Rings of teeth that glistened at the edge of one’s
vision, it was the worst kind of monster, the sort that crawled into you and
ate you from the inside out. (Emily Carroll)
‘Through the Woods” features five short stories, all
written and illustrated by Emily Carroll. I discovered this 2014 book in the young
adult section at the Coddingtown library.
This book is a very fast read, and a New York Times
best seller. Gothic overtones in her illustrations blend very well with her words.
Her dreams had teeth and clung to her even when she
woke. (Carroll) I’m extremely fascinated by the written word, and Carroll seized
my attention, and “Through the Woods” kept me entertained until I finished reading
the entire book in one setting.
Bombastically bizarre, and even weird was Carroll’s stories
and artwork, but it works wonderfully in “Through the Woods.”
“In Conclusion” was fittingly the last of the five very
short tales in this book and the story was an intriguing and original take on the classic; “Little
Red Riding Hood.”
There once was a young girl who lived on the edge of a
deep dense forest…she hopped moonlit streams and took in the scent of pale night
flowers. (Emily Carroll) She sucked me in with her poetic prowess, and her cool
drawings. Three and a half stars for “Through the Woods.”
Mark Izzy Schurr
