Review: In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT
By: Kersten Hamilton
Published By: Clarion Books
Release Date: Oct. 22, 2011
Series: Goblin Wars (#2)
Pages: 288
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Disclaimer: This summary may contain spoilers if you have not read Tyger, Tyger. To read that review, please click here.

Goodreads Summary: The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.



I really loved the first book in this trilogy, Tyger Tyger, not only because of the story but also because of the inclusion of poetry and musical references. I was very excited to be back in this Celtic-infused world and revisit some great characters.

In the Forests of the Night picks up shortly after Tyger, Tyger. Teagan is still trying to adjust to the news that she learned before, and this causes her to be much more cautious. Finn, however, is insistent that nothing has changed, and he wants to be with her as much as ever. But the problems associated with Mag Mell and Fear Doirich have not simply disappeared. Tea and especially Aiden are in as much danger as ever, but this time, they know exactly what they're up against. But Tea can only do so much to keep the goblins away from her family and friends, and soon she realizes that if she is going to defeat Fear Doirich she will have to take even more drastic action. In fact, she may have to give into the side of herself that she swore she never would...

So much of this book focused on the characters themselves and developing their relationships. Teagan and Finn had some incredibly sweet moments, as did Thomas and Roisin. I also enjoyed the dialogue between Abby and Finn. Abby and especially her Turtle cousins did a great job of adding humor to the story. Once again, Aiden has to be one of the most adorable younger brothers there is. I wanted to reach into the book and hug him more than once. Aside from the characters, the danger and suspense were quite palpable in this book, as was Teagen's internal conflict. I really appreciated as she grew into her own and did what was needed to take care of those she cared about, including the chimps at the zoo (yes, even Cindy and Oscar are back). Throughout this book there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me reading right until the end.

While I loved getting to know the characters better, I have to admit that I missed some of the world-building as well as the inclusion of poetry and music that was in the first book. In addition, I wished that there had been a bit more of a reminder about what had happened at the end of the first book; it took me some time to remember all of the details when I wanted to be immersed in the story instead.

Both books of the Goblin Wars have to be two of the most inventive stories in YA right now, and they are both rich with folklore, magic, poetry, and romance. I cannot wait to see how everything comes together in the next book!