Don't Let the Forest In, and don't let my heart break

on

 TW: descriptions of gore, domestic violence, bullying, mention of sex, allusion to ED, death. 

What else is there to do in the midst of deadlines and anxiety than read a gay book?

While I was paralysed with fear of not making the deadline for my psychology essay, I searched for a new book to read. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t read a book from start to finish since summer (a really depressing thought if you’re a bookworm like me).

I’ll confess: I’m not a fan of romance books. Don’t get me wrong, I have read and enjoyed a fair few, but the ones I love always have something else going on, like Song of Achilles (SOB), which I prefer to books whose entire storyline revolves around a cliched romance. However, I wanted to review a recent novel with LGBT+ main characters and a (partly) romantic storyline, so here I am. Anything for you guys <3

ID: Book cover (from Goodreads).
My experience with books in general, (and again, this is just my experience), is that although LGBT+ characters are more common now than in literature from 10 years ago, their personal storylines and experiences related to queerness are rarely explored in-depth. It’s great that we are being included in nonchalant ways without a spotlight being shone into our eyes, but it feels as though straight relationships are still the norm in every genre, and anything that steps outside of that sticks out like a sore thumb. Representation helps feelings of acceptance and relatability to the story being read, which makes it more enjoyable. I don’t want to constantly read about heterosexual storylines because I just don’t identify with them. Furthermore, even when there are LBGT+ characters, they’re rarely anything other than gay, lesbian or bisexual (three sexualities that obviously deserve representation, but there’s a reason the community isn’t called the LGB.)

Shoutout to Rick Riordan who has never disappointed me, and let’s get right into it.

Don’t Let the Forest In is a book by C. G. Drews published October 29, 2024. Didn’t I promise you a recent book? Goodreads (my lord and saviour) labels this book: Horror, Fantasy, Queer, Gothic, Mystery, Thriller and Paranormal. I mean seriously, what the heck could be better than this? Despite how new it is, it already has an impressive collection of 4 to 5-star reviews.

I like to start books without knowing much about them. I don’t know if you agree, but recently it feels like books, films and series’ synopsis are filled with spoilers, so I’ll keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Things I liked:

  • Australian main character (I’m not even Australian but I love this)
  • Discussion around asexuality as a spectrum
  • Existence of a GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) society in the school (slay)
  • “Mean to everyone but me” trope
  •  Gut-wrenching prose           
  • Creative monsters with a few beautiful illustrations    
  • Dark academia vibes  

Things I didn’t like:

  • Spent the first 50 pages thinking there was going to be Harry Potter-type magic going on and there wasn’t (#heartbroken)
  • Purple prose (“His chest was a broken cage for his emotions, and they spilled out of him like paint.” Why ‘paint’? Why not ‘fleeing birds’? What’s the link between the cage and the paint? I don’t know why this disturbed me so much but it did.)
  • Misunderstanding/miscommunication trope around who likes who (too frustrating for my taste)
  • The disturbing/horror theme could have been pushed a LOT further. At some points it was perfect and the design of the “monsters” was ingenious and creative, but it was a shame their creepiness felt dialled back at moments. I wanted this book to make me fear the dark again.
  • Sometimes the characters were really annoying, but aren’t we all/

Favourite quotes:

  • “That much positivity went against his entire nature and stressed him out.”
  • “Andrew wanted to fumble an excuse to leave, but he also felt tied to this moment with thin cords of defiance. Of want. Just once, Andrew wanted to step outside of his skin and be with someone who could talk easily, fit next to other people and not want to take himself apart and analyze everything he’d done wrong.”
  • “I think it sucks to be ace.”
    “I think the world sucks for making you feel that way.”

ID: Illustration from the book (p.156)
I found Thomas and Andrew relatable in distinct ways, which was a comforting element as recently I’ve often felt like the odd one out when interacting with other people. And I think we need that at the moment, that sense of comfort. University is incredibly stressful, and sometimes it’s just reassuring to realise even fictional characters don’t always fit in with the people of their imaginary world. Furthermore, as someone who struggles with anxiety and has often felt “not gay enough” because of past relationships, or due to not actually being openly “out”, it felt like sometimes Andrew was speaking right to my heart. And don’t get me started on Lana and Chloe, two badass, iconic characters.

In romance books nowadays, there’s so much smut and love is often presented as beautiful, messy but sweet. This book doesn’t do that. Being in love can feel emotionally violent, brutal, and extremely vulnerable, and for reasons that you should be able to deduce if you’ve read this review carefully, the romance in this book isn’t sexually focused. Hooray!

The first half of the book was fairly slow paced, and then chaos erupted and I couldn’t stop reading. If you want a book that will heal you just to tear you up again on the next page, with monsters and teenagers (arguably the same thing), love and hate, tears, smiles and gasps of shock and disgust, and an amazing plot twist, go for it.

As the Author themself wrote in the Acknowledgements: ‘If you’ve turned the last page and are now frowning at the wall, then everything is as it should be.’

Until we meet again dear reader, I remain yours truly, reviewer extraordinaire,  

Neville Fiercebottom xx