For the Wolf (Volume 1) (The Wilderwood, 1)

I found the concepts of magic v. real world new and refreshing. The story of years of fables leading to religious rites being misconstrued into something that led to evil was intricate yet believable. The story of the sisters, differing personalities and fates was also one of my favorite points of this story.

Characters - 3/5 I found the main characters, Redarys and Eammon, to be intriguing and likeable, though a little one-note. Redarys and Eammon both share a classic character mentality of self-martyring tendencies, each to different degrees. It almost felt like this was the main defining character trait, in Eammon’s case. We do get to see other aspects of their personalities - for example, a few instances of Eammon flirting with Red - they just don’t get as much focus. As far as the supporting characters went, they were (mostly) likeable, but never got all that much depth. I liked the characters, but would love to see more depth in book 2.Atmosphere/Setting - 5/5 For the Wolf set the standard for what I want out of a dark fantasy/dark cottagecore atmosphere. The descriptions we’re given of the Wilderwood effectively bring to mind images of a misty forest that is equal parts ethereal and foreboding. My only complaint is that the Wilderwood isn’t real.Writing Style - 4/5 Much like the setting, I found Hannah Whitten’s writing style to be foreboding and ethereal. And much like the plot, the writing was highly enjoyable, though not groundbreaking.Plot - 4/5 For the Wolf as a story was enjoyable, though not necessarily mind-blowing. I did find Hannah Whitten’s twist on the “typical” Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood fairy tales to be creative. It was a tad predictable, yet not to the degree of pulling one out of the story. I will say, the overarching themes of redemption and healing and making your own choices were immaculate, and are a huge part of why this book continues to be a favorite. (Gotta love when a magical forest gets a redemption arc.) Overall, I’d say this book leans more plot-driven than character-driven.Intrigue - 4/5 As stated previously, while For the Wolf is a highly enjoyable read, there weren’t any particularly shocking moments. The plot progressed in a logical and predictable manner. There weren’t any unexpected or unforeseen twists. Was I hooked? Yes. Did I have to put the book down because of a reveal that shook me to my core? No. I still rate it highly for intrigue because again, I still had trouble setting this book down.Logic/Relationships - 4/5 Eammon and Red’s relationship followed what I consider to be a logical and well-written progression. The secondary characters, while interesting to read, felt more like a backdrop than anything. I’d love to get more in-depth interactions involving the secondary characters in book 2.Enjoyment - 5/5 Listen. Even with this being my second read, For the Wolf remains a high favorite for me. I am actively recommending this to others. This book changed the trajectory of my reading choices and continues to embody the vibes that I want to get from everything.

I must be tough to please with fairytale retelling these days. For the Wolf is pitched as Red Riding Hood meets Beauty and the Beast - both fairytales which I love. Definitely got way heavier Beauty and the Beast vibes, though.What I loved -The cover is so pretty! And the premise sounded so cool - first daughters destined for the throne, younger daughters destined to be given to the ‘Wolf’ in the a living forest called the Wilderwood, to release the 5 kings from their imprisonment.I loved the atmosphere of a creepy, living forest that demands blood magic to survive (as someone who’s currently playing through the Dragon Age video games again, this was exciting!).The beginning and end were well done and both hooked me.And I liked the prose. I got a great sense of the setting and what I was “looking at” while reading. A bit purpley at times but overall lyrical.What I didn’t love -The pacing! The middle 60% was so slow and I felt it was way too dragged out at 400+ pages. Now, I don’t mind a slow story if it’s told well and holds my interest and maintains tension. Unfortunately this story didn’t do that and I found myself skimming or re-reading parts of it and wondering when it was going to end (I know I could have DNFed it, but I’m stubborn sometimes). This book could have had 50-100 pages cut out and I don’t think we’d lose much.The characters were okay, but not very memorable. I felt both Neve and Red had similar personalities and while they were both technically adults, they came off as stubborn bratty teenagers many times. I wish I had more sense of their closeness other than simply being told they were sisters, so therefore they should love and sacrifice for one another. Not every sibling relationship is good, so I would have liked more showing in this instance and really feel their bond. The supporting characters weren’t really fleshed out and I started getting confused who was who at times, and instead seemed like they were just there to move the plot forward.The romance was also just alright. I didn’t feel much in chemistry between Red and Eammon. There also seemed to be a very large age gap between the two (Red is 20 and Eammon sounded like he was a few hundred or thousands of years old), which really isn’t for me. Again, I was told they loved and would do anything for each other, but I didn’t quite understand the love they had, except that they fell in love only because they were stuck together.This was told mostly in third person from iRed’s perspective, with chapters mixed in from Neve’s.Overall, 3 stars. Enjoyed it for what it was, but I wasn’t invested in the story and characters like I wish I was. Not sure I’ll pick up For the Throne (book #2), but from the sample chapter I read, it seems like it could be a more interesting read.

Really enjoyed this duology. Very well written and had me hooked the whole time!

Livre beau, floppy et de bonne qualité

Me gusto la historia, no todo es tan bueno como lo pintan.Tiene giros inesperados, si te invita a seguir leyendo.

Ha llegado bien cuando pueda lo leo

Amazing