The Woods by Marnie Silverman
Genre: Short Stories | Horror
Length: 24 pages
Published on 17th March 2018 by Itch
Purchase: Itch
Marnie Silverman: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Received for free from author in exchange for an honest review, via #reviewpit
A short supernatural story about a Jewish boy who is traumatised after his experience in the woods, which in turn affects his friendship with his childhood best friend.
Guys, stop reading my review right this second and go purchase this book! Its 24 pages so its not going to steal much time away from your current TBR pile, okay?
(Also, you can get it for free from the purchase link but I think its important to support smaller authors so if you’re able please opt to give a little something, or at the very least a review. Marnie has other work listed on her twitter thread which I’ll probably go through and read more of later on this year.)
The Woods is a great horror short story, possibly one of my favourites. Marnie is able to build such a strong sense of atmosphere and unease within such a short amount of time that honestly I’m low-key worried she’s been in these woods herself.
We follow Lee at two points in his life, when he’s small and lost in the woods with Eyal (a counseler-in-training) and young adult Lee as he’s reflecting on the experience, grief, and trauma from that day in The Woods to an older friend.
I think both stories had a nice parralel, the deeper into The Woods Lee travels the better understanding we get of present Lee’s mindset. The helplessness he feels at both points in his life, particularly now as no one will believe him about what happened that dreaded day or where Eyul is now.
I also really liked how this story set up a cycle that could very easily be repeated from here on out which adds an extra layer of spooky imo.
I chose to read this at night to amp up the creepy factor but I think even during the day I would be feeling very wary of entering any woods.
Ko-fi | Twitter | Book Club | Blogs & Tea | RedBubble
Northern Plunder 
I’ll be sure to keep this for October reads :D
Seems like a truly scary book. Will surely add to my TBR.
Definitely sounds too spooky for me! :’D Creepy woods are never a fun place to be tbh
I feel I’ll be needing to read this… I am going on a slump. It hasn’t been productive week for me. (Which explains The Bone Witch…)
This definitely looks like something I’d enjoy!
Sounds like an interesting read.
Oooo, this sounds interesting. I need to give this a read!
This sounds amazing, I’m going to read it ASAP! Thanks for the review!
Oo a horror graphic novel, sounds interesting!
How interesting! I would be down to read this one!
Oooh I like this art!
This sounds like my kind of read!