The author definitely has promise.

I don’t read many novellas, with that said I may convert to reading more after this!

I would categorize this as sci-fi/ fantasy.

While there isn’t a lot of monologue, it makes up for it with the plot.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the ending, but you may! I don’t like open ended endings, I need MOREEEEE 🤣🤌🏻