The ending to this story is especially striking. "A Lady's Hands Are Cold" offers Carroll's own spin on the familiar tale of Bluebeard, though downplaying the murdering husband in favor of the ghost that haunts his halls. Here, the eerie sense of inevitability to the tale is more unsettling than the creature itself. "Our Neighbor's House" feels a bit brusque and less developed than the rest as it examines three sisters left alone in their home and stalked by a strange, grinning man. There aren't really any weak links among these five stories, though certain chapters do resonate more than others. So though this may be a collection of individual tales, Through the Woods has a very cohesive feel. All of them deal with the fear of unknown and unseen monsters lurking in the wilderness. All of them have a distinctly fairy tale-esque approach. All of these horror stories are period pieces. Even if there's no direct connective tissue among the stories, the whole book is unified by a consistent sense of style and thematic approach. Five short stories are included in all, along with an introduction and conclusion that are, essentially, two additional tales in their own right. It collects several of Carroll's web comics along with some new material. It’s Gorey with less humor and more eloquence, elegance and poise in place of whimsy is a wicked sense of pace, threat and a lurking delight in causing terror.Through the Woods is more an anthology book than a singular work. NPR: “The whole book is magnificently executed: the work with color, character, contrast, perspective, layout, lettering, is all dextrous and varied and absolutely masterful. Women Write About Comics: “The art of Through the Woods manages to be delicate, whimsical, and terrifying all at once.” Through The Woods is, without question, one of the singular experiences in comics this year. Recommended for fans of: The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff, Flight of Angels by Rebecca Guay, Raven Girl by Audrey NiffeneggerĬomics Alliance: “There are so many cleverly constructed turns of phrase here that through all of the horror, sometimes you have to also stifle a grin at the sheer joy of one word next to another next to an image. It’s for lovers of poetry, for readers who devour dark fantasy, and for anyone who loves a good fairy tale. The interplay of hand-lettered text, bright and bold splashes of color, and the panels all work together to create a layers to the story that demand a close examination and multiple readings.Īnd while this book appeals to fans of horror, it’s more than that.
While the stories themselves are morbid and frightening in the best way, the presentation only adds to their effectiveness. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll’s stories about disobeying one’s parents and exploring the woods, the secrets revealed after an unwanted, arranged marriage, monsters in mythical beast as well as human form, contacting spirits, and the unsettling but unnamed fear of a loved one’s new partner, and again, why one should not wander the woods, are all scary in the psychological sense, preying on base fears while subverting classic horror tropes. I enjoy being scared, but prefer spine-tingling creepy and grotesquely beautiful to over-the-top blood and guts. These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.Ĭome take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there… Most strange things do.’įive mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss. Genre: graphic novels, short stories, young adult horror
Through the Woods: Stories by Emily Carroll
Through the woods by emily carroll. series#
The understated horror of the series of stories are thought-provoking, preying on the basest of human fears. It’s delightfully creepy and beautifully illustrated. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite books of 2014.
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