Folk horror works best when it feels like it’s telling you something true, a warning passed down long before anyone thought to write it in a comic. We just read Whisper of the Woods, a quiet and eerie horror story rooted in Romanian folklore. Let’s talk about it!
Whisper of The Woods
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer & Artist: Ennun Ana Iurov
Letterer: Micah Myers
Release Date: October 24, 2023
elease Date: October 24, 2023
Meet Ennun Ana Iurov
Whisper of the Woods is written and illustrated by Ennun Ana Iurov, a creator based in Romania whose work feels deeply connected to their roots. Iurov had previously worked on the young adult graphic novel Needle & Thread as the artist, with David Pinckney writing, but Whisper of the Woods is actually their first fully self-written and self-illustrated published work, something they’ve described as a little nerve-wracking to put out into the world. Before that, Iurov spent over six years self-publishing short comics and zines, including charity work for organizations like Action Against Hunger. They’ve also said they hope this book makes more people curious about Romanian folklore, since the country has no shortage of dark, creepy stories worth telling. It’s clear from the first page that this is a personal story wrapped in local folklore, with a beautiful art style that carries the eerie tone just right. There’s a softness to the illustrations that makes the unsettling moments even more effective.
The Legend of the Iele
The creatures at the center of this story, the iele, come from real Romanian folklore. They’re traditionally described as supernatural young women with powerful magic who appear mostly at night, often by moonlight, dancing together in meadows, forests, and riverbanks and leaving scorch marks behind wherever they go. Setting a story about them in the Hoiа Baciu forest specifically is a smart choice too, it’s already known in Romania as one of the country’s most reportedly haunted locations, so the book is drawing on more than one layer of local legend at once.
What Is Whisper of the Woods About?
The graphic novel follows Adam, a sweet and determined guy who ventures into Romania’s Hoia Baciu forest in search of his missing friend. Locals tell him stories of strange disappearances, of creatures called iele who hunt men, and a witch even warns him he’ll meet the same fate. But Adam refuses to give up. With each passing night, reality slips a little more as he meets a survivor, sees strange things, and finds himself deeper in something not quite natural. The atmosphere builds steadily, blending gentle horror with emotional weight.
A Quiet, Creeping Kind of Horror
I really liked the main character. There’s something moving about his hope and how he doesn’t give up, even as literally every person he meets tells him to turn back. His journey through the woods feels quiet but intense, and the folklore elements give the book a very unique vibe. The locals, the warnings, the witch, the survivor, all of it builds into something very strange in the best way, and there’s a real weight to lines like the witch’s own warning that his confidence in his own ignorance will be his downfall, it’s the kind of line that sticks with you well after you’ve closed the book.
The ending leaned into mystery, and part of that was not fully understanding everything, including the Romanian dialogue, which actually made the atmosphere even more creepy. Not being handed a full translation forces you to sit in the same uncertainty Adam does, which feels like a deliberate choice rather than an oversight. We just wish it had been a little longer to let the story breathe more and wrap up at the same pace it started. Still, this was a very good slice of folklore horror, with just the right amount of weird.
Final Thoughts
If you love short atmospheric horror with heart, Whisper of the Woods is a haunting little trip worth taking!
More Mad Cave Horror Worth Reading
If Whisper of the Woods worked for you, we’ve covered a few other Mad Cave horror titles worth checking out. The Hexiles follows six half-siblings who discover their dead father sold each of their souls to Hell at birth. The Slasher’s Apprentice follows a true-crime podcaster who apprentices under a legendary slasher. And Orla! turns modern dating anxiety into a literal monster living inside its lead.
FAQ
Is Whisper of the Woods worth reading? Yes, especially if you’re into quieter, atmosphere-driven folk horror rather than fast-paced scares.
Do you need to know Romanian folklore before reading it? No. The book introduces the iele and other local legends naturally as the story unfolds.
Who wrote and illustrated Whisper of the Woods? Ennun Ana Iurov wrote and illustrated the graphic novel, with letters by Micah Myers.
Is Whisper of the Woods a series or a standalone story? It’s a standalone original graphic novel.
How long is Whisper of the Woods? It’s a shorter graphic novel, which some readers, us included, wish had been a bit longer to let the story breathe more.
