Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC! This book wasn't for me if it wasn't for having an audio version of it I probably would have dnf it. I was waiting for the story to fully take off but I didn't feel like it did. I did however like the world building. ( )

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
From the author’s website:

violence
character death (both on-page and off-page)
war (off-page)
grief & survivor’s guilt

Author’s Note: Nothing bad happens to the dog! He is happy and healthy.

The Drowned Woods is set in the same world as Emily Lloyd-Jones’ previous novel The Bone Houses, and from what I’ve seen briefly from reviews how this novel ends does tie in with something in that novel. That is as far as the links and similarities go and The Drowned Woods storyline and characters are completely different, so if you’ve not read The Bone Houses (like me) you’re not going to be missing anything. I like the idea that you can read either first and no matter which one you read first you’ll still get that “oh!” moment when both stories connect.

I fell completely in love with Lloyd-Jones’ story-telling and her characters immediately. There is so much depth to her characters and this isn’t just another heist book; it’s as much about the people as it is their plot. Each one had a unique backstory which tied into the wonderful world building that Lloyd-Jones has created using Welsh mythology. Throw in an adorable corgi who may or may not be a spy for the fae and everything about The Drowned Woods was a huge win for me. This is definitely one to check out, and I hope that Lloyd-Jones continues to write more in this universe as it’s got a lot of potential!

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( )

Fun read set with Welsh mythology ("otherfolk"). This was sort of written in the style of a "heist" but some of the characters just didn't really seem needed for the story or the "heist". I really liked three of the main characters, would have liked one of the other characters explored more, and another just left out.
Overall, enjoyable story with some interesting characters (including a sneezing dog!) and plot twists. ( )

Mererid (Mer) is on the run. She’s insanely powerful- a water diviner or water witch who can control water in any form- but she lives in constant fear of discovery. When the wrong person finds her waiting table in a pub, her past comes rushing past. She was the prince’s property, a man who used her powers for evil. Now her trainer, the prince’s assassin, has her again and she’s sure she’ll be heading back to be killed. But that’s not what happens….

What evolves is a heist story. Renfrew, the prince’s former spymaster, wants to lead them against the prince. Mer will be the way into the treasure hoard. Fane is an iron fetch, who manipulates iron- even the iron in blood- who can open all locks. Ifanna is the daughter of the chiefs of the thieves guild, a master thief herself, who has a past with Mer. Emrick is a scholar, who has read every magic book and history available. Gryf is the muscle. Trefor is Fane’s corgi (this story is set in Welsh mythology), who may be a spy for the fae. No heist goes smoothly, though, and the group must fight foes human and supernatural all the way. There is a long passage through chambers that are filled with seawater at high tide that put my tension at 10- it’s a really claustrophobic situation, along with the monsters. And there are betrayals all around.

This young adult novel is a great read. I found myself engaged all the way through, unwilling to put the book down. The characters are well done- there are a couple who are pretty much just space markers, but most seem true to life. The world seems real and livable. I will definitely seek out more of this author’s work. ( )

Emily Lloyd-Jones might be following a tried and true pattern of many fantasy epics (a magic user and their companions try to topple a kingdom), but she does it with a decent enough amount of world- and character-building that we are convinced of her story from page one to the finale. She begins with a mythical tone for the preamble, setting the stage for her protagonist, a water diviner named Mererid, to rail against the crown that took her captive as a child and raised her as a weapon of magical countenance. Mer has built a quiet life for herself as a serving maid in a bar, but when the spymaster who raised her offers her a chance at destroying the kingdom that turned her magic to nefarious purposes she chooses to take a stand rather than continue running from her past. Along their journey, Mer and Renfrew build a crew of interesting characters ranging from a fey-blessed iron fetch to the heir of the kingdom’s criminal guild and plan a complicated heist that draws on each person’s abilities, but when they reach their destination (a treasure trove on the centre of a hidden island) Lloyd-Jones pulls out a solid double-cross that brings to bear the deeper themes of the story. The careful balance between the fey and human worlds is precarious at best, with few seeing the larger magical and political picture that keeps their borders secure, and it is up to Mer and co. to choose a path forward that keeps the balance intact. Rife with magical lore that quietly suffuses the largely mundane heist narrative, the titular drowned woods becomes a symbol for the duality of Mer’s magic and her inevitable choice that saves the kingdom. Coming full circle as we reach the final pages, Lloyd-Jones wraps up the story with a happy ending for Mer and her iron fetch, but their existence on the border of the fey and human lands hints at a potential for conflict or cooperation between the two realms that remains unanswered. ( )