Clockmaker Arthur Throckmorton lives a quiet life with his sister and her children, only dreaming of adventure. So when a wealthy client offers him a job that involves traversing Shiftleaf—an enchanted forest that claimed his father decades ago—he reluctantly accepts. The forest is treacherous, but the money will change his family’s lives.
The journey quickly turns perilous. Fleeing from monstrous birds, Arthur stumbles upon a hidden vale where he meets the Lord of the Wood—a figure from his father’s many stories. Instead of the fairy prince Arthur always imagined, Ira is a morose man, slowly transforming into a beast, his power over a dying forest waning.
Arthur enjoys the safety of the vale, and Ira’s company. But he yearns for his family. To safely return home and rescue Ira from a cursed and lonely existence, Arthur and Ira must reach the heart of the wood to heal the forest. Except the further they venture from the vale, the more beastly Ira becomes. If they can’t complete their mission before he turns completely, Arthur could lose the man he’s falling for—and never see his family again.
The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson is a cozy fantasy that also blends in darker elements, balancing romance and love into the fantasy aspects. I instantly loved Arthur but also his sister who has her point of view presented as well. I loved that neither Arthur, his sister or Ira are presented as magical perfect beings. In fact, what is great is how Arthur’s trauma as a child is presented, his sister’s illness as a long term disability, the way all of them continue to try to cope but ultimately come to the understanding that they have to find realistic ways to live their lives. Each has to find a way to open up to others and be vulnerable, not just to love but to help.
I love the way Arthur slowly embraces his strengths but Ira comes to depend on him as well. While ultimately the mystery of magical sickness is discovered and resolved, this is truly a story about love and trying your best to love and help others, to embrace help from others but also learn your own strengths. I love the ending, each sibling gets a wonderful, magical ending that fits them each.
If you love romantic fantasy with some darker aspects, this novel is for you. It teaches about chronic illness, ableist conditioning and learning to be true to yourself. It is loving and cozy but with relationships that are believable and caring. I loved every moment of this book.
Rating: 5 out of 5 cats.
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