Silver in the Wood

This is rather gorgeous. It's a short novella but the characters and world-building just mesh wonderfully into a lovely intricate story of history, revenge, romance and redemption.

Tobias is the local Wild Man of the Woods, living a simple life in a cottage among the trees, with dryads and a cat to keep him company. In general the villagers avoid him, but keep the traditions alive, donating to the old gods when they remember. However the Manner has a new Lord, and when he passes by in a storm Tobias offers him shelter. The generosity is returned when Tobias is accidentally shot. Henry is interested in folklore and slowly uncovers some of the strangeness surrounding Tobias, and curiosity can't keep him away even when Tobias strictly warns show more him that some nights are not safe in the Woods.

It's marvellously done, the pacing is perfect, slowly revealing more and more details, explaining oddities mentioned earlier. The characters work well together and the motivations are clear. I seldom enjoy novellas, being either too short or too long, but this was just right. An author to watch out for. show less

This is the first short story/novella in a very long time that I've loved. Emily Tesh wrote an amazingly vibrant narrative with skilful world-building that did not overwhelm the narrative. Her nuanced main character, Tobias, was engaging from the very start. There was a gentle, even serene tone to this myth that nonetheless had some major evil realities at its core.

Lost 1 star for me at the end, because the fate of what Tobias was to become seemed so undefined. The hazy events that precede this dénouement were too undeveloped. Despite that niggle, I highly recommend this tale to those who love retold folklore and atmospheric adventures in the world of "The Green Man".

This is first and foremost a fairytale romance of the Wild Man of the woods and the dapper, naive human who has no idea what threats surround him. The substance here is emotional; the weight of ancient loyalties and the spark of kindling connections.

I think I fell in love with Silver in the Wood by the end of the first page, and by the end it had put my emotions through their paces and left me tired and happy. There’s so much to delight in here. I can't wait to read the sequel / companion novella later this year.

Full review

Queer as Folklore

This is one for the randomly picking something in the Audible Included library and it turning out to be utterly phenemonal.

I'm flabbergasted with just how glorious this Novella's in tone and vibe are. It's like going on a beautiful spring walk in the British countryside, actually connecting with the trees and local folklore without having to deal with the posh Conservative or insular locals (I'm a Britbonger myself, so I think this is OK to say), experiencing all seasons and emotions in a day (which feels rather British).

Imagine if A24's Men was actually about positive masculinity and wonderfully adorable gay vibes, as well as the dangerous creature of myth.

I just feel so gloriously sated, especially with reading A show more Psalm for the Wild-Built in the last 36 hours. So much so that, while I am absolutely gagging to read the next book in this duology, I am so enamoured with coming across these books that I'm going to save it as a treat for the next time I need a pick me up or have a bad experience with a book.

Bloody marvellous! show less

I'm choosing to believe this is a historical fiction account of how Alan Moore fell in love with Grant Morrison and broke up with the ghost of a 16th century forest bandit.

A very cute little love story wrapped in a forest-centric fantasy tale. I loved how Tesh was able to build an entire mythos without leaving an area that was probably a couple square miles. What struck me most, though, was Tesh's use of time to signify the main character's emotional state, how entire months and years could be glossed over in the span of a sentence or so. And there's a cat.

The first in a duology of fantasy novellas steeped in the old magic of England. When Henry Silver stumbles into Tobias Finch's Wood, he sparks a great change in the rather mundane life of ancient caretaker and monster-hunter Tobias. Emily Tesh writes with a sure hand of mythology, natural history, and wry humor. As a lover of things Celtic and fantasy, I was immediately immersed in Tobias and Henry's world, able to see the Wood through the specific names of birds, plants, and animals. It reminded me of the ancient oak wood in Killarney National Park, Ireland, where I - almost - felt the presence of dryads like Bramble, who is protective of Tobias. At one point, when a dark character comes into play, I was afraid for Silver. I felt show more protective of the characters, too! show less

Set in a 19th(?)-century England, Silver in the Wood is a lovely, gentle novella which is part a queer romantic take on the Green Man of folklore, part a love letter to ancient woodlands. Emily Tesh's prose is understated and lovely, and I appreciated the deft way in which she showed us Tobias' gradual re-engagement with other people and with his humanity. Will definitely look out for the sequel.