The Butcher of the Forest – Premee Mohamed

Another novella you won’t want to miss – especially if you love dark, dangerous, and full of dread.

Thanks to Tordotcom Books for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review

THE BUTCHER OF THE FOREST – Premee Mohamed (Releasing February 27th, 2024)

Book Description:

A world-weary woman races against the clock to rescue the children of a wrathful tyrant from a dangerous, otherworldly forest.

At the northern edge of a land ruled by a monstrous, foreign tyrant lies the wild forest known as the Elmever. The villagers know better than to let their children go near—once someone goes in, they never come back out.

No one knows the strange and terrifying traps of the Elmever better than Veris Thorn, the only person to ever rescue a child from the forest many years ago. When the Tyrant’s two young children go missing, Veris is commanded to enter the forest once more and bring them home safe. If Veris fails, the Tyrant will kill her; if she remains in the forest for longer than a day, she will be trapped forevermore.

So Veris will travel deep into the Elmever to face traps, riddles, and monsters at the behest of another monster. One misstep will cost everything.

My Thoughts: 4.5/5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised with this little book! I wasn’t expecting the cosmic horror, grim vibes, body horror, and gruesome bits to be waiting for me when I opened this book. However, it is equal parts magical and unnerving. The writing is beautiful and lush, and the author makes it so easy to get lost in this creepy and otherworldly forest. 

The Elmever woods are known for their danger and the nightmarish creatures that are lurking within the trees. A place that is best avoided – no need to go exploring in there. Anyone who has gone into the Elmever for more than a day has never returned, that is, until Veris managed to save a child many years ago. Now, because of this experience, Veris must venture in again in search of the Tyrant’s two missing children. She has two options: find the children or be killed. 

I couldn’t get enough of this tale. The amount of detail that the author was able to pack in her was incredible without overdoing it. There’s just enough to really flesh out Veris and the eerie and dangerous traps awaiting her within the woods. Once again, a creepy book about things lurking and waiting in the woods – why must I do this to myself all the time? Overall, I loved this novella, and the cosmic horror and grimdark and macabre elements were a welcome surprise! Perfect for readers that want fantasy and lurking dread.