And the Trees Stare Back
by Gigi Griffis
Description
In 1989 Soviet Estonia, sixteen-year-old Vik lives under a watchful regime where dissent is punished, neighbors accuse one another of witchcraft, and a cursed forest at the village’s edge swallows anyone who wanders too far. When Vik’s sister Anna returns after five years missing—unchanged by time—Vik’s relief curdles into dread as unsettling details suggest the girl who came back may not be the one who left. As Vik grapples with trauma, intrusive thoughts, and the weight of guilt, she must decide whether to trust her own memories or follow the forest’s lantern-eyed lure to the truth behind Soovana and the bargain it demands. Blending YA folk horror with real historical pressure, the story explores identity, survival, and the terrifying question of what happens when a state—and a community—refuse to recognize your humanity. With lyrical, atmospheric storytelling and a politically sharp edge, Gigi Griffis delivers a haunting, suspenseful descent into the places where fear, folklore, and power overlap.
Available Editions
paperback
Holiday House
Published May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780823459124
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Details
First Published
2025
Language
eng
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for And the Trees Stare Back by Gigi Griffis.