Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.
 

Kill for him.
 

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.
 

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork—whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.
 

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster—Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...

Atmospheric, imaginative, but most importantly emotionally heartfelt, Don’t Let the Forest In is a stunning book that effortlessly mixes genres to tell its tale of teenage fears, longing, and pain. Blending dark fantasy, psychological horror, and romance wrapped up with a literary fiction touch, C.G. Drews’ novel takes the best elements of each genre and connects them to a grounded, character-centric story that’s as compelling as it is nuanced. Despite being classified as a YA book due to its characters’ ages and high school academy setting, this novel is a master class example of delivering a complex and impactful story without dumbing down its content for its intended readers. Ambitiously written, well-plotted, and featuring an ending that is both devastating and open to interpretation, Don’t Let the Forest In is easily one of the most impressive books I’ve read this year.

Before breaking down the book’s more technical elements, there’s a few important points worth mentioning for those that are considering reading this book. Are you a sensitive reader that finds triggers upsetting? I’m not mentioning them specifically for spoilers here but do check your triggers as there are some difficult ones included. How about mild body horror and moderate graphic depictions of death? This is a YA novel so it’s not overtly gruesome, but it’s still moderately graphic can be unsettling for some. Is a happily ever after or decisively clear ending important? If the answer to any of those questions is a yes, then it is my recommendation not to read this book. While the story is very well crafted and the writing style beautiful, this book delves into dark content involving past trauma, mental illnesses, grief and queerphobia. The topics are handled in a tasteful and literary manner but if any of these criteria factors are deal-breakers, Don’t Let the Forest In will likely be upsetting.

With that aside, it’s quite difficult to explain or analyze the brilliance of this book as it needs to be taken in and experienced as a whole. Although there’s the synopsis and general themes listed for the novel, it’s impossible to summarize what this book encompasses and accomplishes. On paper, the story is as simple as two teenage boys fighting off nightmarish monsters in the forest from invading their school. Some may mention the foreboding and eerie tone or its dark and “damp” atmosphere that gives every scene a metaphorical and literal chill perfect for the Fall season. Perhaps you could even describe it as queer coming of age romance story full of relatable honesty and yearning. But regardless of what is happening in the moment, the strongest element of Don’t Let the Forest In for me is its outstanding character writing. The characters, relationship dynamics, desires and fears are so effectively written, it’s marvelous how well Drew is able to put to words the struggles and tumultuous feelings the teenage boys experience. More than that, this book is not just a read, but instead an experience and journey.

Its main character Andrew is an introverted, anxiety-ridden, timid high school senior who has feelings for his rough rule-breaking, angsty, yet devoted best friend Thomas. Opposites in nearly every way but inseparable nonetheless, their relationship and bond are strong enough to carry the story entirely on its own. Complicated by the both’s strained relationship with Andrew’s twin sister Dove, the three once a tight-knit trio, the character dynamics and handling of teenage character logic is excellent. Before any of the book’s marketed fantasy and horror elements come into play, Drew’s portrayal of Andrew’s yearning for Thomas and turmoil of emotions has a level of honesty and relatability I haven’t seen since Alice Osman’s Heartstopper series, granted they are very different in tone and genre. The first quarter of the book in particular hit so close to home for me, it was almost more unsettling than the plot and ambiance Drews is shooting for. While the story’s premise can be simplified to boys fighting monsters for their lives, it’s more so Andrew and Thomas fighting the monsters in from the dark corners of their minds. From longing, to pain, to regret, Drew’s portrayal of their emotions is masterful, and it is impossible not to feel for them at every hurdle, sacrifice, or new development.

“I think someday you’ll hate me” Thomas’s voice stretched with a loneliness Andrew had never heard before. “You’ll cut me open and find a garden of rot where my heart should be.” Andrew let the silence sharpen between them, waited until Thomas’s breath caught in quiet anguish from being made to wait. “When I cut you open,” Andrew finally said, “all I’ll find is that we match.”

While the book’s effectiveness obviously hinges on Andrew and Thomas’s relationship, the book doesn’t skimp on its other characters and relationships. Dove is the most notable given her proximity to both boys as well as her role as the perfectly put together sibling taking care of her broken and meek twin, but the secondary characters are also well handled. Besides having lovable characters that act very much like real teenagers, the book also has great representation. Besides its obvious gay M/M interest, the novel also has excellent aesexual representation and one of the most creatively portrayed externalizations of mental illness and spiraling I’ve seen. From bullying, to panic attacks, to nightmares, to dark thoughts, Drew holds nothing back even considering the book’s YA classification. The level of depth, intensity, and nuance have the weight and effectiveness of an adult novel, with specific focus on character development as opposed to the horror shock value.

In addition to the amazing character writing, Drew’s prose is stunning. Heavily incorporating metaphors themed to the forest, growth, moss, and rot, the writing style is a perfect amount of literary ambition to enhance the story considerably without being convoluted or overwritten. I’ve seen negative reviews frequently criticize Drew for purple prose which I whole-heartedly disagree with, they have not seen true purple prose and the tone has purpose to match a story writing theme. Highly atmospheric through its ambiance and beautifully dark phrasing, the book also has a strong dark fantasy feel to it akin to a Grimm Brothers fairytale, the first half of the book appearing to be more of a dark fantasy/academia story as opposed to a horror one. Andrew is a writer of twisted and gruesome fairytales while Thomas is his natural complement as an aspiring artist that gives shape and visuals to his creations (some of them are gorgeously illustrated in full eldritch detail). The book includes many of Andrew’s short stories at the end of chapters but that same twisted fairytale feel extends to Don’t Let the Forest In as a whole, Drew’s prose perfectly fitting the content and vibe.

On top of its literary presentation, one of the most talked about elements of the book is the way its plot progresses and the uncertainty of what’s real or imaginary. Without going into specifics to avoid major spoilers that are integral to the reading experience, the story is one that can be interpreted in multiple different ways. As the monster attacks worsen and Andrew’s mental stability comes into question, so too is everything the reader has experienced. At the story’s climax, Drew pulls out a brilliant plot twist that caught me completely off-guard that had me wanting to immediately re-read the whole book to check for missed details and clues. There’re questions revolving around Thomas’s background, the monster attacks, Andrew’s memories, Dove giving them the cold shoulder, and finally the book’s devastating ending. Both decisive yet open-ended, Don’t Let the Forest In has the potential to be a modern literary classic with the depth of its narrative and how its story can be analyzed with multiple interpretations based on the reader’s optimism and who or what they choose to trust, logic vs intuition and sight vs feeling (this is a perfect book report book whose ending could inspire a lengthy debate). However, regardless of how the story is interpreted, it’s nonetheless incredible and one of those rare “how does someone come up with this?” book.

Beautifully written, expertly plotted, and incredibly ambitious, Don’t Let the Forest In isn’t just a book to read but is an experience to be witnessed. Full of imaginative monsters, gothic and twisted visuals, not to mention effectively tense horror moments, Drew more than delivers on the marketing and book blurb. And yet, you could remove the dark fantasy and horror elements entirely and still be left with a deeply personal, moving, and satisfying story of a lonely and broken boy falling for his misjudged and equally broken best friend. The character’s feelings, dialogue, and relatability regardless of one’s background or orientation cannot be conveyed in a review and even though I’m an adult in my 30’s, this story hit very close to home on multiple levels. I marathon read this book in two sittings and could not put it down even though I tried. The lack of a happily ever after, its interpretively vague ending, and the moderately intense body horror/graphic violence prevents this from being a universally recommended novel for everyone, but for those looking for a character-driven story that’s hauntingly memorable and emotional, this is a book to read. Fortunately, at the time of writing this review, Drew’s next novel Hazelthorn is scheduled to be published soon so there’s something for me to look forward to. However, I can confidently say that the story and experience of reading Don’t Let the Forest In is one that I can see sticking with me for a long time and a book I’ll revisit as a showcase example of poignant storytelling.