The Night Country by Melissa Albert is the continuation of The Hazel Wood, the story in which Alice-Three-Times Proserpine escapes her dark fairytale ending with the help of the handsome but elusive Ellery Finch. In the last book, Alice and Finch each chose a path that would lead them from the other. Now time has passed and, though neither *quite* regrets their decision, they can’t seem to stop thinking about each other, hoping that one day they might see one another again.

For Alice, two years has passed, and her life in New York is once again threatened: someone is killing the Hinterlanders. When it’s discovered that the murder victims may have been frozen—a power only Alice is known to possess—the other stories begin to look at her with suspicion. Alice is almost certain she isn’t to blame. It’s right about that time when Alice begins receiving mysterious letters that are almost certainly from Finch, who she left behind in the Hinterland two years ago.

Not nearly as much time has passed for Finch in the Hinterland. It seems it was just a few weeks ago that he helped Alice escape the Hazel Wood before electing to stay behind in the Hinterland. There’s no way he could have any idea that, outside, the stories are dying...and soon enough, the Hinterland will face the same fate. What he does know is that he can’t stop thinking about Alice—so when a stranger offers to help him make his way back to the world he left behind, he agrees, never imagining that the journey may result in the shattering of all their worlds...forever.

Like book one, my favorite part of this tale is Albert’s writing. At once poetic, gritty, and real, it is the kind of book I want to bathe in so I can soak up all the beautiful language and barbed imagery. I LIVE for this kind of writing. As a story, it was entertaining, though somewhat slow moving. That’s not to say I enjoyed it less than book one—I didn’t—I just didn’t think there was quite so much happening. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, gripping plot this one probably isn’t it...but if you’re looking for an interesting meander through a dark-lore world with devastatingly brilliant imagery and turns of phrase, then this may just be your jam and Albert’s work is likely right up your alley. Especially if you love fairy tales, having the innate understanding that Happily Ever After is, well...complicated.

I loved Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood and I loved The Night Country just as much. Alice and Finch are two of my favorite characters, each for different reasons. Alice, awkward and unsure of herself in any situation, always rises to the occasion, sometimes in a really round-about way but her intent is always true. She has deep questions about who she is and her depth of actual goodness:

“To be honest, I don’t know if I’ve even got a soul. If a soul is what makes you human, then I probably don’t. Unless a soul is something you can grow, like, after the fact. And I don’t think it is. So. No Soul.”

Finch is complex yet so freaking decent and good. Whatever the worlds throw at him, he always does the right thing - no matter the cost to himself; he’s a hero in The Night Country but won’t realize it. He is adventurous, trustworthy, and just so authentically Finch! The addition of new characters is something I really liked in The Night Country, Sophia, who we meet in the end of The Hazel Wood plays a prominent secondary role and I loved reading about her. She is quirky and odd and wonderful. I loved hearing about all of them! The ex-stories are scattered about and are as interesting and dark in our world as they were in the Hinterland.

The story-line is complex and compelling, dark and bloody but there are periods of happiness and light. When the ex-stories and Hinterlanders start to settle in to New York City, they think they are the ones to fear until the strange murders begin. Because of their unique deaths, all start to look suspiciously upon Alice.

“We were predators set loose in a world not made to withstand us. Until the summer we became prey.”

The worlds that Ms. Albert creates are astonishing and fascinating! Finch is a traveler and I didn’t get to explore as much as I would’ve liked. There were bits and pieces of his travels through the Hinterland and his travels with Iolanthe but I would’ve loved more! Ms. Albert is such a skilled world builder and I hope that there is a third book in this series. I feel like there will be because there’s still so much to explore! And, I want more! More of Alice and Finch, more ex-stories and Hinterlanders, more of the many worlds that lay just beyond! As Finch says:

“Jesus, Are all these books doors? To which Io responds, “A book is always a door.”

This is one of my favorite series, obviously, and I listened to The Hazel Wood on audio before I started The Night Country and it was just as fascinating as it was the first time I read it. This is a series that I would recommend to any reader who enjoys a good dark fairy tale, a bit of fantasy, or just a really compelling series. I feel like I need to say again that I am HOPEFUL (wishful) for a third book in this series!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Melissa Albert for providing me with a copy of The Night Country in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Country is a fantasy book following Alice as she tries to discover who is killing ex-stories in modern day New York. The story also follows Finch as he fights his way from the Hinterland to return to Alice. I wanted so bad to like this book. I tried to have an open mind and I fought to finish it but I have to say this book is a let down for me. Honestly, the only part I enjoyed was Finch's views and how he navigated his way back to Alice. I felt the book could have been cut down to the last 78% because that is the point the plot moved forward. The majority of the story followed Alice but I felt her roles in the story never pushed the plot forward. I spent more time asking what was the point of the scene rather than drawing conclusions. Also, Alice spent more time reacting to the plot than she did being proactive in the book. I felt the descriptive writing that made the first book a success only showed itself in Finch's point of view. Overall, I gave this book two stars because I do not see myself rereading this book nor recommending this to others.

An amazing follow up to the already impressive first novel by Melissa Albert. Such a unique universe, I was so impressed with the storytelling.

"To be honest, I don't know if I've even got a soul. If a soul is what makes you human, then I probably don't. Unless a soul is something you can grow, like, after the fact. And I don't think it is. So. No soul. Just to explain why your pickup line's not working on me."

Tehehehehe. I love being back in this world. If you thought The Hazel Wood was dark, just wait until you jump into The Night Country. This sequel kept all the things I loved about the first book, and brought in a bunch of new characters and plot sequences that kept this follow up feeling funky fresh. I rarely enjoy sequels as much as their original counterpart, but I may have loved this second novel set in the Hinterland even more than the first. What a time to be alive.

"We were predators set loose in a world not made to withstand us. Until the summer we became prey."

This is one of those books where a) you really need to read The Hazel Wood before jumping into this one and b) I can't really give you specifics in a review, because it would take away from the fun of reading the book. However, I can say that the writing in this installment is just as crisp, engaging, and suspenseful as the first one was, and having the privilege to listen to an advanced audio copy has given me the opportunity to encourage the listening folk to make the audiobook a priority. The atmosphere is ethereal and has a dreamlike quality, and the narrator is beyond fantastic. If you enjoyed Melissa Albert's debut, then her follow up story is a must. Highly recommended!

Just read both of these books and I’m not sure exactly what happened. I feel trapped In a sea of repetitive descriptive sentences and hazy, mysterious feelings with no real development until probably half of the book, if that. Lots of angry characters with vague explanations and hushed whisperings of Stories (the characters from the fairy tales) to come but that aren’t really developed or resolved. There’s returning characters but nothing is really fleshed out, they're all just barely surviving over in nyc which would have made it interesting if it could have been better developed. In a nutshell, it’s an interesting take on fairy tales. I liked the main mystery of this one better, there was a twist that was predictable but entertaining.

3.5 Stars

The Night Country is a better novel than The Hazel Wood in part because we are already familiar with the Hinterland and some of its characters. And we get a few more Hinterland character stories as we see the Hinterland, for want of a better word, collapsing. Alice, the story that escaped, set a precedent. Living in New York City, we see other stories who are now hiding in plain sight but still needing the occasional support group meeting. But when stories start dying, Alice (and Ella) are terrified that Alice could be next. Some of her fellow stories are worried it's actually Alice who is doing the killing. Because some of the victims are frost-damaged and... missing things. But are these murders or willing sacrifices? And what is this rumor circulating on the down-low about a place called the Night Country? If the Hinterland disappears, what will happen to Ellery Finch? And to the Spinner?

Melissa Albert continues to have a superb imagination. The pacing in this novel is improved over the first novel and the characters feel richer, in part because we know them better now, but also because I think they are more tightly written. The Night Country is a gritty, dark fairy tale place, and its origins are even darker than the Hinterland's. But I still want a bit depth more from these books. I want more about people being able to author their world. Because that's a message of hope in dark, Night Country-ish times.

I received a Digital Review Copy and a paper review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I believe this is just a duology and not a trilogy, and thank goodness because it is a WILDLY satisfying sequel to The Hazel Wood. I wouldn't be upset if we revisited some of these characters, but this a great example of a complete, thought-out two-parter. The book picks up quickly after the event of The Hazel Wood, which I read a year and a half before The Night Country, and I wasn't at all lost. Alice, Ellery, and the characters from the original mix well with new characters that are a natural fit, and the story made sense and a great extension from the first book's events. Albert's worldbuilding is descriptive and dark and everything you could want for a modern fairytale. The one complaint is that I wish we spent as much time with Ellery on his journey as we spent with Alice, but I could see the argument for why that is, and it doesn't take away from my overall joy for this book.

I loved this book! I adored the first in the series. I try to get every teen who likes fantasy to read it and I regularly use it for my displays. I'm excited that the second book lived up to the first and I will be able to advertise it as a series for teens (and adults) looking for more than just one book to read. This series will absolutely be one of my "go-to" series for years to come.

The Night Country is the second book in the The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert and is a young adult fantasy. Albert's writing is vivid and dark weaving our favorite fairy-tales into new life. The gorgeous cover does not do justice to the captivating story that is hidden between the pages. A story of worlds that collide and collapse as they undo themselves. Stories of good verse evil, new beginnings, sad endings, and hope. The Night Country takes you in an emotion roller coaster while keeping you on the edge of your seat. I was drawn in from the beginning and could not put this one down! I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

A great, dark adaptation of fairy tales. The imagination of Melissa Albert is truly incredible, and I liked this book better than the Hazel Wood.

I absolutely adored The Hazelwood, but I was kind of nervous about getting a sequel because it works so well as a standalone. And honestly, while there are things I like about The Night Country, I really don't think it felt necessary. The standout here is the new fairytales, and Melissa Albert is the queen of wonderfully dark fairytales. (I can't wait to get my hands on Tales from the Hinterlands!) As for the rest of the plot, it was really a mixed bag for me.

I can't say too much without spoiling the first book, but we do get more than one perspective in this installment, although the method and timing of introducing that perspective feels a little messy. We learn a lot more about how this magical universe works, which is interesting but, again, not really necessary and perhaps takes away a little bit of the magic. Included in this is a murder mystery subplot as there seems to be a serial killer targeting people from the Hinterlands. That was interesting and got rather dark, eventually weaving into the other timeline/perspective.

The power of love seems to be a key theme in this book, but the ending in that vein feels a tad trite, especially coming after the more ambiguous Hazelwood. We do get some of that great moral ambiguity in some of the side characters with messy backgrounds and complicated motives, but the way things were tied up felt a little too neat for my liking.

Overall takeaway, this has some interesting revelations and few really great dark fairytales, but I think some of this content might have been better as a novella or two rather than as a full-length novel. As it is, I don't think it's super necessary and lacks some of the punch that made me fall in love with the first book so much. That said, people who didn't like the Alice in Wonderland quality of the Hinterlands section of the first book might do better with this. New York City plays a much more consistently central role (and is wonderfully depicted) with other worlds being sprinkled in between. I'm left feeling conflicted, but very much excited for Tales of the Hinterlands and whatever else Melissa Albert brings us in the future. I received advance copies of this book for review via NetGalley and Libro FM. (I listened to the audiobook while reading the e-book, and the audio is well done!) All opinions are my own.

This was a stunning sequel to The Hazel Wood. It was dark, creepy, and mysterious. There were parts that were very dark indeed and almost turned my stomach. But it was a terrific sequel.

When I first read the night country I felt transported. All of my troubles melted away as I was transported to a new world. A world of make believe and family secrets. To be honest isn't that what a good book should do? I tell my children that a book when it is well written allows you to travel when you have to stay put. My gosh are these books well written. If you are a believer in true magic and love a good old fashioned adventure Melissa Albert is the writer for you. I want to shout the good things about this series from the rooftop. Something tells me we haven't heard the last from her.

I loved The Hazel Wood, and was really excited to see Melissa Albert putting out another book about Alice Three Times. I love that she explores the gritty side of fairy tales and the creepier characters such tales have produced, instead of just the princesses and knights. Alice feels so real and relatable in The Night Country, and her dilemmas and choices are painfully true. She's always at odds, trying to sort out what to do, but it never felt forced. I'm so glad to see my favorite teenage character back for another adventure!

A worthy successor, The Night Country brings back the tension that made the first part of The Hazel Wood so compelling and artfully expands its multiverse world-building. It gets off to a bit of a slow start and actually undoes one of the things I had enjoyed about the first book. However, this development felt very organic and was well done enough that I was more than happy to change my mind regarding that plot point. Albert's writing remains strong, and her voice perfectly captures the bent reality and gritty magic that characterizes her story. I did find myself wishing that I remembered the first book better than I did, but this sequel does a good enough job of recapping (though not so much as to be tedious) that I never felt unmoored for long. And while not every question was answered or every twist especially surprising, The Night Country managed to bring the story started in The Hazel Wood to an enjoyable and satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to reading more from Albert in the future.

(Also, I really enjoyed the duel storylines and will confess to enjoying Finch's part a bit more than Alice's.)

I don’t know why I got myself into this. Again. I barely liked the first book, The Hazel Wood , though the premise was intriguing (it is a more “adult” version of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy).

I’m not even sure why this series is classified as YA fiction (it’s labeled as 12 to 18 for the age range), as it has a plethora of not-appropriate for a 12-year-old stuff in it, including drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, adult language (multiple uses of the f-bomb included), pornography, and more—all before readers even get into the first 15% of the book. The book is incredibly violent; I have a couple of ideas why it is YA and not adult, but I’ll keep them to myself so I don’t trigger trolls.

I will say, because book reviews should be fair and unbiased, that the story is great at the basic level. Worlds within worlds stories are some of my favorite, and this one ticks all the boxes for a good one. Albert also has a way with words that is lulling, like the Spinner in her stories—when the words are tied to things that have positive signifieds attached to them. These stories would make great fodder in a narratology course.

Because the content is inappropriate for the age range it is advertised, I can’t give it any higher. The language and content are like Game of Thrones, which makes it not for kids. And 12 and 13-year-olds are kids.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, for which I give my own opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of The Night Country from Flatiron Books through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The Night Country will be released on January 7th!
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The Night Country is the sequel to Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood. Alice has escaped the Hinterland, but the Hinterland isn't done with her. Alice's escape allowed others in the Hinterland to leave and now there are Hinterland refugees living in New York. When someone starts to murder Hinterlanders and take their body parts, Alice is pulled back into their lives. When the murderer attacks her, she knows she has to figure out what's happening before she or her mother Ella get hurt.
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The Night Country has the same creative, dark fairytale feel that The Hazel Wood had. If you loved the first book in Melissa Albert's series, you'll love this one too! I didn't want to say too much about the plot and ruin it for anyone, but I can say Ellery Finch is back! I had no idea what to expect from The Night Country, but it didn't disappoint. The ending was very fun and twisted.

I am going to be upfront with all of you and say that I was not a huge fan of The Hazel Wood and gave it 3 stars. Also, not going to lie, but I do not even remember what happened in the second half of that book. But, when this happens with books, I like to give the second book in the series a chance — because you never know — and the next book could be amazing. This was not the case with The Night Country.

Usually, when I forget parts of previous books, the details will come back to me while I read the next story. With this one, I still feel lost. I feel like The Hazel Wood went off in a dark and confusing direction toward the end, and that’s why I couldn’t, or just didn’t, want to remember it. The Night Country had some of those same vibes.

We open up with Alice graduating from high school. She just wants to be a normal girl, but she keeps being followed by an ex “story”. Alice decides that in order for her and her adopted mother to live a normal life she needs to find out what this “story” wants from her. She ends up visiting a place where all ex-stories meet and finds out that some dark things are happening to those that have escaped the Hinterland.

From there, things get twisted — and Alice is so unlikeable as a character, I honestly just didn’t connect or care what happened from there on out. I did, however, enjoy that while this book was all over the place, there were many loose ends tied up in the end — but on the other hand, there were quite a few things left completely unravelled. There is actually a novelette that you get when pre-ordering this book, which discusses what happened to Ellery Finch between The Hazel Wood and this book, and that seems very important to this story. While Alice doesn’t know the story, and neither did I, it still feels like something that should be read before diving into this particular book.

Another thing that may help the enjoyment level of this book is being up-to-date on pop culture, because Melissa Albert will throw in some deep-cut references to other things like Harry Potter, A Little Princess, The Evil Dead, and more, in order to explain things — and guys, I just didn’t know what she was talking about some of the time.

Side rant: When you are a reader of YA fantasy, you expect the book that is labeled as YA Fantasy to be just that, and when it is not that, it’s disappointing. This book felt like it should be more in the classification of YA Horror or YA Crime Fiction with a dash of YA Fantasy — and this is why I feel there should be more overall classification in young adult fiction in general.

In the end, this was another 3 star read for me. If you enjoyed The Hazel Wood, then this one will be worth the read for you, but if you were like me, hoping for more, you won’t find it in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with an e-arc copy for review.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I read The Hazel Wood last October and liked it. I thought it was a standalone so the sequel shocked me.

I will admit I stayed confused for over half of the book. It seemed disjointed so it was hard for me to have a clear grasp on what was happening. When the events finally came together it made a little more sense. At first, I could not figure out the point of the novel at all. Some events felt random and unnecessary. When Alice confronted the man from her story without provocation I thought it came without warning. I thought it might end up crucial later but it didn’t.

Now that I have gotten my negative thoughts out let’s discuss the positive parts. It was atmospheric so even though I was confused I still felt like part of the world. The fairy tale parts were so much fun. I felt like I was reading a Grimm’s Fairy Tale. Alice worked in a bookstore and there were some really humorous parts to that. The writing was lush and descriptive. I really enjoyed the characters even though Alice is a little self-centered. It is a decent read and I do plan to buy a physical copy because the cover is gorgeous.