Silver in the Wood

Book 1 of the Greenhollow Duology

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Blurring the line between what is real and what isn’t, this fantasy novella is set in an ancient wood in which the spirits of the trees and plants are embodied.

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The protagonist is a man who is bound to the woods: a “wild man” who is nearly a giant to most men, with long hair and massive hands. The Green Man has lived for four hundred years and has had myths and legends told about him.

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He took up the walking stick he was still holding, and looked at it a moment, and then planted it firmly in the good soil under his feet. He felt it take root, that old dead wood, and the carvings undid themselves as it sprouted every way.

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The writing is captivating and transportive. We are there with him and his cat when he sits to sharpen his knives and stoke the fire. We can feel him as he rests in the slow time of trees under the oak that shields and hides his cottage.

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Silver got changed and then sat down by the fire again. Pearl graciously crawled into his lap and butted his hand with her head to indicate he might have the honour of petting her. Tobias sat down by the window and returned to sharpening his knives. He let himself glance over once in a while, but Silver didn’t seem inclined to chatter and Tobias had never been the talkative type.

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His life gets complicated and changes forever when he befriends the new master of the manor house and land that includes his woods.

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The author does a good job balancing the depth of the plot with the number of words. It's a slim book but it gives us enough to chew on. Indeed, the world she created is rich enough that I was glad to learn of a second book in the series.

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Without spoiling the plot, I’ll share some details that I liked about this novel: Men flirting with each other and becoming good friends, a strong, practical mother-figure who doesn’t even consider taking No as an answer, and a gentle ending that is both unexpected and a perfect fit.

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