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A review by justgeekingby
Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Inspired by the Polish wild lands A.B. Poranek explored as a child, Where the Dark Stands Still tells the story of Liska, a young woman fleeing her village for the demon and spirit-filled wood, the Driada. Born with magic in a society ruled by the Church, Liska has lived with the fear of discovery since childhood. At the start of the book, we don’t know what has sent Liska fleeing into the dangerous forest, we just know that she is desperate enough to put all her faith in a mythical flower that will grant her one wish.
Liska intends to use that wish to get rid of her magic for good.
Against all odds, she manages to find the flower and more than she expected. Like all humans who wish to travel through the Driada, she had made an offering to the Leszy, the demon who rules the forest. An offering to grant her protection on her path. Not only does she step off her path, but she is there to steal from him because the flower that she needs to solve all her problems belongs to the Leszy…
He catches her in the act, and offers her a bargain; one year of her life serving him in the Driada, and then he will grant her wish. He will take her magic.
The more time she spends with the Leszy, the more Liska learns about him and her situation. There are secrets on top of secrets, and just when she thinks she has learned everything, she finds there is more to know. When she finds out that there have been other companions, and that they’ve mysteriously vanished, leaving their belongings behind in the Leszy’s mansion, it becomes even more imperative that she uncovers those secrets before her year of servitude is up.
Eerie forest scenes are juxtaposed with the warmth and humour of a sentient manor house and sassy house spirit. Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will enjoy this one, as will readers who like books with fairytale and folktale vibes. Where the Dark Stands Still successfully encompasses all of these while managing to stand on its own with interesting characters and a strong plot.
While there is a romance that includes ‘the young girl falls in love with an immortal’ trope, this book doesn’t rely completely on it. The romance is just one part of the book, and if you’re not a fan of romances or this trope, there’s plenty more to enjoy. There’s a huge amount of character growth and the ending of this one was very satisfactory. I particularly liked the way that Poranek wrote Liska as a rational heroine who weighs up the information in front of her rather than run screaming just because something difficult is presented to her.
Where the Dark Stands Still is a perfect standalone novel, but I would love to see Poranek return to the world she has created in it. The world-building is so intriguing and has so many possibilities. This is a brilliant debut novel and one that I recommend checking out if you love dark dangerous forests, magic, stubborn demons and sassy characters.
Liska intends to use that wish to get rid of her magic for good.
Against all odds, she manages to find the flower and more than she expected. Like all humans who wish to travel through the Driada, she had made an offering to the Leszy, the demon who rules the forest. An offering to grant her protection on her path. Not only does she step off her path, but she is there to steal from him because the flower that she needs to solve all her problems belongs to the Leszy…
He catches her in the act, and offers her a bargain; one year of her life serving him in the Driada, and then he will grant her wish. He will take her magic.
The more time she spends with the Leszy, the more Liska learns about him and her situation. There are secrets on top of secrets, and just when she thinks she has learned everything, she finds there is more to know. When she finds out that there have been other companions, and that they’ve mysteriously vanished, leaving their belongings behind in the Leszy’s mansion, it becomes even more imperative that she uncovers those secrets before her year of servitude is up.
Eerie forest scenes are juxtaposed with the warmth and humour of a sentient manor house and sassy house spirit. Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will enjoy this one, as will readers who like books with fairytale and folktale vibes. Where the Dark Stands Still successfully encompasses all of these while managing to stand on its own with interesting characters and a strong plot.
While there is a romance that includes ‘the young girl falls in love with an immortal’ trope, this book doesn’t rely completely on it. The romance is just one part of the book, and if you’re not a fan of romances or this trope, there’s plenty more to enjoy. There’s a huge amount of character growth and the ending of this one was very satisfactory. I particularly liked the way that Poranek wrote Liska as a rational heroine who weighs up the information in front of her rather than run screaming just because something difficult is presented to her.
Where the Dark Stands Still is a perfect standalone novel, but I would love to see Poranek return to the world she has created in it. The world-building is so intriguing and has so many possibilities. This is a brilliant debut novel and one that I recommend checking out if you love dark dangerous forests, magic, stubborn demons and sassy characters.
Content Warnings