The Butcher of the Forest goes back to the roots of how stories involving the fea used to be told. It is dark, unsettling and full of the old wisdom of never trust the fae and remember they can and will trick you to get what they want. Premee did a fantastic job building up the wicked, frightful and ominous feelings within the forest of Elmever. She managed to create these feelings of unknown and fear the more the story progressed, and the more it went on the more I had no idea what the outcome of the situation was going to be, which is fantastic because I don't want to be able to figure out the outcome before it happens.

This story is also very heavy on the descriptions and while it does work in its favor to help build the atmosphere there was at times where the story felt like it was starting to drag, but eventually it pulled out of that feeling. The characters are very well balanced and I feel Premee did a wonderful job capturing the personalities of two children raised by a Tyrant but also how they can and could still be rash due to their young age. One of the traits about Veris that I enjoyed was her constant habit of reminding herself to not hate these children as they are innocent to the world around them but also how she thought about how they would more than likely be in the process of being trained to be just like their father.

While the ending is tragic I am glad that Premee went in the direction that she chose, it fit perfectly for the story because I knew something was wrong, I'm trying to avoid spoilers but throughout the whole story we are given snippets of another situation that Veris was involved in and slowly we are shown the importance of it and so when the deals came around I knew what had happened wasn't correct or enough, what I didn't know was the consequences of Veris actions. The end brought on a wave of emotions for me as well some unanswered questions but I let that go.

If you are looking for a fae story that focuses on the evil roots of the fae than this is perfect for you, it is dark, chilling and emotional.

I will always be down for reading a novella from Mohamed. She always brings the sinister and insidious to her stories. Her characters too are always sharp and interesting. Whether it is by their choices or actions, you always want to follow where they are going, if only to see where it all leads and ends.

Veris is a the only person who ever ventured into the north woods and survived. When this peasant woman is summoned by the tyrant, she is forced to go back to the forest to retrieve his missing children.

This dark fairy tale is a full plate of suspense and tension. Ancient creatures, gods, bargains and sacrifice paint a tapestry of the brutality of an alternate reality, implanted in the characters whose background I wanted to read more.

For those wondering to escape into these enchanted woods, the challenges and horrors are anchored by sinister vibes. The relationship with the woods, a place alive with tales, is otherworldly. There's a discreet examination of grief, war and temptation, analyzing those who are innocent x the merciless ones.

As usually expected from novella, I desired a deeper dive into the characters - the foreign king, his children and ultimately, our main character. The engaging prose combined with fast pacing make this an one-sitting read.

One's inner demons will haunt even the most resilient minds. THE BUTCHER OF THE FOREST is an atmospheric tale that I enjoyed.

This creepy little fairy tale was a very interesting. For such a short novella the world building is surprisingly complex and rich. The character development was a bit shallow, but again the book is very short. I was definitely not something I would normally have read were it not for NetGalley, so thank you for that. While it is certainly fantasy, I think fans of horror might enjoy even more.

I enjoyed this novella so much. The dark forest of Elmever is dangerous and only Veris Thorn has ever been able to go inside and come back alive. So when the tyrants children disappear into the forest she is tasked with the job of retrieving them. This is a dark fairytale that is beautifully written with the worldbuilding happening so effortlessly that you are immersed in this haunting dark forest along with Veris and the children. The rules of Elmever, the courage of Veris, the lessons learned and the glimpses of the world within and outside the forest will stay with you long after the story has ended.

The Butcher of the Forest is a short story set in a cursed forest near the edge of the kingdom. The townsfolk know to stay away from the forest, but the Tyrant's children have not been given that warning in any harshness. Veris is the only known soul who has walked into the Elmever and returned, a trip that has haunted her after the child has returned home and stepped into yet another nightmare.

Premee Mohamed achieved a small epic journey within this short story. Mohamed gave us a setting that took root outside of the story. I felt like walking in the Elmever with her throughout the story.

I felt like I was comparing this story to some tales from an SCP, especially when it came to the cottage with the corpses. The use of the unknown was well done to build tension in the story.

The only reason I took one star away is I wanted more. It felt so quick that I felt like I was just pulled along for the ride instead of discovering things for myself.

If you liked Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, you'll love this one too, although it's a little darker. This was a quick novella that I devoured! It's unsettling and gloomy, everything is against the MC. The chances of success are close to none but she keeps going.

The story is told in one long block, there are no chapters. I thought this alone would annoy me but the story was so captivating that I just kept reading and turning the pages.

Veris is the only person that ever went into the Northern woods and came back. No one ever came back and the Woods have kept numerous trespassers throughout the years. Their village is ruled by a Tyrant that's not from here and never learned about the Woods or to avoid it.

His children left for it in the middle of the night and he now needs Veris to go in and get them back... or he'll just burn her village. Veris knows she has less than 24 hours from the moment the children entered the woods to get them out. She has no hope of succeeding but she has to try for her village.

This book weaves in elements of horror, grimdark, and supernatural genres into a short fairytale novella. It is a dark story about a mysterious woods called Elmever. No one in history has ever entered the woods and returns alive, but Veris has done the impossible and survived. Due to this, the Tyrant orders her back into the tricky forest to find his two children.

I liked a lot of things about this novella, the setting, tone, and its dose of spooky yet whimsical nature. The thing I could not get past though was the writing style. I found it tedious to read because of the frequent run-on sentences. I would have to re-read entire sections to understand what the author really meant. I felt like the flow was off for me, which was a bummer.

I also don't understand why Veris lies. When truth is such a major theme, why dare? Seeing is believing in Elmever, but nothing is as it seems. To lie is to die. And I just found that contrary to her character and past experience.

If you love spooky fairytales then I highly recommend checking this book out. It was a super quick read and very immersive.

Veris is tasked with going into the forest to retrieve the Tyrant’s children. If she fails, her family will die as well as herself.

From the beginning, this novella kicks off with a bang. It doesn’t let up until the end and will keep you hooked. I really enjoyed the writing style and the details were beautifully done! I would definitely check trigger warnings before reading this one though. It has a lot of dark themes.

Premee Mohammed is no stranger to those who enjoy short speculative fiction, being one of the foremost voices in her field. Butcher of the Forest is one of her latest longform works, a dark fantasy novella that strikes all the notes of an ancient fairy tale. A land ruled by a tyrant, an enchanted forest of danger and monsters, and our heroine is Veris Thorn-the only person to ever rescue a child from the dark forest of Elmever and return alive.

Unfortunately for Veris, the tyrant’s children have gone missing in Elmever and she is faced with the impossible task to fetch them back, with her life forfeit if she fails. Forcing her to brave the dark woods and risk the horrors that lie within.

Mohammed’s prose is as lush as any dark wood. She chooses each word with delicate precision and builds tension and dread like an absolute master, evoking some of the most primal of emotions throughout her writing. Mohammed spends time on building Veris as a character- an older woman with no time for nonsense which is a refreshing rarity in fantasy.

This is no safe fairytale, though. “Butcher of the Forest” is full of horror of all sorts to go along with the dark atmosphere. The forest is full of mythical monsters and Mohammed writes them with an utter glee in the horror. If there is a flaw, it’s that the story is very fast paced with so much information to absorb for the reader.

An absolutely haunting and atmospheric tale, and a sure sign more greatness is in store from the writer.

Summary:

Veris is the only person known to walk into the northern forest and survive. Naturally, she's ordered to repeat the process when the cruel overlord, the Tyrant, realizes his children have gone missing into those very woods.

Unfortunately, Veris understands those woods – and the poor odds those children face. Yet she has no choice in the matter. She must face her nightmares once again or see her village burn.

Review:

The Butcher of the Forest is an ethereal and haunting story. Veris' tale has a way of getting under your skin. This is true, even before you know the truth of her history. Likewise, the woods are dark and fascinating – in equal measure.

To be clear, The Butcher of the Forest leans into the gothic fairy tale world. The creatures in the woods may very well be fae, but they're not the type you want to meet (nor would you likely survive the encounter). Personally, I love these darker takes, so I was happy to see it here.

The subtle realization and character development elevated The Butcher of the Forest's point. While I wish there was more of a conclusion on the Tyrant side of the story, I can't complain about how the rest of this story wrapped up.

I would love nothing more than another half dozen stories set in this world. But I'd settle for one more! Is anyone else curious about whether or not another venture happened and how it went?

Highlights:
Fantasy Horror
Fae & Creatures of the Forest
Complex Characters

Trigger Warnings:
War-torn village
Missing children

This was a very unique and whimsically dark tale. I found the story to be pretty fast paced and overall enjoyed the characters and the world.

This is a dark, atmospheric, fast-paced story-- which is right up my alley. It was an engaging read with rich storytelling and relatable characters.

The Butcher of the Forest
by Premee Mohamed
Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Thank you TOR and Netgalley for sending me this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this novella was good. It was a story about a woman that gets woken from bed to come search for two missing children from the forbidden forest. She is the only one who has gone in and out successfully and the king wants his children back.

I thought this was dark, eerie and to the point.

I want to know who kept sending her food to her back door?!

I feel like this could be made into a creepy fairytale movie by Tim Burton.

3.5 Stars

Premee Mohamed's The Butcher of the Forest reminds me a little of The Jasad Heir. The protagonist in both books end up unwillingly working for their families killers and spend quite a bit of time in the forest. I'm also getting slight The Chronicles of Narnia vibes.

I liked that we have an older heroine without a complicated enemies to lovers love interest. The book had a decent amount of action from beginning to end and gets straight to the point.

Veris is strong willed yet sensible and it serves her well throughout the book. The woods of Elmever are enchanting, where nothing is as it really seems. Its creatures are in most cases creepy tricksters with unlikely bodies that helped keep my interest.

🌲🌲🌲🌲/5

I understand what this book wanted to be, I just don't think it reached it's full potential.

For the first hundred pages I was loving the vibe of this dark fairytale, but as it progressed I got more and more confused. When it ended I was still lost - there were loose ends that weren't tied up and I wasn't quite sure what the point of this story even was. This wasn't for me.

This was great. 4.5 stars. Very dark which could turn some people off, but so well-written. I loved the descriptions of the woods throughout, and I kept wanting to find out how it would end.

An enchanting novella that fully enthralls with its eerie yet magical ambiance. Think of Annihilation but make it more fantasy.

A dark, twisting, warped fairy tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I really loved Veris, and even with the novella-length of this story, it was more than enough time for the character to be well developed and to get attached. Stunningly written, the balance is struck so wel between horror and fantasy.

This novella may be small, but it feels so big! Veris lives in a small town with her aunt and grandfather and one morning she is dragged out of her house and thrown before the Tyrant. His children have gone missing and were tracked to the north woods, the deadly enchanted north woods.

The Tyrant demands Veris go and retrieve his children as she is the only known person to ever come out of the woods alive. He even threatens the life of her family and village if she doesn't return in one day. One day!

From there Veris goes on to the wods with the little she has come to Know how to navigate the Elmever, the enchanted wood inside the woods, another world really, and every turn has a trick or danger lurking.

It really does feel like a fever dream reading this book and I really enjoyed the world that was created. I got invested right away and couldn't put the book down!