The Beginning Woods

McNeill has created a fabulous universe packed full of wonder and terror. The Beginning Woods has earned its place on a shelf with Gormenghast and The Princess Bride. I loved every word and was envious of quite a few. It opened my eyes wide and quickened my heart. A modern classic: rich, funny and terrifying. —Eoin Colfer, New York Times bestselling author of Artemis Fowl

*McNeill's storytelling skills shine in this witty, delightful story about the power of imagination and dreaming. —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*Filled with gorgeous imagery and memorable prose, McNeill's young adult novel will break hearts and bind them back together with a happy ending. This is a love letter to the power of imagination.—Foreword Reviews, starred review

"A fascinating world of odd fairy-tale creatures and unusual but intriguing events." —School Library Journal

The Beginning Woods reads like a fairy tale come to life with an eccentric ensemble of characters and absurd moments that are reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and A Wrinkle in Time. . . . Malcolm McNeill creates a truly unique story that's surprising from beginning to end. —San Francisco Book Review

Highly original and beguiling début that promises magic, terror and the dark menace of fairytales. —The Bookseller

"Complex, playful, philosophical, with mysterious vanishings and censorship of dreams." -Imogen Russel-Williams, The Guardian

A dazzling and beguiling tale . . . A mesmerizing new voice, and a book that deserves to vanish off the bookshop shelves. —Herald (Scotland)

Readers who feel out of place in their own lives will relate to Max as he struggles to accept the love of his adopted parents and always yearns for more. —VOYA