Darkwood

(Paperback)

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Description

Magic is forbidden in Myrsina, along with various other abominations, such as girlsdoing maths.

This is bad news for Gretel Mudd, who doesn't perform magic, butdoes know a lot of maths. When the sinister maskedHuntsmen accuse Gretel of witchcraft, she is forced to fleeinto the neighbouring Darkwood, where witches and monsters dwell.

There, she happens upon Buttercup, a witch who can't help turning things intogingerbread, Jack Trott, who can make plants grow at will, the White Knight withher band of dwarves and a talking spider called Trevor. These aren't the terrifyingvillains she's been warned about all her life. They're actually quite nice. Well...most of them.

With the Huntsmen on the warpath, Gretel must act fast to saveboth the Darkwood and her home village, while unravelling the rhetoric and liesthat have demonised magical beings for far too long.

Take a journey into the Darkwood in this modern fairy tale that will bewitch adults and younger readers alike.

Reviews

'Gabby isone of the funniest writers I know'Sarah Millican

Very funny.If you like Terry Pratchett, or think gothic fairy tales should have more LOLs, tis the book for ye Greg Jenner

'I have read this and it is great.Pratchetty fun for all the family'Lucy Porter

'Magical, surprising and funny Jan Ravens

Author Bio

Gabby Hutchinson Crouch (Horrible Histories, Newzoids, The News Quiz, The Now Show) has a background in satire, and with the global political climate as it is, believes that now is an important time to explore themes of authoritarianism and intolerance in comedy and fiction. Darkwood does so in a funny, engaging way that never loses the warmth of humanity, even as its villainous Huntsmen try to dehumanise their victims as well as anonymising and dehumanising themselves. Drawing on inspiration from other satirical stories set in a magical universe such as Shrek and the Discworld novels, Darkwood creates a world where readers can enjoy more grown-up versions of fairytales, while also holding up a mirror to our own society.

Born in Pontypool in Wales, and raised in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, Gabby moved to Canterbury at 18 to study at the University of Kent and ended up staying and having a family there.