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Where the Dark Stands Still

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Where the Dark Stands Still

By: A. B. Poranek
Narrated by: Ola Forman
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A sweeping gothic fairytale romance for fans of A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer and Gallant by V.E. Schwab.

Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.

After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood - the Leszy - who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.

Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska makes an unsettling discovery. She is not the first person to strike this bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host's spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.

Those who enter the wood do not always return...

©2024 Ania Poranek (P)2024 Penguin Audio Fantasy Fiction Literature & Fiction Magic Science Fiction & Fantasy
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I really enjoyed this story, super Atmospheric and gave me Howl's Moving Castle vibes. There were times I struggled distinguishing characters from the narration, but overall it was a good story.

Beautiful Atmospheric Story

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Gorgeous, lush setting with great characters. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this, the narration was amazing. Sad that it’s over, I want more!!

Atmospheric

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This book... This book is such a good reading ❤️ I just don't have the words to express how much I enjoyed it. Totally recommend it!!

Beautiful

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Wish there was a male narrator for when the men spoke, otherwise the story was magical and captivating.

The writing was beautiful

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The folklore, magic and yearning to belong drip from every page of this book to become something I won't soon forget.

The story centres around a young woman named Liska. She is gifted with magic but it's misunderstood and vilified by those around her. One desperate midsommer night Liska walks deep into the spirited woods near her home chasing a fairy tale hoping that if it's real she maywish her magic away to fit in. Instead she is granted something far more precious; a journey in which she finds her place in the world, her power and a fragment of her soul.

Leszy the Spirit guardian of the forest, his crumbling manner and the characters you meet will stay with you long after you sob into the final page of this book. The themes of acceptance and identity will linger long beyond your tears drying. This book evokes strong feelings of European Fairy tales (the original ones) and of course it's very Howls moving castle-esk.

"You were always so full of hope, so madeningly tenacious. Then....oh then Lissa, Liska Radost...then the worst thing of all happened. I fell in love"

I can give this book no less than 5 stars for utterly breaking me

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.