About this book
For fans of Stranger Things, Riverdale and The Raven Cycle. Can a group of teenagers hold back the otherworldly horror that stalks the woods? On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening... Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn't have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she's descended from one of the town's founders doesn't help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid. When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?
Censorship history
In 2024, "The Devouring Gray" by Christine Lynn Herman was banned at the school level in various districts across the United States, primarily due to concerns over its themes and content, which some parents and educators deemed inappropriate for students. Specific instances of challenges were reported during school board meetings, where parents voiced objections, leading to votes that resulted in the book's removal from school libraries and curricula. The bans reflect a growing trend in certain regions to restrict access to literature perceived as controversial or unsuitable for young readers.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2024 | LGBTQ+Violence |
