Book Review | Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is a folklore figure near and dear to my heart, but, unfortunately, Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga presents a largely underwhelming and uninspired collection centered around the titular character.

However, there were a few gems that stood out to me.

“The Space Between the Trees” by Jo Kaplan – A mother and daughter live an isolated life in the woods, but when the daughter offers a lost villager shelter, it causes a rift between them.

This one was gorgeously told through vivid prose and filled with heartache.

“Herald the Knight” by Mercedes M. Yardley - Romance blossoms between a cursed knight and a young Baba Yaga.

I really enjoyed seeing the character dynamics between these two outcasts and it felt like a classic medieval romance to me (which I’m a complete sucker for).

That said, I still have one major gripe about this story and that is where Baba Yaga talks about making voodoo dolls, which is distantly a part of a Hatian folklore religion, and seems completely out of place within the story’s medieval European setting.

“Maw Maw Yaga and the Hunter” by Alexandrea Weis - A hunter waits out a storm with a mysterious old woman, but there’s more to her than what meets the eye.

By far the highlight of the collection for me, this one is a delightfully fun read that oozes with southern gothic charm!

Thank you, NetGalley and Black Spot Books, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : November 8, 2022

Publisher : Black Spot Books

ISBN : 1645481239

Pages : 270

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