Rating: 4/5
What would you do if your school was mysteriously transported from Earth to an unknown planet? That is what the students of suburban Milwaukee high school must find out in The Woods.
There are a few different groups that form in the aftermath of the sudden move. One goes out to explore the world around them, while the others try to create a semblance of order within the school building. This split drives the plot of the book, with the story jumping back and forth between these two sides.
Some of what happens implies that there is a deeper story about why this school was chosen, if indeed it was. The character personalities felt distinguishable from one another, though they were somewhat shallow at times. The book is a little shorter than most and could have used the extra space to develop these out a bit more. For what is in the book, I think the characters are done well. I look forward to seeing what happens with them.
One thing that kind of bugged me is how quickly things turn sour. It is literally within a day that a tyrannical regime tries to take control of the school. Again, space may have helped here. A slower development to that, even over the course of a couple days, would have seemed more believable. The characters seem to ignore some of the things that happen on an emotional level. I could see the alien environment having an effect on them, but it should be stated more clearly.
I feel like I am bashing on the book a bit, but it is quite good. It sucked me in quickly and had me rooting for certain characters. And the art is great. The strange landscapes and creatures have just enough basis on things from our own world to give the reader a reference point. From there, the creators have some fun letting their imaginations go wild on what might populate this world.
The book may appeal more to high school age students because they would more easily identify with the characters. However, it should appeal to a wider audience.
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