Nighttime Abduction

Devin Green, a tough, guarded teen in foster care, is violently awakened in the night by two men. Despite her resistance, her foster parents stand by, complicit in her abduction. She's thrown into a van with another teen, Ollie, who's equally confused and scared. Both realize their parents or guardians have signed them away to a mysterious program called REVIVE. The drive is long, tense, and filled with failed escape attempts. The sense of betrayal and abandonment is overwhelming, setting the emotional tone for the journey ahead. Devin's survival instincts are on high alert, but she's already lost control of her fate. The woods, and whatever waits there, are closing in.

Arrival at REVIVE

Devin and Ollie arrive at a remote forest clearing, joining three other teens—Aidan, Hannah, and Sheridan—plus two young adult counselors, Ethan and Liv. The group is told they'll spend fifty days hiking, camping, and "healing" in the woods, cut off from civilization. The program's rules are strict, the counselors' smiles forced. Each teen is there for different reasons: addiction, violence, family trauma, or simply being unwanted. The woods are beautiful but isolating, and the group's unease grows as they realize escape is nearly impossible. The counselors' platitudes ring hollow, and the teens' distrust of adults—and each other—deepens.

Forced Wilderness Bonding

The group is forced into grueling hikes, makeshift shelters, and awkward "sharing circles." Devin is paired with Sheridan, whose sarcasm and defiance mask deeper wounds. Ollie bonds with Hannah, who's wracked with guilt over a car accident. Aidan tries to please everyone, desperate for acceptance. The counselors push for vulnerability, but the teens resist, clinging to their secrets. Tensions simmer, especially between Devin and Sheridan, whose antagonism is both personal and symbolic of the group's fractured trust. The woods begin to feel less like therapy and more like punishment.

Sheridan's Defiance

Sheridan refuses to play along, mocking the counselors and sabotaging group activities. She's clever, manipulative, and seems to enjoy pushing everyone's buttons—especially Devin's. Her behavior forces the group to confront their own limits: how much can they tolerate, and what does it mean to "help" someone who doesn't want it? The counselors' authority is tested, and cracks appear in their façade. Sheridan's rebellion is both a cry for help and a challenge to the system that put them all here. The group's unity is fragile, and the woods feel increasingly hostile.

First Fractures

A confrontation between Devin and Sheridan turns physical after Sheridan cruelly targets Hannah's vulnerabilities. The group is forced to reckon with their own capacity for violence and the consequences of unchecked pain. The counselors reveal that Devin's placement in REVIVE was a last resort after her foster parents and school gave up on her. The teens begin to realize that the adults in their lives have abandoned them, and that survival—emotional and physical—depends on each other. The first hints of something unnatural in the woods appear: strange silences, glimpses of movement, and a growing sense of being watched.

River Crossing

The group must cross a fast, icy river as a team-building exercise. Devin leads, pulling Sheridan across, but the crossing goes awry—Ollie nearly drowns when Sheridan panics and unhooks herself. The group's trust is shattered, and the woods suddenly feel more dangerous. On the far side, the environment changes: the forest is darker, quieter, and the sense of unease intensifies. The counselors' control slips further, and the teens realize that the program's challenges are not just about therapy—they're about survival.

The Coaches Vanish

After the river, the counselors vanish without warning, leaving the teens to fend for themselves. At first, they hope it's a test, but as hours pass, fear sets in. The group splits: Devin and Sheridan head toward a mysterious structure marked on a map, hoping for rescue; Ollie, Hannah, and Aidan stick to the milestone path. Both groups face hunger, exhaustion, and the growing threat of something stalking them in the woods. The absence of adults forces the teens to confront their own leadership, resourcefulness, and the reality that no one is coming to save them.

Splintered Paths

Devin and Sheridan's trek is fraught with tension, old wounds, and new revelations. Sheridan's bravado masks withdrawal from opioids, and Devin's anger is a shield for her own trauma. Meanwhile, Ollie, Hannah, and Aidan get lost, run out of food, and begin to suspect that the woods themselves are hostile. Both groups encounter strange phenomena: animal carcasses, unnatural silences, and fleeting glimpses of figures that shouldn't be there. The forest becomes a psychological labyrinth, mirroring the teens' internal struggles.

The Woods Watch

The teens begin to see and hear things that defy explanation: doppelgängers, voices of lost loved ones, and creatures that mimic their deepest fears. Aidan and Sheridan both encounter "mimics" that take the form of people from their pasts. The group's grip on reality slips as the woods prey on their vulnerabilities. The mimics' intentions are unclear, but their presence is menacing. The teens realize that the greatest threat is not just the wilderness or each other, but something ancient and hungry that lives in the woods.

Letters from Home

A rare delivery of letters from home brings more pain than comfort. Some teens receive nothing; others get cold, formulaic messages. Sheridan burns her letter, and Hannah's silence from her father devastates her. The group's hope for rescue fades, replaced by resentment and despair. The mimics exploit these wounds, appearing as parents, friends, and abusers. The line between memory and hallucination blurs. The teens are forced to confront the truth: they are truly alone, and the woods are not letting them go.

Violence and Confessions

Aidan confesses his addiction and the seizure that led to his placement. Sheridan reveals her twin's suicide and her own self-destructive spiral. Devin finally admits the abuse she suffered in foster care. These confessions are raw, painful, and transformative. The group's alliances shift: Devin and Sheridan move from enemies to something more intimate, their connection forged in shared pain. The mimics grow bolder, attacking the group and forcing them to fight for their lives. The teens realize that survival means facing their own darkness—and each other's.

The First Mimic

The group is attacked by mimics that take the forms of their loved ones and abusers. The mimics' power is psychological as much as physical: they hypnotize, gaslight, and try to convince the teens to give up their bodies. Fire is discovered as the only weapon that can kill them. In a desperate battle, the group burns a mimic wearing the face of their counselor Liv. The victory is pyrrhic: the group is battered, traumatized, and more isolated than ever. The woods are alive, and they want something from the teens.

The Cabin's Secret

Sheridan finds a journal in a ruined cabin, written by a previous victim of the woods. The journal details the mimics' abilities: they can only take a body if the person gives up hope, and they are repelled by fire. The journal's author ultimately succumbs, inviting the mimic in. The group realizes that the mimics feed on despair and that survival depends on holding onto hope. But the journal's most crucial pages—how to identify mimics—are missing, and suspicion grows within the group.

Betrayal and Accusation

Missing journal pages and strange behavior lead to accusations: is Sheridan a mimic? Is Hannah? The group turns on itself, tying up Sheridan and demanding proof of humanity. Devin is forced to choose sides, ultimately trusting Sheridan based on gut and hard-won intimacy. The real threat, however, is that one of them has already been replaced. The group's unity shatters, and the mimics close in, exploiting every fracture.

Mimics Among Us

A test with fire exposes Hannah as a mimic—she's been replaced for weeks. The real Hannah is gone, consumed by the creature. The mimic, now exposed, bargains for its life, offering information: the mimics can only cross into the real world if someone gives up hope and lets them in. The group is horrified, grieving Hannah and realizing how close they all came to the same fate. The woods are now swarming with mimics, and escape is the only option.

The Trap Fails

The group sets a trap, using fire to try to destroy the mimics en masse. The plan fails: the mimics are too many, too cunning, and the group is scattered. Devin is captured and dragged into a cave by a mimic wearing the face of her abuser. Ollie, Aidan, and Sheridan are battered and nearly broken. The woods are burning, but the mimics are not defeated. Survival now depends on individual will and the strength of the bonds forged in suffering.

Sheridan and Devin

Devin, trapped and nearly consumed by the mimic, fights back with memories of Sheridan and the life she wants beyond the woods. Sheridan, refusing to leave without Devin, leads the others in a desperate search. Their connection—once antagonistic, now fiercely intimate—becomes the anchor that pulls Devin back from the brink. Together, they kill the mimic and escape the cave. The group, battered but alive, makes a final push for the river—the boundary of the mimics' territory.

The Final Confrontation

The survivors reach the river, pursued by mimics. Sheridan, now the group's unlikely leader, helps everyone across, despite injuries and exhaustion. The mimics cannot follow. On the far shore, the group sees lights—civilization, rescue, and the end of their ordeal. They are changed, scarred, but alive. The woods have taken much, but not everything. The mimics watch from the trees, unable to cross, as the teens stumble toward help.

After the Woods

Months later, the survivors struggle to rebuild their lives. Ollie and Devin become roommates, haunted by memories but determined to move forward. Aidan returns home, changed but hopeful. Sheridan, after a painful goodbye to her parents, joins Devin and Ollie, their bond deepened by trauma and love. The world does not believe their story, and the missing are never found. But the survivors know the truth: the woods took much, but not their hope, not their future, and not the love they found in each other.

Characters

Devin Green

Devin is the emotional core of the story—a foster kid hardened by years of abandonment, violence, and abuse. Her survival instincts are sharp, but her anger is a shield for deep wounds. Devin's journey is one of learning to trust, to be vulnerable, and to accept love. Her relationship with Sheridan evolves from antagonism to intimacy, mirroring her struggle to believe she deserves connection. Devin's trauma—especially the abuse by a foster parent—shapes her worldview, but her refusal to give up is what ultimately saves her. She is both the group's protector and its most wounded member, embodying the novel's central theme: survival is not just about the body, but the heart.

Sheridan West

Sheridan is the group's wild card: sarcastic, rebellious, and seemingly unbreakable. Her defiance masks deep pain—her twin's suicide, her own addiction, and a family that can't reach her. Sheridan's intelligence and resourcefulness are crucial to the group's survival, but her self-loathing and fear of abandonment drive her to push others away. Her relationship with Devin is a slow-burn transformation, as both learn to let down their guards. Sheridan's arc is about accepting help, forgiving herself, and choosing life even when it hurts. Her humor and sharpness are both armor and invitation, and her eventual vulnerability is hard-won and deeply moving.

Ollie Baker

Ollie is the group's heart—a boy who feels too much, struggles with guilt, and wants desperately to be good. Sent to REVIVE after a drug-related incident, he is haunted by his grandmother's illness and his father's disappointment. Ollie's journey is about finding his own worth, separate from others' expectations. He forms deep bonds with both Devin and Hannah, and his kindness is a lifeline for the group. Ollie's confrontation with the mimics—especially those wearing his father's face—forces him to face his deepest fears. His survival is a testament to the power of gentleness and the courage to keep going.

Hannah Kennedy

Hannah is the group's conscience—a girl whose life was derailed by a single mistake. Her guilt over a car accident and her father's coldness make her vulnerable to the mimics. Hannah's kindness and faith are both strengths and weaknesses; she wants to believe in redemption, but cannot forgive herself. Her replacement by a mimic is the story's most devastating loss, a reminder that not everyone makes it out. Hannah's memory haunts the survivors, and her fate is a warning about the cost of despair.

Aidan

Aidan is the youngest and most eager to fit in. His addiction to Adderall and desperate need for approval make him both endearing and tragic. Aidan's arc is about learning to stand up for himself, to accept imperfection, and to find value beyond others' validation. His survival is hard-won, and his innocence is both a liability and a source of hope. Aidan's presence reminds the group—and the reader—of what is at stake: the loss of childhood, the cost of survival, and the possibility of healing.

Sheridan's Twin (Theda)

Theda's suicide is the wound at the center of Sheridan's life. Her absence shapes Sheridan's relationship with her parents, her addiction, and her sense of self. Theda appears in mimic form, a cruel echo of what was lost. Her memory is both a source of pain and a catalyst for Sheridan's growth. Theda's story is a reminder of the novel's central question: what does it take to keep going when hope is gone?

Ethan (Coach)

Ethan is one of the two counselors at REVIVE, barely older than the teens he's supposed to help. He tries to be supportive, but is out of his depth. His fate—killed and replaced by a mimic—underscores the adults' inability to protect the teens. Ethan's presence is a reminder of the failures of the "troubled teen" industry and the dangers of well-intentioned but inadequate help.

Liv (Coach)

Liv is the more competent of the two counselors, but her authority is undermined by the program's cruelty and the woods' dangers. Her replacement by a mimic is the group's first direct encounter with the supernatural threat. Liv's arc is a cautionary tale about the limits of adult intervention and the need for real, compassionate care.

Mr. Atwood (Devin's abuser)

Mr. Atwood is Devin's former foster parent and abuser, appearing in the woods as a mimic to torment her. He represents the inescapability of trauma and the way abusers haunt their victims. Devin's confrontation with the mimic wearing his face is the story's emotional climax, a battle for her own life and worth. Mr. Atwood's presence is a reminder that the real monsters are not always supernatural.

The Mimics

The mimics are the woods' supernatural threat: creatures that take the form of loved ones, abusers, or the teens themselves. They feed on despair, seeking to replace those who give up hope. The mimics are both literal monsters and metaphors for depression, trauma, and the way pain can consume identity. Their power is psychological as much as physical, and their defeat requires not just survival, but the refusal to surrender.

Plot Devices

The Woods as Psychological Labyrinth

The woods are not just a setting but a living, predatory force. They isolate, disorient, and prey on the teens' vulnerabilities. The forest's shifting moods—its silences, its darkness, its endlessness—mirror the characters' psychological states. The woods become a crucible, burning away pretense and forcing the teens to confront their deepest wounds. The boundary of the river is both literal and symbolic: crossing it means leaving the territory of despair, but not its echoes.

Mimics as Manifestation of Trauma

The mimics are shape-shifters who can only take a body if the person gives up hope. They appear as parents, abusers, friends, or the teens themselves, exploiting their targets' deepest fears and regrets. The mimics' power is psychological: they gaslight, hypnotize, and erode will. Fire is the only weapon against them, symbolizing the purifying force of truth and self-acceptance. The mimics are both literal monsters and metaphors for the way trauma and depression can consume identity.

Group Dynamics and Shifting Alliances

The group's survival depends on trust, but suspicion and betrayal are constant threats. Accusations of mimicry, missing journal pages, and shifting alliances test the bonds between the teens. The story uses these dynamics to explore the difficulty of vulnerability, the pain of abandonment, and the possibility of found family. The evolving relationship between Devin and Sheridan is the emotional heart of the novel, moving from enmity to love.

Letters and Missing Pages

Letters from home and the missing pages of the journal are key plot devices. The letters bring more pain than comfort, reinforcing the teens' sense of abandonment. The missing journal pages—how to identify mimics—fuel paranoia and division. Both devices foreshadow the group's isolation and the danger of giving up hope.

Fire as Salvation

Fire is the only thing that can kill the mimics, but it is also a symbol of hope, truth, and the will to survive. The group's use of fire in the final confrontation is both a practical and emotional victory: they refuse to be consumed by the woods, by their trauma, or by the monsters that feed on despair.

Analysis

Courtney Gould's What the Woods Took is a harrowing, emotionally charged exploration of trauma, survival, and the search for hope in the face of overwhelming darkness. The novel uses the framework of a "troubled teen" wilderness therapy program to critique the failures of institutional care and the cruelty of systems that abandon the most vulnerable. The supernatural threat—the mimics—serves as both literal monster and metaphor for depression, abuse, and the way pain can consume identity. The story's power lies in its refusal to offer easy answers: survival is not about defeating monsters, but about refusing to give up, even when hope seems impossible. The relationships between the teens—especially the slow-burn intimacy between Devin and Sheridan—are the novel's beating heart, offering a vision of found family and love forged in adversity. The woods take much, but not everything. The survivors are scarred, changed, and haunted, but they are not broken. The novel's ultimate message is one of resilience: even when the world abandons you, even when monsters wear the faces of those you love, it is possible to choose life, to choose each other, and to find a way home.

Last updated: August 28, 2025