Book Review: For The Wolf by Hannah Whitten

Synopsis:

THE FIRST DAUGHTER IS FOR THE THRONE.
THE SECOND DAUGHTER IS FOR THE WOLF.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose – to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in order to save her kingdom. Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the Wilderwood – and her world – will be lost forever.

Review:

One of the things about being a new parent, is that I have very limited time to myself. This means when I pick up a new book it HAS to grip me from the very beginning. For The Wolf did not disappoint – and the snatched moments of a chapter here and there, were something I looked forward to each day for the last week or so (pre baby I would have binged this in a day easily).

From the very first page, the prose wraps itself around you, demanding you read on making it easy to flow through the opening. Although this is a Red Riding Hood retelling there were also Beauty and the Beast vibes. Red is instantly likeable. The bond between her and her sister Neve, is evident without feeling forced as is sometimes the case. The stifling responsibilities that each of them have to face, defines their character and it was so easy to relate to both of their actions.

The interludes from Neve’s perspective have a way of creeping up on you. Considering Red was the one sacrificed to the Wilderwood, Neve’s chapters are considerably more darker and full of a foreboding atmosphere that lures you in enough to keep you guessing what will happen next.

The foreshadowing taunts you throughout the entire book. Towards the end my fingers were twitching to read the last page just so my heart could handle whatever was about to go down. The tension that rises over the last few chapters was completely nerve wracking, but, the slither of hope seeping through the anguish keeps you invested.

Slight spoiler below:

The slow burn between Red and Eammon was a delicious yet torturous build up. The chemistry between them is evident from their first (or technically second meeting) and it’s palpable in their scenes together. It’s so well orchestrated that the satisfaction of them FINALLY giving in was one of the highlights of the book, for me.

The angst; not just with the main characters but the side characters too – compliment the deep mysterious fog that lingers on each page.

It was wonderfully dark and had such a rich gothic feel – that this book would be a perfect read under a blanket, by the fire on a rainy day. The ending will leave you clutching at the possibilities to come for many of the characters in For the Throne – which is released in June 2022.

Publisher: Orbit Published date: 01/06/21

Author’s website (includes content warnings for For the Wolf): https://hannahfwhitten.com/