What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction—one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways—and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness—they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Devin is immediately determined to escape. She’s also determined to ignore Sheridan, the cruel-mouthed, lavender-haired bully who mocks every group exercise. But there’s something strange about these woods—inhuman faces appearing between the trees, visions of people who shouldn't be there flashing in the leaves—and when the campers wake up to find both counselors missing, therapy becomes the least of their problems. Stranded and left to fend for themselves, the teens quickly realize they’ll have to trust each other if they want to survive. But what lies in the woods may not be as dangerous as what the campers are hiding from each other—and if the monsters have their way, no one will leave the woods alive.

Atmospheric and sharp, What the Woods Took is a poignant story of transformation that explores the price of becoming someone—or something—new.

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Courtney Gould’s What the Woods Took is an atmospheric and unnerving blend of survival horror and psychological drama. With its haunting setting, complex characters, and a storyline that weaves together supernatural terror with raw human emotion, this book is a gripping exploration of identity, transformation, and the things we’re forced to confront about ourselves when survival is on the line.

The story opens with a chilling abduction: Devin Green, fierce and defiant, is taken from her foster home and dropped into an experimental wilderness therapy program deep in the Idaho woods. Alongside a group of troubled teens, Devin quickly learns that this “therapy” involves a gruelling fifty-day trek through a hostile environment. The camp counsellors promise healing and personal growth, but things spiral out of control when the counsellors vanish, leaving the teens stranded in a forest teeming with eerie, otherworldly dangers.

Gould’s ability to craft tension is remarkable. The forest becomes a living, breathing character—its shadows pulse with menace, and the line between hallucination and reality blurs in unsettling ways. As you realise what's going on, you'll find yourself becoming increasingly paranoid. The horrors lurking in the woods are terrifying, but the true heart of the story lies in the dynamics between the teens. Each camper is grappling with their own trauma, and as secrets unravel, it becomes clear that the monsters outside may pale in comparison to what they’re hiding from each other.

Devin’s journey is particularly compelling. Her resistance to vulnerability makes her a strong and relatable protagonist, and her fraught relationship with Sheridan—the sharp-tongued, enigmatic camper—is one of the story’s emotional linchpins. Gould doesn’t shy away from exploring themes of identity, self-destruction, and the ways we reshape ourselves to survive, giving the novel a poignant depth amidst the terror.

While the book’s pace occasionally slows in its quieter moments of introspection, these lulls are balanced by moments of high-stakes tension and startling revelations. The ending is both satisfying and thought-provoking, leaving readers with lingering questions about the nature of transformation and what it truly means to survive.

Strengths:

• The atmospheric, haunting setting immerses readers in the eerie, almost sentient forest.
• Complex, layered characters whose personal struggles are as compelling as the external horrors.
• A deft blend of supernatural and psychological elements that keeps readers guessing.
• Thought-provoking themes about identity, resilience, and what it means to change.

Challenges:

• The introspective tone may slow the pace for readers expecting a faster-moving survival story.
• Some elements of the supernatural remain ambiguous, which may frustrate those seeking concrete explanations.

What the Woods Took is a must-read for fans of dark, character-driven survival stories with a supernatural edge. Its mix of eerie atmosphere, layered relationships, and poignant themes makes it perfect for readers who enjoy books like Wilder Girls by Rory Power or The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma.

TV Recommendation:
If you’re drawn to What the Woods Took, you’ll likely enjoy Higher Ground for its exploration of young people facing their inner demons against a backdrop of wilderness survival. Both stories tackle transformation, trauma, and the thin line between hope and despair. Add a dash of Yellowjackets for its unsettling tone and you’ve got a perfect companion viewing experience.

Movie Recommendation:
For a movie pairing, The Ritual (2017) is an excellent choice. This atmospheric horror film follows a group of friends hiking in a remote Scandinavian forest to honor a deceased friend. What starts as a tense survival story quickly becomes a nightmarish journey as the group encounters eerie symbols, unsettling visions, and a lurking, otherworldly presence. Like What the Woods Took, the forest in The Ritual feels alive and hostile, amplifying both external and internal conflicts as secrets and fears come to the surface. Its blend of psychological horror and supernatural terror makes it a perfect cinematic companion to Gould’s novel.

What the Woods Took publishes on the 10th December, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.