For the Wolf

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Manufacturer: Hannah Whitten
Brand: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy
Brew: Paperback
Steeping Time: 437 pages
Tea Service: Giveaway Win
Strength:

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 the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

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 monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood—and her world—whole.

For the Wolf filled a hole in my reading list I didn’t even know I had.

I loved so much about For the Wolf that I don’t even know where to start. Even the cover is stunning. The colors, those branches, that raised chin. Beautiful. For the Wolf is a loose fairy tale retelling that combines multiple fairy tale stories, and has grown and morphed into an incredible dark fantasy that I couldn’t put down. Redarys, who goes by Red, is a Second Daughter, handed a fate by the unfortunate timing of being born second to her twin sister Nevere, or Neve. That means her life, however she chooses to lead it, will end in sacrifice to the Wolf by her 20th birthday.

But, as the synopsis tells us, the Wolf is not the monster they’ve all been taught about. He is anything but. The Wolf quickly became one of my favorite characters. He and Red are so easy to root for and adore, which makes this read all the better by having opposing villains that are easy to hate. I won’t name the villains for the sake of no spoilers, but I’m definitely glaring at one person in particular right now.

The main cast of characters all felt well-rounded and intricate, and I loved seeing how different Neve and Red were. Yet, even in these differences, it’s easy to see that they love each other deeply. All they truly want is for the other to be happy and safe.

Hannah Whitten does a great job of painting every issue and problem in swaths of grey.

Nothing is easy or cut and dry. Every inch of For the Wolf is layered with choices that ultimately leave someone at a disadvantage. This constant tension kept me glued to the pages. I couldn’t put this book down! The pace felt steady, and the interludes with Neve were well-placed. It gave me enough insight into what was happening back in the kingdom without distracting from Red and the Wolf. I didn’t connect with Neve and her situation back home as much, but the balance of her story interspersed with Red’s was perfect. And ultimately, it made me love Red all the more.

There are so many twists and turns and moving parts in the plot. Even in the slower moments, the stakes are at an all-time high. Every breath is steeped in the possibility of beautiful triumph or debilitating failure, and the undercurrent of tension never eases.

My best friend read this at the same time I did, and neither of us had a bad thing to say about it, although she thought some parts were predictable. As someone who is absolute garbage at guessing what’s going to happen, I didn’t see any of the things coming that she did. This is definitely a personal preference thing, so I’ll let you be the judge of that.

The Wilderwood comes alive with Whitten’s beautiful descriptions.

By the end of the book, I knew the Wilderwood like the back of my hand. The keep, the tower, the sunken dining room, the library, and the forest itself all began to feel like home. I adored that I got to fall in love with the Wilderwood and its inhabitants right alongside Red. Whitten’s settings are rich in detail, and they float off the page, building a world I could easily walk through.

I connected instantly to the wild magic of the Wolf and the Wilderwood, and I’ll happily revisit this world over and over again. There’s something about a sentient forest whose magic can be felt under your skin, unfurling like leaves to the sun, that just speaks to me. I love nature and being outdoors, and there’s nothing I’d be more ecstatic to find than a magical wood inhabited by Red, the Wolf, and their friends. When the Wilderwood is content and not under attack, it’s the refuge I’ve always dreamed of. A place full of magic and mystery that I can call home. As far as I’m concerned, I am for the Wolf, and the Wolves are for Wilderwood.

If you enjoy dark fantasies, fairy tale retellings, and a world filled with magic and intrigue, I think you’ll like For the Wolf. And to make it even better? The story continues with For the Throne.

Have you read For the Wolf? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia