What’s the matter?
I must admit that when my greedy new adventures in the land of elves caught the “Forest on the border of worlds” I almost jumped with joy. And the joy was all the greater as I had just recently finished reading (with quite a pain in my heart) the third volume of “The Cruel Prince”. For those who, like me, have made their way through the series with delight, the new book by Holly Black is a must-have. And people who have not dealt with this world of elves yet, this is a perfect opportunity to start, especially since the action takes place before the events of the popular trilogy.
Better close your windows at night
Nothing holds up to the notion of normality in Fairfold Town. People hang charms to protect against magic, leave milk and cookies in front of their houses, but not for the cat, but for the forest creatures who will not play tricks on them in exchange for these small gifts. Everyone knows (although not everyone accepts this thought) that the place where they live is dripping with magic on all sides. The woods bordering Fairfold are inhabited by elves, goblins, witches, strigoi and other creatures, and not all of them have good intentions.
From apprentice to knight
Hazel Evans, whose fate we follow, at first seems like a normal teenager. Parties, boys, the constant pushing of problems aside, lightheartedness. Personally, this attitude irritated me a bit at first, especially since my expectations for this book were really high and I hoped they would be met. Finally they stayed. During the course of the story, we notice the transformation of the main character, we learn where her attitude came from, the barrier she spread around the world around her, and we begin to understand her. We admire how much she was able to sacrifice to protect her loved ones, especially her brother, Ben, and piss off when she gets too much of an honor and tries to act on her own without using anyone’s help. And it all makes her human. We don’t get the perfect heroine who is able to roll the world alone, like Superman in his tights and a cape that flaps in the wind. We get a full package of advantages and disadvantages. From a helpless and terrified girl, Hazel turns into a brave and fierce person and runs to save her beloved town over which doom hangs.
A prince with pointed ears
Destruction, because the boy who dreamed there for years, resting deep in the forest, is released from his glass coffin. Though it was always Hazel’s dream for the elven prince to wake up, she had many fantasies, and the mere thought was overwhelming her with excitement, when it finally happened, all these desires turn into genuine terror. This has a number of consequences. The anger of the king of the Alders, who oversees all magical creatures, the creatures appearing in broad daylight, although they always hid in the shadows and appeared at night. People are no longer safe, they are in ever greater danger, and Hazel, along with his brother and his best friend, are the only people who can prevent the catastrophe.
summarizing
Everyone who enters the world of elves will be charmed. The environment, smell, music, food, and most of all the creatures that inhabit it. I was also charmed by history. Fans of light fantasy with a pinch of intrigue and plot twists will surely enjoy reading. If there are more stories from this universe, I will certainly reach for them without hesitation.
