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Reviewed by Miche Arendse for Readers' Favorite
Lost in the Hall of the Mountain King by M. LaRose follows Laurel Grove as she spends a solo retreat in a national forest, hoping that hiking and meditation will help her figure out what she wants from life after struggling with her unfulfilling job and an awkward rejection from her coworker Craig. Everything changes when she meets the mysterious Nitch, an unusually charming man who seems to know far more about the forest than he should. After showing Laurel strange mushrooms and a hidden cavern, Nitch reveals that he is an elf and takes her into a vast underground world. Laurel becomes fascinated by this strange realm, its feasts, magical plants, and unusual inhabitants, but her fascination gradually turns to unease as she learns more about Nitch and the other humans who have been living underground for years. As Laurel discovers that time moves differently beneath the forest and realizes she may not be able to simply leave, she has to find her own way through the maze of tunnels and dangerous underground paths.
I really enjoyed the imaginative direction of Lost in the Hall of the Mountain King by M. LaRose. What starts out feeling like a quiet story about a woman trying to find herself gradually turns into a much stranger paranormal adventure, and I liked how naturally the forest setting led into the underground world. The glowing mushrooms, crystal caves, underground river, unusual elves, and mysterious time shifts gave the book a dreamlike atmosphere. Laurel was also an interesting character to follow because she begins the story feeling uncertain and directionless, but her experiences underground force her to become much more independent and determined. I especially liked the relationship between Laurel and Nitch because there was always a mixture of attraction, curiosity, and uncertainty surrounding them. The story kept me wondering what was real and what Laurel could trust. Overall, this was a very imaginative and unusual read that blended romance, fantasy, and adventure in a way that kept me curious about what Laurel would discover next.
