Through the Woods
author : emily carroll
pages : [hardcover] 208
summary :
‘It came from the woods. Most strange things do.’
Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.
These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.
Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there…
review :
I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since I spotted it on a Barnes & Noble shelf, coveted it, and never thought that I’d ever be able to afford it. Which ended up being true, because I happily found that my school library had procured a copy of this book recently and I was the first person to check it out. With how long I’ve been waiting to get my hands on Through the Woods, it did not disappoint. In fact, these five horror stories left me shivering long past when I was supposed to get to sleep.
These are no normal retold fairy tales. They’re the kind of things you’d rather not hear, because more often than not there are no happy endings, and no guarantees that the characters you fear are not walking among you–or maybe waiting underneath your bed. That’s the kind of story Carroll is not only great at crafting, but illustrating. Yes, this graphic novel isn’t exactly ‘graphic’ in its horror, really, but sometimes the creatures it leaves up to your imagination is far worse than what is pictured on the page. I love how she turns that around on the reader, so in the end you aren’t sure of what, exactly, you’re afraid of, just that something is very wrong. Much like most of the protagonists in the stories feel. Before terribly creative and terrifying things happen in their lives.
Some of the tales reference easily recognizable fairy tales and others seem to have emerged on their own with no immediate influences, though through the tone and artistry they feel as ancient and warning as some of the oldest known fairy tales. I love that Carroll was so easily able to adapt an approach that brought back some of the gruesome aspects of original fairy tales but spun it all so that this storytelling is wholly her own.
I could gush about it forever, really, because the illustrations are amazing, too. I love the way the text itself because an image in the story, playing with the figures depicted. Sometimes changing color and size to indicate what is speaking and how the reader should feel about what is said. It’s such a layered book that I feel has been severely overlooked, and now I’m going to go and push it on all of my friends.
So, yes, of course, I recommend Through the Woods–just don’t read it on a dark and stormy night, when you’re home alone.
5/5 stars
Caught Between the Pages 
4 responses to “Through the Woods — a graphic novel that will terrify you”
Oh yes, I had been wanting to read this! I’m glad to hear it’s as amazing as everyone said!
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It’s really great! It surprised me with how uniquely creepy it is 🙂
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Oooo, this sounds so awesome! I absolutely love it when a book can legitimately manage to scare me, and it sounds like this one might be up to the job 😀
I think it’s awesome when the text adds to the story, as well. By changing it, I feel like it can give an indication to the reader as to the atmosphere of the scene, or the words spoken.
I’m going to have to see if my library has a copy of this, because it looks like something I could really enjoy. Lovely review, Kayla! ❤
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Yes, do it! It’s a little expensive to buy, which is why I had to wait for the library, but I might try to find a used copy just because I liked it so much 😀
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