A Forest, Darkly

Praise for A Forest, Darkly:


“A Forest, Darkly is a lush, blood-wet bramble of a fairytale promising we are each of us so much more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. Given the wicked elegance with which A.G. Slatter traverses the glens of folklore, one can’t help wonder if she might just be a changeling, herself.”
GennaRose Nethercott, author of Thistlefoot and Fifty Beasts To Break Your Heart


“No one does gothic fairytales like A.G. Slatter. A Forest, Darkly is an atmospheric, slow-burn dream of a novel. Its protagonist, the resilient Mehrab, is a breath of fresh air, a glimmer of light in the dark forest. With enough life experience to justify her solitude, but with the courage to let others in despite it all, her narration makes for a book that is not only bleak and witty in equal turns, but strangely comforting too, and ultimately hopeful: It is never too late to start your next adventure.”
Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart and The Weaver and the Witch Queen


“A Forest, Darkly is a grimly enchanting tale, both inspired and ancient, spun of whispered things. At its heart beats Mehrab, a refreshingly perimenopausal main character, full of fabled magic yet wildly relatable. With a voice that is dark and mellifluous, the story drips from Slatter’s honeyed fingertips onto the page, guiding you forward like stones on a path. At turns mysterious, mythical, and menacing, the world she builds is one you’ll long to visit again and again. This book is a tall mug of something hot and mulled beside a roaring fire. Be warned—you can drink your fill, but you’ll only crave more.”
Ava Morgyn, USA Today bestselling author of The Bane Witch


“A hauntingly enchanting fairy tale led by a striking, older heroine. It’s a perfect point of entry to the Sourdough world for new readers and a treat for returning fans.”
Publishers Weekly


“Every book in A.G. Slatter’s Sourdough world is a delicious, creepy-cosy gift, and A Forest, Darkly is her best yet. You’ll fall in love with Mehrab, the solitary forest dweller, even if you find – as I did! – you end up envying her a little too: can you say cottagegore #goals? Slatter tells her witchy, wood-set story with wit and charm, and plenty of gruesome gothic chills, while delivering sneaky wisdom about ageing, obligation, and how to hold your head up high.”
Ally Wilkes, author of All the White Spaces and Where the Dead Wait


“‘Witches in trouble oft find their way to dark forests – and this is one of the darkest.’
With these words, A Forest Darkly gripped me with green, leafy hands, pulling me from the safety of the path and into the great, dark forest that is the stage of Angela Slatter’s latest tale… A tale of found family, fairy tale and folklore, and the enduring power of women, A Forest Darkly is earthy, strange and utterly enthralling. I was completely lost in it, in the best of ways.”
Kell Woods, author of After the Forest and Upon a Starlit Tide


“Hatchet-sharp, as relentless as the slicing of roots through bedrock, A Forest, Darkly is by turns tender, terrifying, and enthralling. Slatter’s lyrical prose only heightens the pain of being forced to dig out the secrets of the past, like a poisoned sliver from a long-closed wound.”
Premee Mohamed, author of The Butcher of the Forest


“A strange and beautiful novel woven with magic, folklore, faery and humanity. A superbly imagined world, teetering on the familiar and the deep unknown – The Handmaid’s Tale by way of the Brothers Grimm! A rich, dark, rewarding read – Mehrab is a character to remember!”
Kate Griffin, author of Fyneshade


“A gorgeous fairytale of a novel. Creeping, comforting and cunning in turn, A Forest Darkly lures you into a luscious world of folklore and nature. Slatter spins a story that deserves to be told around a fire, passed on like the best of folktales.”
Jodie Matthews, author of Meet Me at the Surface


“Angela Slatter’s A Forest, Darkly is a haunting novel that weaves itself around your heart. Despite the weight of her years and the well-earned paranoia of a witch carving a life for herself in a dark and unpredictable forest, Mehrab does her best by the local villagers and her unexpected young ward. Readers will be drawn in by the compelling heart of the novel – the fight for genuine connection in an unfair world.”
Nicole Jarvis, author of The Lights of Prague and A Spell for Change


“A Forest, Darkly is truly a gem of a novel.” —Fangirl Nation


“A robust, standalone dark fantasy that doesn’t need a series to feel complete, offering a satisfying, resonant arc about choosing connection in a world designed to make you choose safety.” —Ginger Nuts of Horror


“A perfect entry point if you are new to Slatter’s world, or for us, longer-term fans, it is an excellent adventure to return to.” —Grimdark Magazine