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The Hollowing tells the story of Richard Bradley, who lives with his wife Alice and son Alex near Shadoxhurst, on the edge of Rhyope Wood. On the road back from Alex's school play of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, they almost run over a man that looks strangely like Tallis's father James Keeton, who disappeared over a year ago.
Later that night, Keeton knocks on their door, in a dream-like state, clutching one of Tallis's masks. Brought to hospital, he slowly recovers until he has a vision where Tallis comes home, and dies. Alex takes this opportunity to grab the mask and try it on, but is suddenly victim of a violent attack, blown across the room by a strange invisible force.
The boy then lies in a catatonic state for a year, until the wood claims him... and when later the disfigured, unidentifiable body of a youth is found, his parents mournfully conclude it's Alex's. Richard moves to London, and slowly drifts away from his wife, and from his former life.
Six years later, back in Shadoxhurst for a break, he meets a woman named Helen, who tells him Alex is alive but lost in the wood. With much incredulity, he finally joins her gang of hippy scientific explorers, who studying the magic of Rhyope Wood, and goes in search of Alex.
Although the story was, generally speaking, more captivating than in Lavondyss, I thought The Hollowing really lacked the green, woody, mossy atmosphere that was the core of Mythago Wood and that I enjoyed so much. Now I have to admit I'm looking forward to finishing these series so I can move on to more fantastic settings.
6/10
