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Devin Green’s nightmare begins with two strangers dragging her out of bed in the dead of night. Resistance is futile—these men are the enforcers of a wilderness therapy program her foster family has forced upon her. Alongside four other teens, Devin is dumped in the desolate forests of Idaho, where two counselors will lead them on a grueling 50-day trek meant to “fix” them. The forest, however, is unnervingly still—a silence so deep it feels alive, “unbroken by the hum of old engines or the crash of distant machinery.”
Yet, it isn’t the silence, the relentless hiking, or even the counselors that vex Devin the most—it’s Sheridan. With her lavender hair and razor-sharp tongue, Sheridan is a living nightmare, mocking everyone around her and slowing the group at every turn. But at least Sheridan is human. When the counselors suddenly vanish, Devin begins to see strange, unearthly figures lurking in the woods. If the five teens are to survive, they’ll have to confront both the dangers of the wilderness and the monsters within themselves.
Inspired by the grim realities of actual wilderness therapy programs, Courtney Gould’s What the Woods Took masterfully weaves a tale of human and supernatural horrors. Devin’s strength and resolve to “reap the good she suffered for” anchor the story, but Gould ensures that every member of the group is equally compelling. The teens are complex, their interactions brimming with sharp, lifelike dialogue that makes their camaraderie—or lack thereof—entirely engrossing.
For those who crave a hint of romance in their horror, Devin and Sheridan’s slow-burn transformation from rivals to tentative lovers is messy but achingly real. Their connection becomes a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dark and oppressive narrative, and when the two finally align, readers may feel compelled to cheer.
Atmospheric and unsettling, What the Woods Took examines the resilience of teenagers as they navigate both human cruelty and inhuman terrors. This haunting addition to the queer YA horror canon will enthrall fans of Rory Power and Mindy McGinnis, delivering scares and substance in equal measure.
