Derry's siblings are disappearing from a place where disappearances shouldn't be possible. At their house, her and her eight siblings are protected but now, the safety bubble of their home is broken and Derry is out for answers. Derry is a spit-fire to read, quite docile externally but vicious internally, especially when her siblings are in danger.

A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell contains a pleasing take on magic, protectorship, and power. This is simply a good read to be enjoyed by all ages especially as the protagonist is one to love.

Apart from the ending, which I think must be classified separately from the rest of the novel due to its lack of intensity in comparison to the rest, the plot is engaging. This is a magical novel that contains a melodious type of intensity that makes you feel the novel is moving comfortably along until BAM!, it hits you and intensity occurs. The plot explores the lengths Derry will go to find her siblings and protect her current ones and it is a plot you will find pleasure in reading.

You may find yourself frustrated with the characters. Apart from Derry, who is a powerful magician finding herself in a tumultuous world, the other sibling lack depth. Frank, their protector and provider is fleshed out along with Derry, whom I adore, but the siblings are slightly bland in comparison to those two dynamic characters. I feel they could have benefited from some internal identifying trait expansion. I wanted to learn who the characters were outside of their physical appearance. Did they like milk in their tea, were the scared of spiders, what was their favourite food? There were a few splashes of personality but for me,  an extra tidbit here and there would have heavily improved these side characters and allowed for more depth and also potentially improve the reader's understanding of Derry's deep deep desire to protect them.

Again, Derry is a boss and a protagonist worth your time. She is why the characters in this novel are not a miss as you follow the story through her eyes and she herself, is quite dynamic in her thoughts and desperation. Derry is flawed and complex and boy, who doesn't love a normal character? (With magic of course!)

In A Dark and Starless Forest, although it is not stated, I feel there is an evident ending and then epilogue. If the ending can be broken like that, the ending itself is a smash and one that will vindicate your choice in reading this novel. The epilogue is a bit lacklustre compared to the rest of the story and is a great addition for those who value wrapped up endings. Regardless though, this is a novel worth your time and honestly a read anybody can appreciate.

I know that A Dark and Starless Forest is highly praised, but I had a major gripe with the relationships portrayed between Derry and her siblings that prevented me from rating this novel higher. I feel that Derry and her siblings were disconnected. Two of her siblings died and one went missing for an extended period of time and I never experienced fear or apprehension from the other siblings and it reduced the frightfulness of the disappearances. I wish there had been a touch more showing, not telling, of the relationship between the siblings and that the youngest twins had been identified as something other than the youngest twins; I can't even remember their names because they were always clumped together as the littlest twins.

I am not sure if it is because there were eight other siblings or because the other siblings needed more development or because Derry was the focal point but I got the siblings confused continuously. I cannot distinguish Violet or Irene apart and that is that. The inability for me to distinguish characters or even recognise their pain reduced the impact of the dire need to find them. The relationships lacked a bit of oomph but what didn't lack oomph is the magic.

Before you think to yourself, what? The magic was stunted in scope to other magical reads and yet, I found that distinction intentional and a great comparison of how the girls had been stunted regarding their magical abilities. I also appreciated the forest being both good and evil, as magic is both, and that Derry was able to recognise its power to protect her own. I adore how Derry killed Frank. I found the imagery not to be overpowering and was the most satisfying moment in the novel as Frank thought he had her wrapped around his finger. As if. His death was necessary for Derry to complete her purpose and her lack of sympathy was awesome.

My sheer joy at Derry taking charge led to frustration when the ending neared. I hated that Derry's ending ended with her purpose being to protect her siblings. It felt a bit shallow to me; why was her calling so extrinsic when all the other siblings decided to find themselves or in Jane's case, find purpose in righting Frank's wrongs. I wish Derry had found purpose in joining Jane to help protect a new generation of witches or that she had gone on a journey and come back with vigour that her purpose was to protect her siblings.

The whole novel could have benefitted from more layers. I wish the siblings had more dynamic personalities, that the little twins were involved in the story, and that the ending had more intention. Clearly there are elements I found frustration in but there are countless elements I did enjoy. I adored Derry minus the epilogue ending, I adored the stunted magic, Claire was the creepiest and I loved her and it is for these mixed reasons that I think this novel is worth your time. A Dark and Starless Forest has a flaw or two but is a magical and powerful novel in all, and one to pick up off the shelf.