Shadow Forest: 2

I found The Runnaway Troll, the sequel to this story in a charity bookcase in a local pub which looked an interesting read for my then 9 year old daughter. When I found this to be the sequel we had to get the first book to be read before! She enjoyed both books. Interesting I only realised afterward that both these had been written by the same Matt Haig who had written 'How To Stop Time', a book I had read and enjoyed some months earlier, and surprisingly my daughter found good as well, despite it supposed to be an adult book. I am going to start reading her books now.

I liked everything about this book. It's quite sad at the beginning (spoiler) happy at the end. It has some good characters and a magical. There are lots of twist and turn. I think other children will really like it too. (Joshua aged 9)

Matt haig is a great childrens writer, me and my daughter love reading all his books. This one is dark but humurous and both the characters and story are brilliant.

This was an enjoyable adventure for younger readers - albeit with a rather sad start. Samuel and Martha Blink are left orphaned when an accident kills their parents on the way to a 10th birthday treat for Martha. After this they must travel to Norway to live with their mysterious aunt, who has some odd rules - the oddest of which is that they must never enter the nearby forest. It is no surprise when this rule is ignored. The adventures that follow are imaginative and will especially appeal to younger readers. The author provides humourous asides, and the book has a slightly quirky feel that will again appeal to younger readers. The asides reminded me of Jonathon Stroud in his Bartimeus trilogy. Not quite as well done though, and for this reason adult readers would enjoy this book less than they would enjoy Bartimeus, but that is fine because adults are not the intended audience, and I would recommend this book for children aged say 9+ (younger too maybe, but with a strong caution about the sad start).

By Noam Year 5 Shadow Forest is a fantastic book for children 9 an over. Samuel and Martha are in the middle of the wood when some trunks on a van get loose. Samuel and Martha enter a forest with creepy monsters and more. There are great descriptions that make you imagine that you are there. This is simply one of the best books that I have ever read

After having bought the trio of beautiful Christmas books from this amazing author and then my two young daughters falling in love with “The Truth Pixie” we bought this book as a treat for their new bedtime story. It hasn’t been fully read. It’s sad, dark and for our two l, too much loss, sadness and fear to want to digest. Beautifully written as are all of his books but not a joyous journey or something I would recommend to any young people. Far too dark and far too sad. Sorry to say it but this time not a story to remember for years.

Bought for 9 year old, lovely book, would recommend!

Brought as a gift... recipient thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great read for 9-13 year olds.

My granddaughter read ‘Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest by Matt Haig’ and then picked up ‘Shadow Forest by Matt Haig’ and they are the same book but with some word changes like ‘Lorry’ in Shadow Forest is ‘truck’ in Forbidden Forest’. Now I have to return Shadow Forest. Hassle.