A Review of Douglas Young’s novel “Deep in the Forest”
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
-Joseph Campbell
There was no shortage of shocking and at times inauspicious news in 2021. Being “surprised” began to become a foreign feeling. So it was only fitting that unidentified flying objects would enter the public’s consciousness after a much-anticipated report and declassified footage came to light.
With a heightened public interest in the topic of U.F.O.s, the timeliness of Douglas Young’s debut novel Deep in the Forest was propitious if not a tad eerie. Don’t mistake Young’s work for science fiction though. This book is dramatic and comedic with elements of romance and rare insight into human nature.
Deep in the Forest is about a man thrust in the limelight
Deep in the Forest is the story of Elton Peabody, a history teacher in a quaint Southern town. He is a lovable neurotic who happens to encounter a U.F.O. deep in the woods near his house. While some may think they would welcome such an unusual experience, for Elton it only fills him with anxiety. He’s suddenly thrust into the limelight, but poor Elton would rather the event had never happened. Being tied to an otherworldly occurrence is attention he’d rather not have.
What makes Deep in the Forest a compelling novel is the vividness of the characters. As a master storyteller, Stephen King noted in his memoir On Writing: “description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” This is paramount to good fiction. Deep in the Forest ignites the imagination, especially with the lifelike characters depicted. Young lets you not only intimately know his characters, but make you feel as if you’re eavesdropping into their world.
The author reveals himself in the book
If you’re wondering how such realistic characters were spun, look no further than the author’s long career in education. Having encountered 33 years of myriad individuals, Young no doubt has a grasp on human beings. It shows in his fiction writing.
If an author reveals himself in his stories, The author is a lover of all things “life”—with historical references throughout and nods to musical heroes and literary giants. His sumptuous descriptions of food rival only Washington Irving.
The moral of Deep in the Forest is a timely one
Deep in the Forest is not merely enjoyment as it has a clear message. We live in a time that fear is the common enemy staring us down. It’s advanced at such a rate that some are in a cautious existence instead of living. Some are aware of this and some find comfort in denial. As the story of the unlucky-in-love teacher with an unwanted U.F.O. encounter comes to a close, the reader sees that courage and perspective are choices we make. Sometimes that courage means facing our fears.
Elton found himself musing: “…precious little makes sense in this thoroughly weird world. So we should stop worrying, set our speed at cruise control, and sit back to enjoy the ride.” I imagined Elton Peabody echoing the truism of the late Joseph Campbell: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
What’s that forest or cave for you?
Title: Deep in the Forest
Author: Douglas Young
Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
Publication date: July 19, 2021
Softcover: 192 pages
