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Laura S.
A Gothic Romance!
I loved the character of Jane Silverlake and was fascinated by her strange powers. She is, at turns, sympathetic and frightening. Her relationship with Maddy and Nathan was equally interesting. Adam McOmber's depiction of Victorian London was just slightly to the left of reality...wonderfully strange and engrossing.
Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA)
A dark and otherworldly Dickens
I’ve wondered why Victorian England seems such a natural setting for fictional explorations of the darker and less traveled parts of our minds. The “White Forest” is a strong addition to this tradition, with the welcome haunts: old manor house on the moors, slums of London, madness and decadence). There is a fascinating and chilling cosmology, something truly “other.” This is preeminently a coming-of-age story, of three young adults and the bonding that can be more than friendship. The plot gallops along at horse-drawn carriage pace but there are lyrical speed-bumps, nicely written prose that many readers will
…more stop to underline or highlight. (less)The White Forest is a wonderful fantasy about a young woman who lives in the nineteenth century and has a secret power which she has lived in fear of sharing with anyone. I was moved my Jane Silverlake and her plight. I also thought the language of the book was beautiful. The story was a page-turner for me.
C.K.Dexter
Very well done
Don't usually take the time to write reviews, but was very impressed with this novel. Hard to believe this is a first effort. The language and the detail are excellent. Some of the reviews here have given details of the plot away, which I think is a shame. McOmber creates a creepy atmosphere that did make this book a page turner for me. Highly recommend!
Sharon P. (Jacksonville, FL)
The White Forest
What a good beginning: Victorian London, dank and foggy ;a young woman slowly recognizing her possession of mysterious powers ; the sudden disappearance of a handsome young man after a seance ; an unseen parallel world. These add up to a fascinating, if creepy , story with a surprise ending. Settle into an old easy chair in front of the fire, with a candle of course, and enjoy.
Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
Potential never realized
This writer has a lot of potential. The White Forest is very readable; the setting is great. I could tell it wasn't my style of book but wanted to give it a chance. The ending was really disappointing. Nothing was really explained, and you really didn't know what happened to everyone. Too mystical for me.
Esther L. (Newtown, Pa)
A Dark and Gothic Tale
An editor for Simon and Schuster included a letter in the pre publication copy of The White Forest in which she lamented the fact that she lost out on the chance to publish Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus. She stated that she would never love another book in quite the same way but then The White Forest hit her desk. You can't compare the two book at all. The Night Circus was a magical, imaginative, romantic and beautifully descriptive novel. I found The White Forest as cold and stone like as the all white Empyrean world imagined by the author. This dark and gothic tale kept my interest and I liked it but
…more recommended that my book club read The Night Circus, a book I really loved. (less)After reading the first couple pages of this book I felt a strong connection to the story setting, the characters and the writer's style but mid way through I lost that link and just felt that I was headed toward disappointment - mainly because the story line seemed to explode into a complex and abstract realm which made me feel that there was no way that this size book and style of writing could contain it, fully explore it and lead to a reasonable and satisfying end. Sadly my 'mid way' feelings turned out to be true.
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