The Forest of a Thousand Eyes

The mystical allure of fairytales meets the gloomier weight of a dystopian world to form a tale with depth and heart.

Feather lives with the rest of her community behind a crumbling Wall, which protects them from the dangers of the ever-pressing forest. She hears the tales surrounding the Wall's construction and people's fight to survive, but has never known anything but her little community. Her curious nature has already gotten her into trouble more than once, and when she's discovered creating a map, the adults of the community wonder if she's playing with the idea to head out into the forest alone. But she doesn't really want to do that, either. While hunting for food, one day, she runs across a stranger along the edge of the forest. show more Strangers shouldn't exist, since no one comes through the forest, but she's excited to learn about his stories. When he asks her to bring something to him and he turns her trust into betrayal, she decides to fix the situation goes into the forest after him. But that means she'll have to face the dangers her people have feared for so long.

This is a very atmospheric read and beautifully done. In a short tale, the author has crafted a rich world, where survival, community, friendship, and trust ram head-first against curiosity, resilience, protection, and dreams. The writing flows very smoothly and lets Feather's experience hit with a variety of emotions to bring the setting and messages across with power and potency. It leads to thought not only about the community, which Feather lives in, but investigates social fears and communities as a whole. The world lures in with its danger, the characters pack mystery and heart, and Feather's desire to make everything right creates a path to let the power of determination and spirit shine with hope.

It's nice to dive into a deeper tale without having to pick up a thick tome, and the illustrations add an extra layer of enjoyment. They not only bring the book to an entirely new level but build the world and scenes to support the written text. From the artwork and literary side, this book is a treat. Plus, there's plenty of food for thought as Feather heads out and braves the dangers to discover a broader world.

The only thing which makes me a little hesitant on this one is that I'm not sure which age group it fits best. The vocabulary and writing fits well to the middle grade audience, but this holds depth and meaning, which will leave an impression on older audiences as well. The pacing and situations seem to slide toward a slightly older audience, as well. Middle graders, who enjoy the depth, will find this to be a grabbing read. show less

The Wall used to keep the Forest out of the human settlements, but the Forest won that battle long ago. Now, the small stronghold of Greyman's Gate ekes out a living from their remaining portion of the Wall. Feather has never met a stranger -- for all she knows, their community is the last one in the world. That is, until Merrildun appears in the place where Feather has been assigned to forage. He's determined to make his way along the ruins of the Wall to the sea, and from there to set sail and find a new land, one without the malevolent Forest. When he tricks Feather and steals the spyglass that is their community's most precious tool, Feather follows him, determined to get it back. As she does, she discovers that her world is so much show more bigger than she could have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this illustrated novella, with its scrappy heroine and fully-realized world. I would love to read more about Feather's future travels and adventures, though I suspect that's unlikely. Emily Gravett's illustrations are delightful, and a perfect companion to Hardinge's text. Highly recommended. show less

Feather and her family live on the Wall, the sole remaining outpost of humanity (or so they think), surrounded by the Forest. Far from the image of a peaceful and calming environment, this Forest is the enemy, one that is always hungry, and drastic steps have to be taken to avoid it encroaching further every day. When Feather encounters a stranger on her patrols one day, it sets in motion a sequence of events that will change everyone's world for ever.

Despite the rather grim subject matter, the book also carries a message filled with warmth and hope, and finding one's courage and purpose in life, very much like the author and illustrator's previous collaboration, Island of Whispers. Frances Hardinge's beautiful and imaginative prose is show more the thread that weaves the story, and Emily Gravett's lovingly detailed and atmospheric illustrations support the narrative and help to build an image of a world very different and at the same time very similar to ours. Wonderful. show less

Feather lives in a section of the Wall, surrounded by dangerous Forest. When she meets a Stranger and he betrays her by stealing her people's spyglass, which they used to see danger approaching, she follows him from settlement to settlement along the Wall, until the Wall ends at the sea. Accompanied only by her scaled ferret, Sleek, Feather braves every kind of terror the Forest can throw at her in pursuit of the Stranger with her spyglass; as she travels, she learns from each community who shelters her, and helps them in return. At the end of her journey, she must decide whether to stay or make the perilous return journey.

Immersive world-building; a story you can read in one great gulp.

Quotes

"So whose fault was it?"
"Somebody's show more else's....Haven't you learned that yet? When the worst happens, it's always somebody else's fault." (20)

The human mind is a very strange thing. It can get used to anything, even continual mortal peril. (67)

What did they think of her, the first Stranger they'd spoken with? ...A girl who gobbled any food they would give her, asked more questions than she answered, and refused to stay. (72) show less