These Silent Woods is the story of a father’s love for his daughter and their unique fugitive life in the woods. The setting is so well described, I feel ready to move to the woods myself.
However, it is so much more than that. It is a heartbreaking tearjerker too. I haven’t felt so emotionally involved in a book since I read Island of the Blue Dolphins as a child. This book is just as beautifully written. It is also a Turing test. If you can read the excellent conclusion without crying, you must be a robot.
I think categorizing this book as suspense might be a bit disingenuous. It felt more like general fiction until about the 80% point. When I read These Silent Woods, I had no idea what the plot was. And that is for the best. Go in blind and savor the perfect prose and unusual plot. 5 stars and a favorite!
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.