I don't often read young adult novels, but this one intrigued me, and I wasn't disappointed. A very original idea, beautifully written. Highly recommended.

This is only going to be a short review on this book because it wasn’t one I liked at all. This book just wasn’t for me. It was very confusing and I just felt that I had to force myself to carry on reading it. And also, when you name characters after certain gods, I’m always going to draw back to mythology and not whatever this was. I feel like this was attempt by Emily Barr to make this book appeal to a hipster. Emily Barr is usually a good writer as I have reviewed her other books, but this one wasn’t connecting with me like her other books have. If it wasn’t for the fact that I read this book via Netgalley (thank you by the way) I’m not sure whether I would have spent the money on it and if I did, I would have regretted it.

 

Overall 1 star.

I am a fan of Emily Barr's novels but unfortunately this young adult story was not to my taste but will appeal to a younger readership.

truly beautiful story, very well written . i actually thought it was based on a true story and found myself searching for it once i had finished. 
great page turner

Thanks for the eARC. The story was honestly good and intrigued me to read but when I dive into the story, it wasn’t interest like how it did at first. However, I managed to read the whole book. It was an okay read for me

Thrillers are my favourite genre, and YA is my favourite age range, but this is not the YA thriller I thought it would be based on the description and tags. This was quite a heavy, character-driven novel that lost me along the way as I struggled to get through dense writing. This perhaps would have been better if it was rewritten and remarketed as a coming of age tale, letting go of the lackluster mystery aspect.

Oh this was just gorgeous. A story of privation, exploration, innocence and family.
A small community of ‘gods and goddesses’ is Arty’s whole world, but when tragedy strikes, she is swept into the bustle of India, social media celebrity and finally suburban England.
At the same time we follow a timeline of a desperate youngster locked in a basement and we can only presume it’s Arty.
This was a lovely, well written book from an interesting perspective, with poverty and riches, suburbia and city life, cloistered community and public scrutiny, race and understanding all confronted and juxtaposed.
Would recommend.

Overall opinion of the book:

This was a book I was really intrigued by when I initially read the synopses. It sounded so gritty and interesting. A terrible accident, people chasing Arty, it seemed like quite the thriller! However, the actual plot of the book didn’t really match up to the synopses in my opinion and was a lot different to how I imagined it to be. It was a slow burner and not really a thriller at all, more of a coming of age story of sorts. The book focuses instead on Arty and her adjusting to the world outside of the village. It’s not scary or a fast paced thriller, but a contemporary novel. I think the synopses could have been written by the publishers better as it’s a little misleading and doesn’t fully reflect the book. If the synopses accurately reflected the plot, and I went into the book with a better idea of what it would be about, I think I would have ended up enjoying it a lot more.

While I really wanted to love this book, it just wasn’t for me. I struggled through it and if I hadn’t been sent an e-arc to read I would have DNFed it in all honesty. That’s not to say you won’t love the book however, it was just completely different to what I expected it to be.

The plot is divided into two different stories that do eventually intertwine – Arty’s and another character’s who you find out the name of much later into the book. Each chapter is distinguished by chapter numbers rather than names. While I can understand the reasoning behind this as the second character’s identity remains hidden, it would have been less confusing if Arty’s chapters had her name at the beginning. Initially I thought the second chapter was continuing from the first and I was so confused. The second character’s chapters are confusing in themselves, without the added confusion of not knowing which is and isn’t Arty’s chapters.

I much preferred Arty’s chapters as the second character’s chapters were confusing and the reader doesn’t actually know any context behind the character until closer to the end of the book. They were quite disjointed and it seemed a bit like a lucid dream with animals and toys talking to the protagonist.

I found this book quite bizarre, although I think this was the intention. Considering Arty and her family live in the woods and Arty has never left the woods at the beginning of the novel, there are still a lot of pop culture references, such as a monkey being called Chandler Bing. Arty has access to books so has some ideas of what the world outside is like, but I feel that when she does enter the outside world, she adjusts far better than she perhaps should have. Surely if you’ve never experienced anything outside of the woods you’d be a lot more scared? That’s just my personal opinion, the way in which she recognises things in books and interacts with people was interesting however.

I did find it fascinating that all of the family in the village had different God names, such as Zeus and Hercules. I wanted the book to go into more details about this as it was quite interesting, but we are never really given the reasoning behind this. After researching into the book a little, I realised the book is actually based on a group of people living in an Indian forest, which is quite interesting.

The ending of the book fell quite flat for me, when we find out who the second character is and the story comes to a conclusion, it wasn’t really a big revelation. It was interesting, but nothing really seems to happen plot wise and I wanted to know more of a backstory into why the all chose to stay living in the woods. What is interesting about the book is the discussion of the exploitation of Arty and the people in the woods. A character whose name I won’t mention to not spoil the plot leaks footage of Arty coming out of the woods and also uses the people for illegal purposes.

Overall, The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods really wasn’t the book for me. It was entirely different to what I thought it would be and because of this I just didn’t enjoy it. It’s disappointing as I thought I would love this book, but it can’t be helped. If I hadn’t received a review copy of this book, I probably would have DNFed it in all honesty. While a one star review may seem quite harsh, I have to be honest in the sense that I wouldn’t have continued on with the book. You may love this book however. The plot was a little confusing and I didn’t feel engaged with it or the characters at all, which is a deal breaker for me in books. The writing was interesting and the spelling, punctuation and grammar was great, this just wasn’t the book for me.

Final thoughts:

Though this wasn’t the book for me, you may love it so it’s definitely worth giving it a go. I personally would have DNFed this book if I’d bought it, but that doesn’t mean you will. I just thought this was a completely different book to what it was and didn’t click with the characters and the plot. It felt a little too disjointed and confusing for me.

Thank You To Netgalley & Publishers For Granting My Request To Review This Book.
The Protagonist Arty, Is Brought Up In A Secluded Area With Only 11 Other People, Leaving Her With A Very Unique Outlook On Life. I Must Admit, In The Parts About Arty And The Community She Lives In, I Found A Certain Peace; Such A Simple And Almost Idyllic Life.
After Arty Leaves Her Community, I Found Parts Of The Book Less Believable .. The Cafe Scene For Instance, Although I Did Enjoy It.
A Great YA Story For People Wanting Something Different

Oh my goodness. This book. I have tears in my eyes just writing this review, which is strange, as books very rarely move me to tears. I loved it. It was amazing. And so refreshingly different from anything I’ve ever read before. I’m going to have to seek out Barr’s other novels ASAP! 

This book just made me so happy. I loved Arty almost instantly. Who wouldn’t? She’s kind, and sweet and clever and just wholly good. A triumph, considering how hard it is to write a ‘perfect’ character, without risking said character being unbelievable. People are flawed. You have to write flawed characters in order to write realistic characters. I believed this piece of writing advice until I read this book. 

A masterpiece of a YA novel.

I had read one of Emily Barr’s books before but I have to say that whilst it was enjoyable I wasn’t sure if the author’s style was entirely for me, however I was instantly attracted to the cover of this book and when I read the blurb I decided that I really needed to give this book a shot.

I was definitely pleasantly surprised, although it is not what I would call a thriller as the blurb labels it, it is more of an exploration of Arty coming to terms with the outside world whilst trying to deal with the end of the life she has always known. I really liked that the book was mostly set in India, that there was the contrast between the seclusion of the forest and the bustle and chaos of Mumbai and I think that it would have been difficult to capture that same atmosphere in a different setting.

This book is the kind of book that will be spoiled with too much information, so I won’t say too much about the plot, but it is written in a dual timeline, and this really does add some tension and a little bit of mystery to the story. There is a variation in tone between the two timelines and it is quite nice to have the distinction it breaks up each part of the story well and does keep you invested in the story. There are a few unexpected things that happen that shake up the story a little and there are things that come up that all tie back in together in a very clever way, which was enjoyable.

Arty was a great character, I loved the ethos of the clearing and how they all worked together to build a life away from the modern world, and it was really interesting to hear her experience of this. Her optimism in the face of so much uncertainty was refreshing, as was her loyalty to her family, she was naive but in a very natural way for this kind of situation and she was the kind of character that I easily found myself rooting for.

The only thing that maybe caused a bit of a pause for me was when Arty finds herself out of the woods, she is in a lot of situation where she was almost too lucky all of the time, I kept thinking that something bad was going to happen or someone was going to take advantage of her, but it was fairly smooth sailing. I just felt that she would have had a little bit more trouble than she did but then I wonder if I’m just being overly cynical.

The Girl Who Came Out Of The Woods is an interesting book with an element of mystery but at its heart is an emotional story of loss and survival with a bright spark of a main character.

I loved this book. I honestly didn't see the twist coming, and I swear my eyebrows disappeared over the top of my head when I got there. How I missed it, I don't know, but I think I was caught up with the impossibility of Arty and her discovery of life in the big, wild, world. The sheer implausibility of how she found her life didn't spoil the book for me at all, and I think, if I were a teen reading this I would have loved the idea that all things can be done if you just set your mind to it. Recommended

I love stories that are unique to the subject- this is hard to find these days!
The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods follows Artemis- a girl born in the woods from a small tribe that wanted to shun civilisation and create their own Utopia away from the modern world.
When sickness devastates the camp, Arty must leave the only home she's ever known and take the plunge into the unknown.
This was a refreshingly different story to what I’ve come across before and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a different sort of book this Summer.

This is the third Emily Barr YA title I’ve read and I’ve been gripped by them all - but I found this one especially compelling. I spotted the twist quite early but that didn’t matter and I loved the way this book looked at family and the idea of protection and safety - as well as many other themes. I knew nothing about the title and it took me a while to engage but then I couldn’t put it down. The author is so good at putting her protagonists in great jeopardy. I suspect that I’ll continue to think about the characters in this book long after I’ve posted this review.

Arty has always lived in The Clearing, in the middle the forest, far from the reach of the outside world. Here in The Clearing we are all gods and goddesses, we have all that we need, and we are safe. The Clearing and its few inhabitants are all Arty has ever known, but how long can it all last? Surely Arty will have to venture outside one day?

This book is a difficult one to review without giving too much away; it's one of those stories best entered blind so I won't say anymore on the plot. Nor will I get in to the characters, as that too would ruin it, except to say that I loved a fair few of them - Arty, Cherry and Zeus are all so adorable in their own ways and I really felt for them. What I will say is this is an interesting story, or two stories running concurrently in fact, with a great twist that I didn't see coming. Throughout I was desperate to find out what was happening in the other half of the story, the tension is well built and the jumps from one narrative to the other keep you hooked. I also really liked the way Barr dropped a red herring in from time to time to keep readers on their toes; several times over I was taken in and then realised I was mistaken about where the story was going. I love a book that surprises me like that.

Overall, this is a great little read that I'd definitely recommend to anyone who wants to let their mind wander. As the saying goes, 'Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.'.

I don't know that I read the blurb for this before I started reading it, so it came as a surprise that this is a story about a girl who grew up in a small matriarchal commune in India. It's a peaceful existence and Arty is a happy 16 year old - she lives with ten other people (3 of which are children) in a forest clearing besieged by monkeys that they've named after characters from Friends. Small bits of mainstream culture sneak into their lives like this in ways that Arty doesn't recognise but the reader might, and it makes it all the more interesting as to how the adults decided to start this cut off group that relies on nature.

The plot picks up a little when something bad happens and Arty has to leave the community.

The writing kept changing between first and third person and it was a little disconcerting, even if there was a reason for it. I also massively cringed at Arty just blindly doing what she wants and getting herself in to bad situations because she didn't know any better but didn't trust anyone enough to help guide her through.

The research into Indian culture and Mumbai was evident, if a little shallow and touristy but that was fine because Arty basically was a tourist, being as she grew up surrounded by a incredibly mixed group of different cultures and not specifically Indian culture.

Around 75% was a massive twist that really made this book impossible to put down. Genuinely the best twist I've read in a book for a while.

This story by Emily Barr is definitely one to go into without really knowing too much.
Initially I found the split in narrative quite disconcerting. We focus on sixteen year old Arty who is forced out of her commune when illness affects many of the group. She is thrown into a world of which she has no experience and her story as she navigates what so many of us take for granted was interesting. Alongside this is a curious story told from the perspective of someone locked in a basement.
As the story progressed I confess to getting quite carried away trying to plot how the two would be linked. It did become evident where it was heading, but not before I’d imagined things far worse than we were faced with.
I enjoyed the story, though the reaction of characters to Arty’s innocence did, on occasion, make me frustrated. That irritation aside, this was quite enchanting while not being afraid to touch on some rather unpleasant things.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest review.

This is an enjoyable YA novel that follows Arty after her life in the woods is turned upside down after a disaster. Every thing and everyone she knows is changed forever. Seeing how Arty responds to everyday (to us) experiences like movies and social media is really interesting. A great read.

Following The One Memory of Flora Banks and The Truth and Lies of Ella Black, Emily Barr is back with The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods and another tale about a girl on the cusp of womanhood who finds herself out on her own in an extraordionary situation.

I loved Flora Banks, but was sadly less fond of Ella Black, so went into this book with a slight sense of trepidation. I'm very happy to report that, while I didn't think it was as briliant as Flora, in her latest book Barr gives us another truly sympathetic heroine. Arty is a young women who, in the most dire of circumstances, digs deep and proves resourceful in looking after herself and the pursuit of her goals.

I apologise if this review seems wishy-washy, but the less you know about the plot of The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods, the better your experience of it will be. However, without spoiling anything, I can mention the use of a dual timeline throughout the book, with mysterious chapters popping up at regular intervals to disrupt the main plot. At times these secondary chapters feel frustratingly obtuse, but they eventually set up a nice reveal to prepare the ground for the final twist which ties up all loose ends in a satisfying bow.

The Indian setting is wonderfully colourful and vibrant, providing a lively backdrop for the majority of Arty's journey.

My one criticism is that of a sad, cynical adult: to me is seemed Arty was perhaps too fortunate in the people she meets when she strikes out on her own. Almost everyone wants to help her and is benevolent in their aims. You could either find this unrealistic or life-affirming, depending on your world view. I did wonder if it was entirely likely, especially given Arty's sheltered upbringing and lack of experience of the wider world. On the other hand, the title of the book does suggest that there is something of the fairy tale about this story, and perhaps that's the best spirit in which to approach questions of how fortunate Arty is in the people she meets on her journey.

Overall: If you enjoyed Flora Banks but perhaps weren't so keen on Ella Black, I'd encourage you to read The Girl Who Came out of the Woods, both for its loveable heroine and the vibrancy of its Indian setting.

I absolutely loved The One Memory of Flora Banks so I was thrilled to be approved for this book, and even more thrilled to discover it is just as enjoyably twisty as her previous book.