I received an ARC of this book from Tor.com Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Drowned Country is the follow-up novella to Emily Tesh’s debut, Silver in the Wood, which I reviewed here. Rereading my review for Silver was amusing, because I feel like I will repeat myself in some instances when reviewing its sequel.
Yet again, the plot takes us to unexpected places, to the point that I can’t say much about it or else risk spoilers.
Yet again, Mrs Silver steals the show. Emily, if you’re reading this, I beg of you… we need a book from her point of view.
But this newly acquired familiarity with the signature elements of this series doesn’t negate the fact that Drowned Country is an exciting and refreshing read.
Set a couple of years after Silver in the Wood, it’s from the point of view of Henry Silver. And I have to hand it to Emily Tesh for creating what I’m assuming is the first instance of a Gothic Dork. Poor Henry. He tries so hard to be this brooding presence, this mysterious almost-god entity, but oh does he fail. Nobody takes him seriously in this role, least of all his mother, who is seriously cramping his style.
Henry’s (seriously cute and not at all believable) attempts at brooding are a consequence of his separation from Tobias. I was worried about their romance storyline becoming a “will they, won’t they” cycle, but then I remembered that second-chance romances are among my favourite tropes. And for a good reason… just think of the pining.
In this new adventure, we encounter more mythical creatures, a new challenge for our protagonists (yes I’m annoyingly vague… but the plot is really best discovered while reading) and one new human who also needs a whole spin-off series (again, Emily, nudgenudge). It’s enchanting, dark, often funny, and very well-written.
In Drowned Country, Emily Tesh manages to weave myths with human failings, with her signature touch of dark whimsy. She is one of those authors who can mix atmospheric writing with relatable characters, which is something I simply love. I will look forward to more from her.
