“What did not live here was people, and even that was not strictly true, because nothing was. They were people-ish, and they had no name, and sometimes they did not look like people, even though they could speak. This place was their home, though, and whatever it took to keep it that way, they would not shirk to do it.”

A Land oppressed by the Tyrant, a malevolent forest of horrors and a woman who must confront both and live to tell her tale. 

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed lures you into a deeply gothic and eerie fairy-tale of myth and monsters where everything is a dream and a nightmare come to life.

The foreign Tyrant came with his armies, his guns and his bombs and for many years the land has only known his lineage’s rule. Veris Thorn, now a middle aged woman, had lost much to the Tyrant’s war—her parents, her home and her pride. Yet when the Tyrant calls upon her to rescue his children from the deadly forest they have wandered off in, she has little choice but to obey or see the remaining people she loves, and herself, killed. Years ago Veris had entered the northern forest, entered the enchanting but deadly Elmever and has been the only one to come out alive. She had never wanted to return, had never wanted to face the traps, riddles and bargains of the inhabitants of the Elmever… but she must and she must use all her Knowledge to bring the children safely home. 

“It was hard to tell how long she spiraled and circled, how many trees she had to climb and drop down on their far side to get through, how many eyes peered at her from the undergrowth or worse, much worse, from far above her.

But the day was burning away, she knew that much.”

At just over 150 pages this story may be a short read but it definitely packs such a punch. Immediately Mohamed’s prose captures a dark and foreboding atmosphere, there is a dreamlike, surreal feel to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is most prominently seen once we enter the Elmever and discover exactly what is hidden within, for nothing is as it seems. This is a place of deception—much that looks beautiful and inviting is deadly, creatures that seem or behave innocently are evil and what appears dead is very much alive. Some of my most favourite fairytales have been by The Brothers Grimm which are known for being dark, twisted and rather gory, and I was reminded of them whilst reading this. Mohamed does not hold back, her tale revels in the macabre, her monsters are bloody, skeletal, horned and vicious, there is always a sense of tension, always something to fear. The narrative constantly includes some absolutely fantastic turns of phrases where everything, even the horror, is poetically expressed.

There is also a surprising level of depth and emotion included that I was not expecting. Mohamed reflects poignantly on the cost of war, the loss and the grief that inevitably comes with it. Veris is a powerful and strong woman but she is also powerless in such an oppressive, manipulative and cruel world. Throughout Veris’ mission she often questions if the children she is saving would grow up to be monsters like their father? A mere copy of The Tyrant who would eventually cause untold deaths in the ongoing war. Could she save lives by sacrificing her own and leaving the children to their fate? Time and time again she has to remind herself that no matter what their future holds at this age they are innocent, they may have wealth and comforts but they are still scared and lost little children in need of help. It was very interesting to see Veris’ moral dilemma and the turmoil which came with it. I also enjoyed the exploration of the power of names as not only should names be hidden and guarded in the Elmever, but the Tyrant is denied an identity throughout—he and ancestors have only ever been known as the Tyrant. I believe that by the people refusing to give their oppressor any kind of individuality shows him to be inhuman, a mere monster akin to those in the forest. By the end Mohamed makes us question much and for a novella to be able to achieve this was rather impressive.

“She thought of her own house in the village, and the two elders within waiting for her to come home, and the two guards without, and the two guards within, and the dented, yellow-enameled kettle on the top of the iron stove. Alive and well, alive and well.”

Mohamed showcases a psychedelic, striking and philosophical tale which portrays the essence of horror in the best of ways. The Butcher of the Forest is a sumptuous delight.

ARC provided by Bahar & Kabriya at Titan Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!

The Butcher of the Forest is out today! You can pick up your copy from Bookshop.org