What the Woods Keep by Katya de Becerra
What the Woods Keep
Author: Katya de Becerra
Published: September 18, 2018
352 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
On her eighteenth birthday, Hayden inherits her childhood home—on the condition that she uncover its dark secrets.
Hayden tried to put the past behind her, and it worked. She’s getting ready for college, living in a Brooklyn apartment, and hanging out with her best friend and roommate Del. But now it’s all catching up with her: her mother’s mysterious disappearance a decade before, her father’s outlandish theories about a lost supernatural race, and Hayden’s own dark dreams of strange symbols and rituals in the Colorado woods where she grew up.
As soon as Hayden arrives at her hometown, her friend Del in tow, it begins: Neighbors whisper secrets about Hayden’s mother; the boy next door is now all grown-up in a very distracting way; and Hayden feels the trees calling to her. And among them, deep in the woods, Hayden will discover something incredible—something that threatens reality itself.
Kim’s Review:
This was an odd read. I spent most of the book trying to figure out if I kissed something and the other half trying to understand what was happening. There was a lot of science and mythology, which you wouldn’t think were comparable … but in this case, apparently so! I just felt so confused the whole time. I’m not a physics person, but thanks to Star Trek, I’m a understanding layman. But then adding Norse mythology and magic into it, I’m still not sure what happened. There were some cool fantasy elements and the world building, outside of reality, was pretty cool. Hayden’s daddy issues seemed a bit childish in the face of saving the world.
Overall, it was eh. I think I would have liked it better if Becerra had given a little more exposure to the Norse Mythology, but it was still ok. I’m glad I read it … but I probably won’t read it again.