Review by Kirkus Book Review
Most villagers in the Hollows fear the Grimwood, with good reason. Poppy's parents tried to change that until they disappeared; now it's up to her. Separated from the outside world by the mostly impenetrable fog, the Hollows' human residents farm the rich land encircling the Grimwood and shun Poppy's family, whose home was grown for them by the Grimwood. While her parents work hard to understand the forest and neutralize the maledictions it sends, Jute, a loyal hob--one of the hearts of trees who hatch and then seek homes--looks after Poppy and Dog, her three-headed cerberus. Poppy's only friend, elf Mack, joins her search, though with reservations, as does Nula, an effervescent, shape-shifting pooka who shows Poppy how to undo the blood ward that's prevented her from exploring the Grimwood. Nula talks Poppy into going to the faeries for help, overriding Mack's sound objections, but when courageous, headstrong Poppy discounts threats and complications to her quest, bigger problems ensue. The fascinating forest's lethal dangers include thorn trees, trolls, wisps, and--at its center--the Holly Oak, which just might hold the key to the Grimwood's mysteries. Poppy's likable, but the Grimwood's nonhuman inhabitants are enchanting: Scary, droll, and delightfully strange, they transform the classic hero's journey into a sparklingly original adventure featuring assorted elements borrowed from British folklore. Poppy reads as White; the human cast has a range of skin tones. Spookily thrilling with superlative worldbuilding. (Fantasy. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
