Review: The Forest of a Thousand Eyes

Written by Frances Hardinge

Illustrated by Emily Gravett

New York: Amulet Books, 2025. Fantasy. 120 pgs.

Feather lives on the edge of The Forest, in a community perched on the top of a stone wall. Her entire life has been a balance of keeping the wild forest and it's dangerous creatures at bay. As a gatherer, Feather is tasked to venture down the Wall and find supplies, but it's obvious to everyone that there is less and less to forage. When a stranger named Merildun offers a map of the known world in exchange for a spyglass, Feather is tricked into giving away her community's most valuable possession. In a frantic race for survival, Feather pursues after Merildun and discovers a series of isolated communities fighting against a hostile nature.

This novel is a quick read for many readers, but the excellent illustrations - at times haunting and at others magical - will prompt extra time for close study. The illustrations perfectly support a lavish and painstakingly built world full of danger. Older readers might be scared off by the slim size of this book, but despite its brief length, this tightly told story is great for tween readers looking for a dark, dystopic fantasy.

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