Book Review: Forest of Sighs by Jennifer Murgia

Image (c) Spencer Hill Press

Forest of Whispers by Jennifer Murgia
Publication Date: September 9th, 2014
Format: Book (my own copy).

"This is who I am. I am no longer the simple girl hidden behind the safety of a make-believe forest. I am the story. I am the tall tale . . . I am the witch."

Raised by an old fortune-teller within the dark veil of the Bavarian Black Forest, Rune has learned two valuable lessons: only take from the forest that which you can use, and never, never look anyone in the eye in the village. For something terrible happened in the forest long ago... and now, the whispers of a long-dead mother with a vengeful secret have come haunting.

Forced to flee all she has ever known, Rune soon learns of a legacy she is bound to--one that is drenched in fear, witchcraft and murder--a birthright that stretches beyond the grave to the trees where Rune is no longer safe.

This book is a good example why I love social media. Why, you ask? Cause, otherwise, I don't think I would have found out about this book sooner. Rarely do I ever find a book, centered around witches, that catch my interest right away. As soon as I found out about this book, looked it up on Goodreads, and brought it right away. I read it a couple of days after I read my current read.

I regret nothing. I'm going to be saying this a lot but this is one of my favorite books.

It wasn't really clarified, but you get to read this book in two characters' point of view: Laurentz and Rune. I wish this could have been pointed out, potentially, on the book itself so people wouldn't be surprised by it. It was definitely needed though. I think, had it just focused on Rune, it would have been missing a part of this story that was needed to understand what was happening.

I think my favorite theme in this book would be 'action and consequences', if that makes any sense, but that's the best way I can put it. Had Rune's 'mother' had not told her to leave the house, there were so many things that wouldn't have happened. Because of the order of these events, it set forward something that only happened years ago. I like that what happened in this book happened for a reason.

By the time I made it further into the book, I was already wrapped into Rune's adventure into discovering herself as witch and learning about her past.

There so much that happens that I can't talk about because most of it would be spoilers. I will say that once you start reading this book you can't stop. Despite how sad it can be at many parts, it's worth reading and I highly recommend this book. Rune's a strong female character that, despite her world falling apart and having to rebuilt a new one, she still manages to come out strong. She's smart and I can't wait to get a hold of the second book, Castle of Sighs, coming out September 2015. It's still a long way away, but at least it's less than a year.

(Originally posted on A Court of Ink and Paper, previously known as Cosying Up With Books)