From Russia, With Love

The Wolf Wilder
Author:  Katherine Rundell
Publication Date: September 9th 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~ 

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora's mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans.

When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.

I’m torn about The Wolf Wilder, because there was just something about it that felt missing to me, I enjoyed it, but at the same time I was expecting something more. I don’t have a lot to say about The Wolf Wilder, it’s pretty short, and not a lot is going on, so I’m doing a little more What I Liked vs What I Had a Problem With.

What I liked

• ·         The writing.

With these types of books, with ones that don’t have a lot go along, the writing makes or breaks the story, and for The Wolf Wilder, it made it. What I really loved about the writing is that it was simple. And it was simply gorgeous. It flowed well, it was atmospheric and it told the story in a way that’s like telling a story. The only problem with that was, I didn’t feel like we got to know the characters that well beyond what we’re told.

• ·         The Wolf Wilder

The Wold Wilder parts of the story were fun, learning about what a Wolf Wilder does to help wolves, it’s pretty interesting and sweet, really. Especially how Fea’s “pets” basically make her one of their own pack.

·        

• The setting

I love books set in Russia, and even though this is more Woods of Russia, but it’s interesting and beautiful.

What I had issues with

• ·         The pacing

The pacing was one of my main issues, it’s a little slow, I was never put-it-down bored, but there were some chapters that I almost did put it down, because I was bored, especially in the middle of the book.

Rating: 3.5/5