Beautiful and Bone-Chilling Horror in Through the Woods
Within this stark cover of red and white and black lurk five stories that will chill and thrill. Through the Woods is Emily Carroll’s first solo book, having contributed to some excellent compilation graphic novels in the past. Not only does the book manage to spin new twists on familiar tropes (the ghost of the first wife, the girl travelling the woods in a red cloak), but does so with style. Carroll’s art style is perfect for this, and I highly recommend checking out her website for a sample of her work (and some excellent comics available right there for free). If checking out some of her work for free is not enough of a sales pitch, I don't know what possibly could convince you.
It’s not a stretch to call Through the Woods a spiritual successor to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories series, but in this case Carroll’s visual storytelling is even more nuanced and accentuates the scariness of each story to excellent effect. Just don’t be discouraged by the comparison to the popular children’s horror series – this is definitely a book that can be enjoyed by all ages... though parents of younger children might want to be prepared for some sleepless, nightmare-ridden nights!