Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town―and the rest of humanity―from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.
Plot
This book initially was part of a sort of “Choose Your Own” Adventure project on Twitter so I was curious to get my hands on it and see how it turned out written into an actual novel, rather than a hive-mind fever dream. And I was pleasantly surprised to find an exciting and engaging plot. It’s not groundbreaking for the Contemporary “Haunted Small Town” Fantasy genre, but I was still easily swept up into the story and often at the end of my seat.
Characters
Winnie is one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve read lately. While she does make some decisions that make me want to head palm, overall she’s just a normal teenage girl, sometimes overly confident and driven by an intense need to prove herself. I saw a lot of myself in her and loved seeing her character grow. Additionally, the supporting characters, including Winnie’s ex-best friend Jay, were enjoyable and added a lot to the plot and world of the book.
Setting
The author has created a detailed world within the confines of a small town and as everything in this town revolves around the Luminaries and the nightmares in the forest, there’s a lot the reader needs to learn quickly to get caught up to speed. I did find myself a bit confused by many of the people in town having the same last names based on their jobs, rather than their families, as well as the stipulations of Winnie’s trial, but the plot was engaging enough to keep me moving forward and everything is explained in its own time.
My Recommendation
The Luminaries is not author Susan Dennard’s debut novel, but it is the first in her new series. If you’re a fan of contemporary fantasies in small-town settings, this book will be a fun read for you. While there isn’t anything on paper that makes the plot stand out from other books in this genre, the author’s writing is engaging and there are multiple moments of tension that will keep you turning the page.
