After the Forest

· Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Esther Wane
4.0
1 review
Audiobook
13 hr 56 min
Unabridged
Eligible
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About this audiobook

After the Forest is a dark and enchanting fantasy debut from Kell Woods that explores the repercussions of a childhood filled with magic and a young woman contending with the truth of “happily ever after.”

Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour.

Twenty years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their mother and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people starving in the aftermath of a brutal war.

Greta has a secret, though: the witch's grimoire, secreted away and whispering in Greta's ear for the past two decades, and the recipe inside that makes the best gingerbread you've ever tasted. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat.

But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her mysteriously addictive gingerbread, not to mention the rumors about her childhood misadventures, is a source of gossip and suspicion.

And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta's magic—magic she is still trying to understand—may be the only thing that can save her. If it doesn't kill her first.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

Ratings and reviews

4.0
1 review
Darcia Helle
September 6, 2023
Ever wonder what happened to Hansel and Gretel after they escaped the evil witch? After the Forest takes us to the village where Hans and Greta, now adults, live under a shroud of scrutiny and distrust. This story embodies the dark but hopeful tone of a traditional fairy tale. We have magic, intrigue, mystery, and a touch of romance. Pacing is a slow build. As events unfold, we see the effects of PTSD and how childhood trauma alters a person’s perception of themself, as well as the way other people view them. Content is poignant and thoughtful. We have a few instances of animal cruelty involving dogs and bears. They’re short, and I skipped past them. The audiobook production is excellent. I enjoyed Esther Wane’s narration. *Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free download.*
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About the author

Kell Woods is an Australian historical fantasy author. She lives near the sea with her husband, two sons, and the most beautiful black cat in the realm.

Kell studied English literature, creative writing, and librarianship, so she could always be surrounded by stories. She has worked in libraries for the past twelve years, all the while writing about made-up (and not so made-up) places, people and things you might remember from the fairy tales you read as a child. After the Forest is her first novel.

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