Review taken from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia.First Sentence:Makenna had to stretch onto her toes to reach the small stone lamp, for the shelf that held it was higher than a grown woman's head, and she was only eleven.The Goblin Wood had been sitting on my TBR pile for maybe two months when I picked it up out of the blue a few days ago. I could not put it down at all because I was just so caught up in the world, characters, and writing of Ms. Bell. I'm wishing that I had not put off reading it for as long as I did because this book was amazing. I'm sure everyone comes across that one book that, even if you've read a ton in that genre, just reaffirms your love for the genre and grabs you from the get go and makes you want/need more like it. Well that is just what The Goblin Wood did for me. I love fantasy books, yet sometimes they have a tendency to run together and get a little old. That is not the case at all with The Goblin Wood because the plot is chock-full of twists and turns and that characters are brilliantly different and not what you would typically see in a fantasy book.One of the things I loved the most about The Goblin Wood was how it was told from alternating view points, that of Makenna and Tobin. I thought that it brought an interesting perspective to the story because they both stood on complete opposite sides when it came to their views on the Goblins and rules of the realm.I thought one of the most interesting points of the plot was why the Decree of Bright Magic in that it was to protect the citizens and help to push forward the movement to get the inhabitants of the realm to move into the Goblin Woods. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more about the political aspect of the story in the next book. Makenna has to be one of the oddest main female characters that I have ever read in a fantasy book. Why, because she has an overwhelming thirst for vengeance against the humans that murdered her mother and forced her to flee from the life she knew; and that the further along you get into The Goblin Wood you see how she has basically divorced herself from the human race. She was definitely one interesting character to read about. Tobin (weird name), has to be one of my favorite characters that's a knight. I absolutely loved how he was willing to do anything to protect his willful younger brother Jeriah. You would have to read The Goblin Wood to fully understand why I liked both Makenna and Tobin so much, because I cannot properly put into words why I think they are both such great characters. The Goblin Wood just blew me away, so asking me to pick my favorite thing is just plain cruel. I will say this however, Ms. Bell's writing was phenomenal and pulled me right into the story and her characters were some of the best I've read about. Love this book so much. The only thing I did not like about The Goblin Wood was that the first chapter seemed to have a slightly abrupt beginning and seemed to come in kind of mid-thought. while that kind of threw me for a second I was glad to find out that the story backtracks a bit and gets you caught up on what happened to Makenna and her mother. So in the end, I guess I do not have any true complaints.Final Verdict: The Goblin Wood was one of the best fantasy books I've read this year. The Goblin Wood earns 5 of 5 pineapples.
So, I really enjoyed this book. I just had so much fun reading it, and I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to find out what happened to Makenna. I needed to know if the goblins survived. There was something about this that just captured my interest.The writing style is fairly standard. There wasn't really anything about it that captured my interest, and where I thought "Wow that is beautiful." However, I did enjoy myself. I think the plot really drew me in, and the author crafted her story so well. I think it was interesting how she set up the goblin versus human war, and how the priests really instigated this struggle. I think the idea that the people had to move because of the war in the south, so they simply had to take over the goblin's land and make them the enemy seemed all too familiar. There was something about this that rang very true. Both sides seemed so desperate. The goblins just want to be left alone, but that really isn't an option. They have to deal with change, and they have to figure out that standing and fighting for their land is getting harder and harder.Makenna is a strong leader, but I liked that she wasn't perfect. She has to learn to be human again, because there is that part of her. She is lonely in a way, and she needs someone to remind her of her own humanity. I liked that the main focus in this book wasn't romance. I liked that she didn't simply give up on her war because of love, and I liked that although a male character was introduced, the main goal of his character was not to fall in love with the hedge witch. Though there are hints of something there, I think it makes sense that it wasn't developed yet. I was really excited to hear that this was a series, and yes, I have already finished the second one as of this review. I'm happy that it continues to be entertaining and to explore the same themes that this one did. Though its a fairly basic story, I found it to be really wonderful and exactly what I was in the mood for at the moment. If you're looking for a quick read with a little bit of magic, I would recommend this book.
What do You think about The Goblin Wood (2004)?
Makenna is a young hedgewitch who watched her mother die at the hands of the villagers she had helped with her small magical ability. Unable to cope with the laws abolishing magic practiced outside of the church, Makenna strikes off into the wilderness of the north. On her travels, she saves the life of a goblin, who teaches her of the goblins sense of debt and loyalty.Tobin is a knight who has lost everything. In order to save his brother he has been stripped of his title, his responsability, and his rights as firstborn. When given the chance to reclaim these lost parts of his life by killing the great sorceress who leads the goblin rebelion in the North he reluctantly takes the offer. His actions will he believes allow the goblins to disperse and free the Northern lands for resettlement by his own people as they are forced to leave their homes due to barbarian invasion.However, when Makenna catches Tobin, he is forced to spend time with the goblins. As he gets to know the goblins he is forced to face the facts that perhaps his actions will lead to the destruction of a magical race. in order to save his own people, can he cause the destruction of another people, even if they are not human? Can he force the goblins from their homes the same way the barbarians are forcing his people from their own homes?Hilari Bell's The Goblin Wood is an engaging fantasy story. It introduces reader's to and draws them into a realm of conflict. Ifound this story short, but sweet and look forward to reading the next chapter in Makenna and Tobin's adventures together as they try to help their goblin friends.
—nimrodiel
Surprisingly good book for all ages. I've read A LOT of fantasy books over the past three decades, and I've become a bit cynical about them. But this one was refreshing, easy to read, and engaging. It avoided cliches, it had a strong, intelligent but not overdone heroine (this is NOT Xena Warrior Princess), and the hero was not your usual Brad Pitt in shining armor. And the fact that it portrayed teenagers as deeply loyal, capable, family-loving, and intelligent -- not just shallow, sex-driven dimwits out to get in trouble -- I'd like to see a lot more of that in the media and popular fiction.I picked it up because I was hoping to find a book suitable for my 4th grade daughter, who is a very advanced reader but not old enough for the mature themes found in some young adult books. I read it first, myself, mainly to judge the level of sex/violence/adult themes before letting her read it. But I soon found myself eagerly turning pages. I finished it within two days and would love to see a movie version!For fellow parents: There's no sex at all, not even hints of it. The "romance" in the book is very understated and subtle. It's more about two people fighting for their respective causes and really getting to know each other, and not about fleeting sexual attraction. That was refreshing. The violence wasn't excessive, in my opinion, though others might disagree. Some characters fight, there are swords, deaths and wounds occur, but as essential parts of the plot, and not in any great detail.I thought this was a wonderful book, but if you don't like moral ambiguity (good characters are not all good, bad characters are not all bad), and if you don't agree that sometimes people do a lot of evil in the name of good, then you won't like this. The exploration of what really defines good and evil is central to the story, and worth thinking about in real life, as well.
—J.L. Hilton
I've found that it is easy to fall into the world of modern Dystopian novels that rule the YA book industry these days. But lost in those many fantastical worlds, I lost my appreciation for a good fairytale-esk story. But I rekindled my love with this story.I was whisked away into this world of magic and goblins. The wit and hilarity passed the hours I spent reading quickly and easily. I'm so excited to read the rest of the series because the characters are simply so fun! The goblins in particular are funny yet fiercely loyal and brave. Makenna and Tobin are fun heroes that you want to cheer for. Though I wish their relationship had developed a little more in the first book, I'm sure that will be taken care of in the last two. This series remind me of the Redwall books and the Eragon Chronicles. This world of fantasy Ms. Bell has created is wonderful and new, with real problems and the driven characters fit to solve them. Makenna is not a weak heroine, and yet she is not afraid to love, as is demonstrated in her passion for the goblins. I'm incredibly excited to see where this trilogy leads me.Yours Truly,Cami <3
—Rosalie Williams
