Wolf and the Woodsman: A Novel

Évike and Gáspár are The Wolf and the Woodsman, enemies due to the conflict between pagans and those of the Patrifaith. Every couple of years, a wolf-girl, one with magical powers, is brought to the king to be sacrificed. Gáspár is the Woodman chosen to bring Évike to the king. He’s also the prince, the one true heir of the king. Betrayed by her people because she has no magic, she begins the long journey to the city with Gáspár. The forest is dangerous and they will face many obstacles, including Gáspár’s zealous brother trying to seize power, Évike finding some of her own, as well as the affection growing between them. The world that Reid creates is full of intrigue and danger, as well as Jewish history and pagan magic. The story itself, including each chapter, is somewhat anti-climactic. You can feel the build and then it just kind of peters out. The Hungarian history aspect was not clear and came across as a made-up world. If you enjoy the retelling of folktales, you might enjoy this book. However, I would recommend reading Katherine Arden’s work instead. Reid’s work so far lacks the same panache but shows some promise.