Del Rey The Wolf and the Woodsman

🐺🪓💫 ะ𝗕ะะ𝗟ะะ𝗢ะะ𝗚ะ ะ𝗧ะะ𝗢ะะ𝗨ะะ𝗥ะ & ะ𝗥ะะ𝗘ะVะ𝗜ะะ𝗘ะะ𝗪ะ 💫🪓🐺Today is my honour of sharing my review for this fantastic debut:Ͳհҽ చօӀƒ Ⱥղժ Ͳհҽ చօօժʂʍąղ by @avasreid🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5🌟Thank you to @delreyuk and @rachelkennedy90 for my beautiful advanced readers copy and the stunning finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.A new fairytale that draws so many parallels with this modern and cruel world.This book has enchanted its way into my heart ❤️Ava has delicately woven the Jewish folklore and Hungarian history throughout this book but has somehow managed to keep the underlying parallels with the world of today fresh at the same time.Èvika is sidelined and ridiculed because she lacks the magic her peers have. This has seriously impacted her perception of her self worth.When the Woodsmen come and she is given to them in an act of deception to protect one of her worst tormentors, she truly believes that this was all she was to her village. Bait to save one of her magical peers.But as her journey with the Woodsmen/Woodsman goes on, Èvike soon begins to realise her own strengths and soon, her own magic.The book does have quite a bit of bloody/gorey scenes but these were always to express the story and never unnecessarily.The telling of the different religions and the history of how those in power tried to drive out those who believed in something different, definitely mirrors the modern world and the events still happening today.This book takes you along on a woman’s journey of becoming. It’s beautifully written and has all the hallmarks of a classic fairytale for the modern world.I am finding it hard to wrap my mind around the fact that this is a debut! It truly is excellent and will be going on my list of recommendations.

I was extremely lucky to receive an ARC of The Wolf and the Woodsman from Del Rey, and couldn't wait to read it. I had no idea what I truly expected from this book, as I had heard very little beforehand, however I am so glad I had the chance to read this beautifully written book.Before I say anything on the plot or characters, I will say that the writing style within these pages was lyrical, beautiful and truly captivating. The imagery of the world was described in such detail that I truly felt a part of the story whilst in the pages. Extremely dark and unflinching at times, Ava Reid has created a heart wrenching portrayal of Hungary's bloody history that does not shy away from the horrors associated with cultural genocide, religious persecution and bigotry, and has wrapped it up into a beautifully written and enlightening fantasy novel. The mythology depicted throughout this book through storytelling from Évike to Gáspár, is wonderfully deep, rich and diverse, and provided a wonderful backdrop to the story that unravels within these pages.As for the main characters of this novel, Évike is a strong willed, seductive, and proud heroine. She refuses to revoke her culture, or character, and is emphatic in her views and goals. I think what I loved most about the slow-burn enemies to lovers romance, is that this strong willed heroine is the one to seduce the pious and surly Gáspár, making him question his stringent beliefs and all he has been taught from childhood. She quite literally has him wrapped around her little finger, and the power that this invokes is extremely refreshing.I did find the pacing of the plot a little slow at times, but that comes with the territory of a slow-burn-romance. However the overarching story was rich and compelling, with a diverse range of horrifying monsters, beautifully written characters and exquisitely described settings.In conclusion: The mixture of old folklore and the callous writing style fuse beautifully in a magical tale within The Wolf and the Woodsman. The main heroine is feisty and dominant, and the romance between Évike and Gáspár is powerful, fuelled by true hatred for one another at the beginning and slowly developing into something truly beautiful. The plot twists and turns and is unpredictable at times, fuelled by beautifully wrought symbolism and mythology, this is definitely not a book to miss

A really beautiful standalone fantasy novel. The world building is incredible for a debut, with complex and interesting characters and great romantic tension. I loved it!

This is my absolute favorite book of 2021. Highly recommended if you like imaginative fantasy and lush writing.