The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman _ Book Review

On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…

Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.

When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

[I received a digital arc from NetGalley for an honest review]

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman is a new YA fantasy that is filled with secrets, lies and magic.

The plot itself was interesting and it was well written. I found the history of Four Path was reminiscent of the history of the decedents of the Salem witches, and I was all for it. It explained the history and lineage without it feeling dry and textbook. The whole book was shrouded in mystery, and I was intrigued to unravel its secrets.

The story was told from four different point of views, Violet, Isaac, Harper and Justin. They are the descendants of the original town founders and tasked with protecting the town. They each have secrets and fears that they keep from one another, so it’s hard to determine where the truth lies. Sadly I failed to really connect or care for any of the characters until the end of the book. It’s not that they were bad characters, but they seemed a bit stereotypical. I am all for LGTB characters but it seemed like everyone and their mother was bisexual and it was constantly being pointed out. As someone who reads a lot of same sex romance books it felt like overkill. However, by the end I was a big fan of Isaac. He seemed like the most complex of the four, with so many layers he kept hidden.

Overall, I think this is a great debut novel and start to a series. I am definitely invested in this story and have hopes and anticipating for the next book.

“Branches and stones, daggers and bones , will meet their judgement day.“