Book Review | For the Wolf

As the first second daughter to be born in centuries, Red knows it is her duty to be sent to the Wilderwood to plead with the Wolf to release their long-awaited kings. However, when she arrives, she discovers that the Wolf is not quite the monster legend made him out to be, and together, they must try to save the woods along with her kingdom.

Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf takes Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and a splash of other fairy tales in order to spin a gothic romance. I was completely swept away by the lush atmosphere of the Wilderwood and the vivid imagery of Whitten’s writing. The author manages to make the woods truly terrifying again—complete with blood-drinking trees with serrated teeth.

However, although the although the prose itself was rich and lyrical, the worldbuilding and the characters rang hollow to me. For instance, the story alternates between the two twin sisters: Neve and Red, but we’re seldom shown their personal backstory or memories with each other, so I found it difficult to feel emotionally invested in their whole side storyline. Even the Wolf—the main love interest—felt dull and one-dimensional to me, so I’m hoping that within the sequel, both the characters and the world will be better fleshed out.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : June 1, 2021
Publisher : Orbit
ISBN : 0316592781
Pages : 448

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