Disclaimer: Srivalli (Sri, as I call her) is not only a dear friend but also one of my closest confidants. Rest assured, this review is written with the utmost honesty—she’d be the first to call me out if I were biased! I don’t own any website, so I’m sharing this review via my ArtoonsInn account. Neither the publisher nor the author has influenced me in any way to write this.
As a proud 90s kid, I feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up in a time when smartphones, social media, and endless games didn’t overshadow my childhood. I sometimes wonder if today’s kids feel the same way about us! One thing that stood out during my childhood was how books filled my world. Before I even realized that people read for leisure, my dad had cleverly introduced me to the world of Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, and other comics. My grades may have suffered a little around exam time, but it was worth it to sneak a comic inside a textbook and “pretend” to study. Though my dad scolded me, his actions didn’t exactly match his words, as the number of books continued to grow—comics turned into novels like Matilda, Animorphs, and eventually the crown jewel of my collection, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
What I love about these books is how they always tapped into my childlike innocence, silencing the skeptic within me. Even as I grew older and ventured into adult fiction, I always found myself returning to middle-grade books for that sense of nostalgia and joy. Forest and Faeries by Sri is a beautiful addition to this genre. A huge thanks to Sri for pouring her heart into this book, which radiates warmth and care. You can feel the thoughtful attention given to every word and emotion, making it a delightful read for both younger and older readers alike.
Each story in this collection is a delightful journey, sparking excitement with its creativity and vivid world-building. To achieve all of this in just 10-15 pages per story is an impressive feat! Some stories cleverly blend adult or everyday themes with fantastical elements, and these moments stand out in the best way. A few of the stories beautifully mirror real-life emotions that weigh us down—preconceived notions, fear of failure, self-appointed leaders—and the way they tackle these issues is powerful. Every single one of the 13 stories made me smile, and choosing the best ones was definitely a challenge. That said, four stories truly knocked it out of the park, and here are my absolute favorites:
The Deal: There’s a reason this story opens the anthology—it grabs your attention from the very first moment with its intricate world-building and unique rules. I could vividly imagine a moon hovering over a bottomless lake, the old rabbit’s helplessness, and the other animals’ indifference. It’s a story with two layers, one of which really hits close to home. It reminds me of how leaders and society sometimes operate in real life.
When Elephants Could Fly: Another brilliant story with a creative plot. I loved the arc of the little monkey, how it was so convincingly manipulated with solid reasoning behind it. Writing about animals is always a challenge, but Sri nails the emotions and antics of the characters. The bittersweet ending was so well done, and I really enjoyed the clever fourth-wall breaks at both the beginning and the end from the narrator.
Astra and the Old Witch: This one felt familiar, almost like a modern take on Hansel and Gretel, but Sri completely subverted my expectations in the best possible way. It’s such a wholesome story with an uplifting message. Many writers make the mistake of writing child characters as overly witty or worldly, but Sri successfully keeps Astra and her brother grounded and believable. Their arcs were so well-crafted and perfect for their age.
And finally, my absolute favorite story of the bunch, The Queen of Bloomland: This one truly deserves to be expanded into a full novella! The world-building is rich, with unique rules and a vivid imagination that brings the setting to life in such a captivating way. As a budding writer myself, I found so much to admire here. From the very first paragraph, which paints a tense scene and pulls you right into the story:
“To say it was a mess would be an understatement. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, pink; crushed petals of all possible colours lay scattered on the wet grass. The broken stalks and limping leaves cried for help. Sarahi looked around at the destruction, aghast to find a pair of torn wings.”
What an incredible opening!
This story carries a powerful life lesson, and I couldn’t help but notice the subtle nod to Game of Thrones with the line,
“Sometimes there is no happy choice, only one less grievous than the others.”
A clever touch!
I also have to mention how much I loved the unique names used throughout the stories—Sarahi, Amiri, Xeni, Tunen, Mrs. Marlow, and so on. These names added so much charm and made the characters feel even more special.
In short, it’s an understatement to say I loved this anthology. In fact, I am gonna get some copies for my nephews and make them fall in love with this genre.
