After the Forest

By: Kell Woods

Narrated by: Esther Wane

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

After the Forest is a dark and enchanting fantasy debut from Kell Woods that explores the repercussions of a childhood filled with magic and a young woman contending with the truth of “happily ever after.”

Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour.

Twenty years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their mother and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people starving in the aftermath of a brutal war.

Greta has a secret, though: the witch's grimoire, secreted away and whispering in Greta's ear for the past two decades, and the recipe inside that makes the best gingerbread you've ever tasted. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat.

But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her mysteriously addictive gingerbread, not to mention the rumors about her childhood misadventures, is a source of gossip and suspicion.

And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta's magic—magic she is still trying to understand—may be the only thing that can save her. If it doesn't kill her first.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2023 Kell Woods (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"This wonderful, well-woven story is so rich and affecting you can't help but savour every single sentence. With characters that leap off the page, worldbuilding that immerses you completely, and a perfectly paced plot, Woods's clever retelling of the popular Hansel and Gretel fairy tale succeeds in giving us something novel and authentic."—T.L. Huchu, USA Today bestselling author of The Library of the Dead

“A dark and wondrous tale. Utterly enchanting.”—Kate Forsyth, bestselling author of The Crimson Thread

“This is utterly captivating novel blends folklore and European history with themes of family discord, trauma and self-discovery. . . Dark as molasses and dripping with witchcraft, love and magic gingerbread, After the Forest is the fairytale retelling of the year.”—Lauren Chater, bestselling author of The Winter Dress

Dark and Enchanting

I really liked this retelling. The characters had so much depth and I felt like I really got to know this side of Hans and Gretel. The story was really well paced. Some parts were a little dry but the cast of characters really kept me into it. Once the plot started going and you get to the climax it was really something else. An enjoyable read.

Fantastic!

This was everything I look for in a book. The writing was well thought out, kept my interest and the characters had depth and you cared about them. The narrator did such a good job as well. Honestly, this was one of those books you hate to finish. I will look for more from this author.

A fair stand alone for your library

It took me a while to finish this book but I’m glad I did. There was a nice fantasy plot twist that made it a lot more interesting. The ending was also fairly satisfying, even if it was not the happiest ever after.

Sometimes, I had to re-listen to certain sections because the scene, or settings, changed suddenly, either due to progression, a flash back, or magical circumstances, with little notice.

Add this to your shelf.

Absolutely Fabulous

Everything I loved about Fairy Tales as a child is enhanced and refashioned for a more grown up audience. I grew up on fairy tales and see no reason I should stop reading them especially when they are this entertaining. Kell Woods is an author to follow, I know I will be. The story had a mixture intrigue and and surprise. The characters were wonderfully vivid. Hans was definitely a three dimensional character that had me feeling both love and disgust.

This is not the first time I have encountered Esther Wane. Her ability to vocalize characters with such nuance is amazing. She helped bring the book to life.

I love finding new authors. I cannot wait to read whatever Kell Woods writes next.

Narration Suffered From Poor Writing

Honestly, this one was a letdown. I might have liked the narration more if the book was better, so it’s not their fault. 😕