Where the Dark Stands Still
Ratings28
Average rating3.8
3,25 ⭐️ Beauty and the Beast meets Frozen, meets Howl's Moving Castle with Russian mythology. I liked it but I wasn't that interested in the characters and their journey. The universe was interesting but I just didn't feel any attachment to any of it really.
I love the magical creatures and the dark and scary forest. The romance is sweet and gentle. There isn't a lot that happens, but I like a good vibes book every so often. The ending makes sense. I liked it, but it isn't for everyone.
I hate making comparisons like this, but I feel it to be true in this case, it felt like Naomi Novick's Uprooted and Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle had a baby, with a bit of Jim Henson's Storyteller series thrown in for good measure. Since I happen to really love all of those, this book was right up my alley. There was a strange balance between cozy cottage fantasy and something a little bit darker. There was an edge to it, that didn't devolve into horror by any stretch of the imagination but gave it a grim feel in places. I think that Poranek does a really good job of paying tribute to old folktales in that aspect. Poranek's descriptions are sumptuous and plunge you into the Driada forest world dripping with magic and mystery and ancient things, and that of its strange denizens and the delightful sentient house at the center. I liked that the main character had some pluck and growth and wasn't just going along for the ride. I've gotten tired of YA with waif main characters, and was happy to see the main female lead step up and use resourcefulness, kindness, grit, and bravery. Overall, the story just had a dark charm to it that I enjoyed. I certainly feel like getting lost in my own magical forest now! If you like old folktales, Grimm fairytales (original) with a dash of romance, then it will be right up your alley.
When I tell you I've been waiting to read this book since the moment I saw its cover, I'm dead serious. The fact that it is based on Polish folklore and magic is a plus. Like usual in fantasy fiction that pulls from geographical and historical lore, Where the Dark Stands Still had an abundance of atmosphere and gorgeous descriptions. I loved Leszy from the beginning and the deal she makes with a demon of the wood had me hooked. The writing is beautiful, a bit slow in a couple places and very heavy on Polish terms (google is my savior) and the story is set solidly in the wood but my oh my, this setting was done so well that I didn't require traveling or switching around to keep me invested. A.B. Poranek writes lusciously and I loved getting lost in a lore inspired world filled with gray characters, magic, and bargains.