In the forests of Tsarist Russia, Feo and her mother live as wolf wilders – those who train wolves how to be wild once more when their rich owners grow tired of their majestic pets. Wary of other people at the best of times, Feo’s suddenly frightening situations leave her to turn to the only creatures that make sense to her: wolves.
Once her mother is taken, Feo must rely on her knowledge of the woods to guide her to a better life. But who can she trust? Why has her peaceful life been uprooted in such a cruel way?
As a firm lover of Katherine Rundell, I had high expectations for this book – and it didn’t disappoint (something tells me I say that too much!). This book had a beautiful feeling of a fairy tale classic, the type of book you can read curled up next to a warm fire/radiator while it snows/rains outside with a cup of hot chocolate/your preferred choice of a warm beverage. It made me want to have snowball fights and run with wild wolves. It made me feel excited and adventurous and free.
There were also a few perfectly written conversations between Feo and Ilya and the other characters, mainly the children. The voices of Feo and those she encounters along her journey had been perfected. Each character had their own voice, which made the story all the more engaging and it felt like the woods of Russia had surrounded me.
And I enjoyed every second!
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
