REVIEW: SILVER IN THE WOOD BY EMILY TESH

The story follows Tobias Finch, a quiet, ancient man who lives in the woods, and Henry Silver, a young and curious lord who takes an interest in both Tobias and the strange magic surrounding his home. The plot unfolds gently. There’s an underlying conflict tied to old myths, curses, and Tobias’s past, but much of the tension comes from the interactions between characters rather than external threats.

Tobias is an intriguing character—stoic, deeply tied to the forest, and reluctant to engage with the world beyond it. Silver, on the other hand, is bright, eager, and full of curiosity. Their dynamic is compelling, but I found myself pausing when I realized Silver is only 23 while Tobias is over 400 years old. The age gap, while common within the folklore-inspired narrative, in a modern reading context, it feels a bit unsettling.

Tobias Finch is a gentle giant in the middle of the forest minding his business for centuries. While his character is intriguing in the sense that he's deeply connected to the forest and has lived a solitary existence, there's not really much of an arc to him. He remains a stoic, quiet figure throughout the book, and while that is realistic given his long life and detachment from the world, it’s also quite disappointing as a reader.

We see him react to Henry Silver’s curiosity and the unfolding events, but we don’t get a deeper sense of his growth or change. He feels almost like a static force of nature, and for a character who’s been alive for hundreds of years, I expected some personal evolution or inner conflict. His lack of an arc leaves him somewhat distant, even at the face of danger (i.e. Silver getting kidnapped right before his eyes) and I found it harder to connect with him, especially in contrast to Silver, whose curiosity and development make him feel more dynamic and relatable.

Henry Silver, on the other hand, is an eager young lord whose actions drive much of the plot. From the moment he encounters Tobias Finch in the woods, Henry is proactive—he approaches him, tells him the villagers' gossip, flirts with him, and even cares for him after Tobias is shot. Throughout the story, it’s Henry’s initiative that moves things forward, while Tobias mostly allows Henry to do as he pleases.

While this dynamic creates an interesting contrast between the characters, I found myself wondering what exactly motivated Henry to be so persistent in his interactions with Tobias. Was it genuine attraction? He certainly flirts with Tobias from their very first meeting, but his motivations don’t feel entirely clear. His eagerness seems to stem from more than just curiosity or attraction, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what that "more" is—there’s a sense of mystery about his motivations that the book doesn’t fully unpack.

As a character, I find Silver to be more engaging. I think the book will be more interesting if it was written from his perspective. He may have unclear motivations but at least, his actions propels the plot forward.

I remember around almost 70% of the first book and wondering if Henry getting kidnapped was all there is to it. Honestly, the story just lacks any "real" arc. It feels more like a fairytale that kind of meanders around the mansion and the cottage with no real direction. It’s slow-paced, and while that works for some fairytales, here it just felt like things were happening without much purpose. There’s no major character growth, no real conflict, and nothing that pushes the plot forward in any meaningful way. It’s more like a snapshot of moments than a story with an actual beginning, middle, and end. I was hoping for something with a bit more depth or development, but instead, it just kind of floats along without building to anything. It wasn’t bad, just... aimless.

Was the conflict enough to challenge Tobias? On paper, yes, it certainly presents challenges, but in practice, it feels more like an inconvenience rather than a deeply engaging conflict. Despite the supernatural elements surrounding him, Tobias remains largely unmoved, and there’s a notable lack of emotional depth as he faces these challenges. The story’s stakes don’t seem to push him to confront anything deeply personal or transformative. It’s not that Tobias doesn’t face difficulties, but more that they don’t evoke a strong reaction from him. That sense of passivity is understandable given his long life—he’s been around for centuries, and at a certain point, it's almost as though nothing fazes him anymore. It’s realistic, in a way, but it makes his emotional arc feel flat and underdeveloped. His character, for all his history and mystery, doesn’t evolve much throughout the story, which makes the conflict feel less compelling.

This lack of emotional engagement got me thinking about classic fairytales like "Little Red Riding Hood" or "The Three Little Pigs." Despite being short and simple, those stories still have a palpable sense of danger. The characters are forced to confront something threatening, and there's real tension in their actions. There’s a clear risk, a challenge that feels immediate, and a resolution that feels earned. In contrast, Silver in the Wood doesn’t build that same level of tension or urgency. The resolution of the story, when it comes, is rather anticlimactic. Tobias doesn’t undergo any major transformation, nor does he really confront anything that would lead to substantial personal growth. It feels as though the story simply winds down rather than building to a climax, and that lack of a powerful emotional payoff made the conclusion feel lacking.

In the end, while Silver in the Wood has its moments of charm and atmospheric beauty, it lacks the urgency and emotional depth that could have made the conflict feel truly challenging for Tobias. The stakes never quite feel high enough, and that’s a bit of a letdown, considering the mystical elements at play.

Ah, whimsical prose—my weakness! Emily Tesh's writing style is a strong point in this book. The pacing was just right, and her lyrical prose kept me engaged, even when the plot wasn’t moving at a fast pace. However, with the conflict and character arcs not gripping me as much as I’d hoped, I’m still on the fence about whether I should pick up the second book.

Overall, my experience with Silver in the Wood was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, Emily Tesh’s whimsical writing style is undeniably beautiful and atmospheric, which kept me engaged even when the plot felt slow or lacking in momentum. The pacing was just right, and I found myself absorbed in the world she created, despite not much happening on the surface. However, on the other hand, the character arcs and the conflict didn’t pull me in as much as I’d hoped. I really wanted to like this! However, Tobias, in particular, felt passive, and the resolution felt anticlimactic. The lack of a compelling character journey or a high-stakes plot made it hard for me to fully invest in the story. So, while I appreciated the writing and the atmosphere, I’m left torn about whether to continue with the series.

Silver in the Wood is a beautifully written, slow-burn story with a strong fairytale essence. The prose is lovely, and the atmosphere is enchanting, but I wanted a richer sense of place and history. The relationship dynamics may not work for everyone, but if you enjoy quiet, folklore-inspired tales with a touch of magic and you don't mind the age gap (between a 23-year-old and 400-year-old), you might want to give this one a try.