This was absolutely stunning, beautiful. It transported me to a cold, wolf-filled country. A country full of adventure, bad guys, but also hope and beauty.
I am not going to write a super long review, I want people to explore this book on their own, find out all the secrets, experience all the adventure themselves.
I normally am already quite good at transporting to the place in my book, but in this book? It was even more than other books. It was amazing how well I could go into this world, I love it when it happens in books. Though it is even harder to get out of the world when the book ends. It feels a bit jarring because even when the book has finished you can still feel the world clinging to you.
The book is about a Wolf Wilder named Feodora or Feo as she wants to be called by people. What is a wolf wilder? A person who makes tame wolves wild again. Yes, that is a job, and I wouldn't mind having it. It might be dangerous, but I would love to do it. It sounds so exciting, so adventurous, and also so rewarding. To help wolves, who are so tame, to adapt to the wild again, to make them a wolf again.
Not even that, I wouldn't mind living in this world, it is a cold, harsh world with danger lurking everywhere, but it does sound like a serene place in the end. I am not sure how to explain this better, but you barely have people around, there is nothing around you, and I just love snow!
Now back to the story. It started pretty awesome immediately, and only became better and better, though I have to say I absolutely disliked the villain. Which is logical considering all the things he does, and the writer really wrote this character amazingly. From the get-go you just want him to be defeated, you will cheer and hope, and cry with the characters when stuff happens.
Feo and Ilya's journey to find Feo's mother was a lot of fun, and so exciting to read about. And of course it is not only about the mother (though it is the main plot), it is about so many other things in the end. Defeating the evil, finding a place to belong, a place to be safe, making the world safer and happier.
I loved the wolves, they were amazing, and a great addition to the story (yes, I know it is about a Wolf Wilder, but that doesn't mean that there need to be wolves to come along with the main character) I was a bit worried they might suddenly talk, or we would go to their minds, but no thankfully they won't, the wolves were just that, pure wolf, all nature.
I loved how they protected Feo, but also Ilya, how they did everything the could to help her out.
The ending was gorgeous, though it felt a bit rushed, only a bit though, I was still delighted with all the characters and what happened to them in the end.
However I do have to warn you all, you will be crying at several moments because things happen, the author really doesn't shy away from doing certain things (it is always great when authors dare to do something that might make people cry, and shake their fist).
The book is also filled with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. Illustrations that really fit the style of the book perfectly. The art style reminded me a bit of Jon Klassen's illustrations.
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
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