If you’ve spent any time on BookTok or lurking in the young adult section of a local shop, you know the name Holly Black. She’s basically the Queen of Faerie. But while everyone is busy obsessing over Jude and Cardan from The Cruel Prince, there is this standalone gem from 2015 that honestly does the heavy lifting for her entire universe. I’m talking about The Darkest Part of the Forest. It’s moody. It’s weird. It features a boy in a glass coffin who stays asleep for decades while tourists take selfies with him.
Think about that for a second. A literal prince of the Folk, trapped in glass in the middle of a forest in a small town called Fairfold, and the locals just... get used to it. That is the quintessential Holly Black vibe. She blends the mundane with the terrifying so seamlessly that you start looking twice at the bushes in your own backyard.
The Glass Coffin and the Town of Fairfold
Fairfold isn’t your typical fictional town. It’s a place where humans and faeries exist in a tense, often bloody, stalemate. The tourists come to see the boy in the glass coffin, but the locals know the rules. You don’t go out after dark without a protection charm. You don’t eat the fruit. And you definitely don’t make deals.
Hazel Evans and her brother Ben are at the center of this mess. When they were kids, they played at being knights. They told the sleeping boy their secrets. But as they grew up, things got darker. Hazel tried to be "normal," but normal doesn't really work when you've sold your soul—or at least a few years of your memory—to a monster in the woods to protect your brother.
The plot kicks off when that glass coffin finally breaks.
Suddenly, the boy is gone, and something much worse is waking up. Most people think this is just a prequel or a side story to the Folk of the Air series. It’s not. Well, technically it's set in the same world, and you’ll see some familiar names if you look closely, but The Darkest Part of the Forest stands entirely on its own merit. It explores the cost of wanting to be special in a world that wants to eat you alive.
Why the Characters Hit Differently
Hazel Evans is a mess. I mean that as a compliment.
👉 See also: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
In so many YA novels, the "strong female lead" is a perfect warrior with no flaws. Hazel is impulsive, she’s deeply flawed, and she has a massive hero complex that borders on self-destruction. She wants to be the knight because she doesn't think she's good for much else. Then you have Ben, who is gifted with music but cursed by a faerie's "blessing" that makes his life incredibly difficult.
Their dynamic is the heart of the book.
It’s about sibling loyalty more than it is about romance, although the romance is definitely there (and it’s great). Jack, the changeling friend who grew up with them, adds this layer of complexity. Is he one of them? Is he one of them? The lines are blurred. Holly Black doesn't do "good" and "evil." She does "human" and "other."
The Folklore Is Actually Accurate (Mostly)
A lot of modern fantasy treats faeries like humans with pointy ears and maybe some glitter. Black goes back to the old-school stuff. The Unseelie Court. The Tithe. The idea that a faerie cannot lie but can absolutely twist the truth until it ruins your life.
In The Darkest Part of the Forest, the Alder King represents that ancient, immovable terror. He isn't a villain you can reason with. He is a force of nature. When Hazel interacts with the forest, it feels tactile. You can smell the damp earth and the rotting leaves. It’s atmospheric as hell.
The book draws heavily on the "Ballad of Tam Lin" and other British Isles folklore, but it’s set in a modern American town with iPads and dive bars. That juxtaposition is why it works. It makes the magic feel intrusive.
✨ Don't miss: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
Key Connections to the Elfhame Universe
If you are a fan of The Cruel Prince, you might have noticed some cameos. Severin, the boy in the glass, and some of the other characters show up in later books. But you don't need to know who High King Eldred is to enjoy this.
- Severin: He’s the bridge between the mortal world and the deep magic of the High Court.
- The Forest: It’s almost a character itself, acting as a sentient border.
- The Knight Archetype: Hazel subverts the traditional "damsel" trope by being the one with the sword, while the prince is the one being rescued.
Honestly, if you read this after finishing the main trilogy, it feels like finding a missing puzzle piece. It explains the "vibe" of the world better than the more political sequels do.
Addressing the "Slow Burn" Criticism
I’ve seen some reviews saying the middle section drags. I get it. If you’re looking for non-stop sword fights, the internal monologue about Hazel’s guilt might feel long. But that’s the point. The book is about the "darkest part" of ourselves, not just the woods.
It’s about why we crave danger.
The townspeople of Fairfold could leave. They stay because the danger makes them feel alive. It’s a bit of a metaphor for being a teenager, isn't it? Everything feels like life or death. Everything is a grand tragedy or a soaring triumph. Black captures that hormonal intensity and pins it to a faerie wing.
The Legacy of the Glass Coffin
Even years after its release, The Darkest Part of the Forest holds up because it doesn't rely on trends. It relies on primal fears. The fear of being replaced (changelings), the fear of being forgotten, and the fear of what we’re capable of when we’re desperate.
🔗 Read more: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
The ending—no spoilers—actually satisfies. It doesn't leave you on a cliffhanger meant to sell three more books. It closes the circle, even if it leaves the door to the forest cracked open just a tiny bit.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Read
If you’re diving in for the first time, keep these things in mind.
First, pay attention to the flashback chapters. They aren't just filler; they explain exactly why Hazel is so broken in the present day. Second, look for the subtle ways the faeries manipulate the environment. It’s often in the background of a scene before it becomes the focus.
Finally, don't expect a typical romance. This is a story about identity first, and everything else second.
Actionable Steps for Readers and Collectors
- Check the Edition: If you can find the special editions or the ones with the original cover art by Kathleen Jennings, grab them. The illustrations often contain hidden nods to the plot.
- Read "The Modern Faerie Tales" First? You don't have to. While Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside are in the same world, The Darkest Part of the Forest is a cleaner entry point for modern readers.
- Map the World: If you’re planning on reading the entire Elfhame saga, read this book before The Queen of Nothing. There is a specific plot point in the third Folk of the Air book that carries much more emotional weight if you’ve spent time in Fairfold.
- Annotate for Themes: If you're a student or a deep-dive reader, track the "sword" vs. "music" imagery. It represents the divide between Hazel and Ben and how they handle trauma.
The book is a masterclass in atmospheric world-building. It reminds us that even in a world of smart phones and paved roads, there are still places where the old magic breathes. And usually, that magic is hungry.