Title: And the Trees Crept In
Author: Dawn Kurtagich
ISBN: 9780316298704
No. of Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult; Horror
Origins: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 6 September 2016
“When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt’s home, it’s immediately clear that the ‘blood manor’ is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too–the questions that Silla can’t ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that’s appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?
Filled with just as many twists and turns as The Dead House, and with achingly beautiful, chilling language that delivers haunting scenes, And the Trees Crept In is the perfect follow-up novel for master horror writer Dawn Kurtagich.”
My Thoughts: And the Trees Crept In is a creepy and weird story. Ms. Kurtagich keeps you guessing as to the direction the story is taking, and the unsettling feeling this creates adds to the lingering sense of unease established by the moving trees and other odd occurrences. The language is stunning as Ms. Kurtagich successfully plays with it to establish confusion for Silla and for the reader. Speaking of, Silla is highly sympathetic as she devotes her entire life to keeping her sister safe from harm at the peril of her own sanity. The conclusion takes a surprising turn that helps gather the various plot strings into one cohesive unit and shifts the tone from dread to one of profound sadness. Part horror and part family drama, And the Trees Crept In is an atmospheric exploration of the ties that bind family together and the lengths we are willing to go to protect loved ones.
BOTTOM LINE: Plenty of WTF moments that make you question your own sanity while you read it, but the ending grabs your heart and squeezes in a way that makes you forget all that.
I read her previous book and thought it was good. I’ve been wondering if this one will be just as good – glad to see you enjoyed it! It sounds perfect for this time of year, which is when I love creepy reads!
I had the hardest time writing this review. I honestly could not put words down to establish how I felt about the book. I liked it, and yet I didn’t. Without having read her previous book, I don’t know if it is the way she writes or the story itself, but I was all sorts of confused and somewhat irritated. Still, reading it made me anxious, so she definitely creeped me out!