And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Pages: 352
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Horror
Synopsis: When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt’s home, it’s immediately clear that the manor is cursed. The endless creaking of the house at night and the eerie stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too—questions that Silla can’t ignore: Why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer? Who is the beautiful boy who’s appeared from the woods? And who is the tall man with no eyes who Nori plays with in the basement at night… a man no one else can see?

Review: It's ironic, isn't it, that books you stumble upon by chance and pick up on a whim end up being something more spectacular than perhaps a novel you have been dreaming of reading for years.  Then again, maybe that is just how reading should be.

In case no one has noticed, I have a rather peculiar sense and taste for horror. Stephen King doesn't scare me and even The Conjuring failed to (excuse the pun) conjure up an trace of fear in my heart.  However, And the Trees Crept In has just that right, niche sense of disturbing that caused a chill or two to find a path down my spine.  It's a drawn out, aching sort of fear that creeps up on you slowly, starting of with an apparent sense of wrong that doesn't quite convince you to be scared until you realize you are staring into the dark corners of your bedroom at night.  

Tell me pleasant lies, and I will believe them before I throw them away.

My preferred brand of horror is the kind that tricks you into being afraid, that breathes down your neck and makes you question what is real and what is fantasy.  And the Trees Crept In pulls this off with stunning skill, twisting words and plot until even your bones are pervaded with an unshakable sense of panic and hysteria.  It is disorienting and confusing, hinting at mystery and the unknown while providing just the right dose of horror to keep you up at night.

Silla and Nori have a tragic past and perhaps an even more tragic future.  You distrust their sanity and yet hope for their vitality all at once.  Everything tangles up before unraveling and revealing the grand secret at the end, which is my favorite kind: bittersweet and a little sad.  

I don’t say anything because he’s got fire inside him for sure, and fire burns.

And the Trees Crept In may inspire paranoia or a sudden remembered childhood fear of the dark.  It is a strange, harsh tale filled with tension and gothic-toned poetics that only add to the mood.  This book is for those who want to be scared, disturbed, puzzled, and left with thoughts that run circles around your mind.