The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

The Drowned Woods

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

A magical, ethereal fantasy from IndieBound bestselling author Emily Lloyd-Jones.
 
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
 
The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing…but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.

The Drowned Woods—set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

5 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

Did you know that the kingdom of Wales was once full of magic? Unfortunately, that magic brought with it more than a fair share of conflict, as those without magic sought to gain or control those with it.

This is the world that Mererid, aka Mer, was born into. She's a water diviner and quite possibly one of the last in her kingdom. She had her life torn away at a young age as she was dragged before the king to serve his bidding. Now she has a chance to get even – and protect everyone else from his actions.

“Mer had always considered herself a decent judge of liars. But she had forgotten it was possible to lie without ever uttering an untruth.”

My Review:

If you loved The Bone Houses, you've got to read The Drowned Woods. It's set in the same world and gives readers a bit more of a chance to explore the magical system and all the wonders (and horrors) it has to offer.

To say I was excited about this novel would be an understatement! I love fantasy worlds with dark magical systems, and this one certainly checks off both boxes. Through in an adorable corgi (yes, corgi!) and some thievery and consider me sold.

In truth, this book surprised me in a lot of ways. I was expecting something like The Bone Houses meets Six of Crows. That isn't what I got – but that's okay because this is something new and unique.

I loved the twists that popped up throughout this novel. I was also surprised by how emotional I felt by the end. I hadn't expected that (it seemed like I had solid control over my emotions right up until the end). The Drowned Woods is worth the read!

Highlights:
Fantasy
Water Diviner
Magical Heist
Adorable Dog
Fae Curses
Romantic subplot
Revenge
Same world as The Bone Houses

Trigger Warnings:
Death
Violence
Kidnapping

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 January, 2023: Finished reading
  • 1 January, 2023: Reviewed