Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
4.5/5 Stars
This was such a perfect novel to read in the coldest month in Chicago. The literal blizzards outside really helped set the mood throughout my reading.
But this was so good. The worldbuilding was fantastic, the core relationship between Sena and Iska was so beautiful, and it was so action-packed while taking the time to breathe and get those feels. But the ending, while immensely satisfyingly in its own right, left the book open to continue, because
Overall, I would highly recommend this. It's fun, emotional, and just a fantastic debut, all around.
This was such a perfect novel to read in the coldest month in Chicago. The literal blizzards outside really helped set the mood throughout my reading.
But this was so good. The worldbuilding was fantastic, the core relationship between Sena and Iska was so beautiful, and it was so action-packed while taking the time to breathe and get those feels. But the ending, while immensely satisfyingly in its own right, left the book open to continue, because
Spoiler
Sena decided to team up with Remy to take down the big corporate planet, which I would totally be down to read. The extended universe sounds so interesting and I would love to see Long explore it in a potential sequel. But because this book just came out and a sequel doesn't seem to be confirmed, it's hard to tell at this pointOverall, I would highly recommend this. It's fun, emotional, and just a fantastic debut, all around.
warnings: language, violence, blood (inferred violence on animals/animal fighting)
I am so glad I read this book! I really did enjoy it. There were so many cool things working together to create an interesting world world and plot. I was engaged from the start. I do have my complaints, I'll mention later, but overall, I would recommend this book! It has so many unique aspects that I really liked and it just felt like an original story to me.
Set on an icy planet in a distant future, this story looks into what it takes to survive the unthinkable.
Sena is seventeen years old and trapped on the icy tundra of her home planet. She's been on her own since her mothers' dissapeared five years ago. All she has left is a family friend who looks out for her. Looking for a way off the planet, Sena does whatever she can to earn more money. She'll steal from the tourists visiting from off world and she'll even make deals with the local crime lord. Anything for a bit of freedom. She just has one rule; stay away from the sled racing that took her mothers from her.
However, in a fit of desperation, Sena must join with a team of researchers on their sled race across the planet if she's going save herself from the crime lord she stole from.
Now tasked with leading a research crew and keeping one very petulant wolf alive, Sena must call on everything she's learned from her mothers' and her experiences living on this planet. Without care and precision, there's no telling who will survive.
...
Really, though, I enjoyed this book and will read the other book by this auther (I think it's set in the same universe?). The biggest concerns I had were that it felt like some plot points weren't followed through very well. Just a few things I felt let down in and I'd have liked better closure with. As well as some of the characters. But other than that, this was a great book!
I am so glad I read this book! I really did enjoy it. There were so many cool things working together to create an interesting world world and plot. I was engaged from the start. I do have my complaints, I'll mention later, but overall, I would recommend this book! It has so many unique aspects that I really liked and it just felt like an original story to me.
Set on an icy planet in a distant future, this story looks into what it takes to survive the unthinkable.
Sena is seventeen years old and trapped on the icy tundra of her home planet. She's been on her own since her mothers' dissapeared five years ago. All she has left is a family friend who looks out for her. Looking for a way off the planet, Sena does whatever she can to earn more money. She'll steal from the tourists visiting from off world and she'll even make deals with the local crime lord. Anything for a bit of freedom. She just has one rule; stay away from the sled racing that took her mothers from her.
However, in a fit of desperation, Sena must join with a team of researchers on their sled race across the planet if she's going save herself from the crime lord she stole from.
Now tasked with leading a research crew and keeping one very petulant wolf alive, Sena must call on everything she's learned from her mothers' and her experiences living on this planet. Without care and precision, there's no telling who will survive.
...
Really, though, I enjoyed this book and will read the other book by this auther (I think it's set in the same universe?). The biggest concerns I had were that it felt like some plot points weren't followed through very well. Just a few things I felt let down in and I'd have liked better closure with. As well as some of the characters. But other than that, this was a great book!
First off, this book shouldn't be categorized as Fantasy. The story is very firmly YA SF, and despite some plot holes, it is an extremely enjoyable read.
The story is straightforward and really exciting, with wolves (for bonus points!). The characters are interesting, as is the setting, although both could have used some extra development. The slight faults seem very much like debut novel issues though, so I would definitely give this author another try with her next book. This was a very good first go.
The story is straightforward and really exciting, with wolves (for bonus points!). The characters are interesting, as is the setting, although both could have used some extra development. The slight faults seem very much like debut novel issues though, so I would definitely give this author another try with her next book. This was a very good first go.
This book frustrated me. It had some much potential that just did not come to pass. The world building was interesting but had parts that just made no logical sense and were inconsistent. I am trying to avoid spoilers but some of the information that comes about on her family doesn’t fit. Also, while everyone grieves differently, the MC just makes really poor choices for most of the first half of the book. It is just frustrating to read, and it doesn’t make any sense but Sena’s choices continue to not work and yet she keeps doing it. Also, not the author’s fault but the blurb covers the first 55% of the books so there are no surprises for most of the book and even the ending isn’t very surprising. The most interesting back story is told very shot for Remy and it is sad that the character with the most depth/nuance does not get more screen time. I would read her story. By the end I was just happy for it to be over, which is usually a 2 stars for me but I gave it three for a first book and the description of the scenery, the lack of a love triangle, and Iska the wolf.
A slow start but got pretty interesting by the midway point.
The main character drove me crazy, repeating the same thoughts and opinions like a broken record.
*I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.*
4.25/5 Stars
“For all the girls who run from wolves… or toward them.”
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long is a young adult fantasy and science fiction/dystopian novel filled with fearless characters, foreboding forests, fighting wolves, and found family all set against a backdrop of a fierce and freezing planet as well as a (potentially) fatal sled race. I am a sucker for any book that has any sort of animal as central to the plot (or just includes animals in general, I am a simple gal) plus I remember loving the movie Balto as a child, so this book called out to me on a spiritual level and I was immediately intrigued. I was super excited about this book upon reading the synopsis and I was so excited when I was able to snag an ARC. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, which is always a plus in my book. And overall, this book did not disappoint! I enjoyed every minute of the story and following alongside the novel’s protagonist, Sena, and her fight for survival.
The Plot
Seventeen-year-old Sena Korhosen has spent the last five years of her life trying to make enough money to get herself off her frozen planet of Tundar and to start a new life for herself away from the planet that brings her nothing but bad memories. However, after angering Kalba, local gang boss, Sena is forced to flee along with the boss’ prize-fighting wolf, Iska, leaving her with nowhere to turn. A team of scientists offers to pay her way off Tundar on one condition: she help to train and get them to the finish line of the planet’s infamous sled race… the same race that killed her mothers. Sena has sworn to herself to never get involved with the race that took her mothers from her, but now it is her only option if she wishes to finally leave Tundar, and her memories, behind.
But the tundra is a dangerous and unforgiving place and, as the race unfolds, Sena, Iska, and their team’s lives are threatened at every turn by deadly creatures, massive storms, and fierce competitors who will do whatever is possible to get to the finish line first and to make Sena pay for double-crossing Kalba, causing Sena to question her own skills and her ability to keep her team, and herself, alive. She must discover whether she is strong enough to survive the wilds that took her mothers’ lives and whether she and Iska are strong enough to get each other and their team to the end.
The Worldbuilding
One of my favorite aspects of the novel would have to be the fantastic worldbuilding. Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves promises a frozen and unforgiving world filled with menacing trees, deadly creatures, frigid temperatures, and unrelenting storms and it sure delivers. Long makes the world of Tundar come to life on the page between the aspects and descriptions of the physical world as well as its history, making it fully fleshed and conveying a full sense of Sena’s world and what she must face. Likewise, Long strikes a nice balance between “showing” and “telling” when it comes to the world of the novel, using Sena’s perspective to highlight the world around her and using Sena herself as a mouthpiece to convey elements of Tundar’s history, particularly with regards to the scavvers, the race, and the corporations. I really enjoyed being able to witness the world of the novel on the page and gaining a broad sense of what life is like on Tundar from Sena’s perspective.
The Characters
I really enjoyed Sena’s character. She is such a strong, brave, independent, resourceful, and just an overall badass character who is willing to do whatever it takes to survive and to make her way off Tundar (even if it means stealing from Kalba, one of the most powerful gang boss’ on the planet). Sena also undergoes such amazing character growth as the story progresses, particularly as the race begins around the halfway point of the novel. Spending the last five years basically on her own (with the exception of her “aunt,” Kirima, whom Sena is not particularly close with) and being an outcast from society due to one of her mother’s being a scavver, Sena begins the story as a recluse accustomed to only relying on herself (and the skills she learned from her mothers) to survive and distancing herself from those around her, even when they make an effort to reach out (which is the case with her friend, Temur). She is sort of “stuck” in her current position of fending for herself, namely through being a pickpocket trying to gain (or steal) enough money to escape Tundar (a situation which leaves her little to no room to develop as a character) and it is not until she participates (rather unwillingly) in the sled race that she begins to grow into her own. As the race begins, Sena slowly starts to grow and progress as a character, beginning to become more sure of herself and starting to trust both herself as well as those around her, namely Iska and one of her teammates, Remy. Sena is placed in a position in which she is forced to depend upon those around her and is likewise charged with keeping her inexperienced team of scientists safe from the tundra around them, a situation completely divergent from her usual position on Tundar. Sena skills, abilities, and qualities are put to the test and brought to the forefront, showcasing just how resourceful and strong she truly is and must be in order to keep herself and her team alive during a race that is out to kill them. As the story is told through first-person point of view, we, as the readers, truly come to “know” Sena as a character namely through her internal thoughts, which clearly highlight Sena’s growth as a character through seeing her various views of the world around her and those within it shift as the story progresses. I loved being able to witness Sena’s growth as a character, which is particularly why I enjoyed the latter half of the novel so much more than the former.
I also loved the relationships and bonds that Sena formed over the course of the novel, especially since these various bonds work to showcase Sena’s progression as a character. I adored Sena’s bond with Iska and witnessing how much Sena began to care about, trust, and rely on the wolf and began to consider Iska “hers” as opposed to Kalba’s. I love how much faith they had in each other which, like Sena’s own qualities and skills, is put to the test and truly showcased during the race. I just love a good human and animal bond, which we do not have enough of in young adult fiction, which is one of the many reasons why I adored Sena and Iska’s relationship and seeing them become a family. I also enjoyed the relationships that Sena formed with her teammates, namely Remy, Pana, and Kaassen, and seeing her begin to consider them friends in addition to teammates.
The one thing I will say is that this book suffers slightly from introducing (or “name dropping”) too many characters, most of whom are quickly dropped from the story or end up playing no real role, especially after the halfway mark when the race begins. Because of this, it becomes a little difficult to keep track of the characters (mainly in the first half of the novel) and the text becomes a little muddled with characters who end up adding nothing to the story. Likewise, there were some characters that were introduced who I wish we got to see more of, namely Sena’s friend, Temur, and “aunt,” Kirima. I really enjoyed both of their characters, including their relationships with Sena, and I was sad when the race began and both of them were completely forgotten about and never mentioned or seen again (I mean, I get why we did not get to see them again, but it made me sad either way), especially since they both played a semi-large role in the first half of the story. This was especially the case for me with Temur; I found him to be super sweet (I have a thing for super sweet, nice, and soft characters, what can I say?) and I wish that we got to see his relationship with Sena progress more, namely since Sena considered Temur to be one of her only real friends which says a lot considering Sena’s relationship with those around her at the beginning of the story.
The Writing & the Pacing
In terms of the writing, I found the story quite easy to read, which makes it simple to enter the world of the novel and navigate the world alongside Sena. Long has a way of writing, particularly settings, which makes it feel as though you are there alongside Sena and the rest of the characters; Long’s descriptions, as previously stated, make the world of the novel come to life on the page and her writing style definitely fits when it comes to creating, capturing, and depicting worldbuilding. In addition, I greatly enjoyed Long’s writing of dialogue, both internal (when it comes to Sena) and external, and I found it to show a lot about the various characters. Each character is given their own distinctive “voice” and manner of speaking in keeping with their overall character (at least based upon Sena’s view of them) that helps greatly to gain a better sense of just who these characters are, especially considering that, when it comes to Sena’s race teammates, Sena (and therefore us as the readers) does not know anything about them and therefore gauges her opinions upon them largely based on her conversations with them, making Long’s writing of dialogue very important.
While I enjoyed the overall writing style, the pacing of the story really threw me off. The first half of the novel really dragged for me—the sled race itself does not begin until around the halfway point of the story with the first half of the novel being the lead up to the race. I feel as though the first half of the story could have been greatly cut and the race introduced sooner, especially considering that the race is one of the main selling points of the novel.
Conclusion
Overall, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a fantastic debut. Between the found family aspects, the action and adventure, the fantastic worldbuilding, and, of course, the wolves, this book was everything that I did not know I needed until I picked it up. I cannot wait to see what Meg Long writes next!
4.25/5 Stars
“For all the girls who run from wolves… or toward them.”
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long is a young adult fantasy and science fiction/dystopian novel filled with fearless characters, foreboding forests, fighting wolves, and found family all set against a backdrop of a fierce and freezing planet as well as a (potentially) fatal sled race. I am a sucker for any book that has any sort of animal as central to the plot (or just includes animals in general, I am a simple gal) plus I remember loving the movie Balto as a child, so this book called out to me on a spiritual level and I was immediately intrigued. I was super excited about this book upon reading the synopsis and I was so excited when I was able to snag an ARC. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, which is always a plus in my book. And overall, this book did not disappoint! I enjoyed every minute of the story and following alongside the novel’s protagonist, Sena, and her fight for survival.
The Plot
Seventeen-year-old Sena Korhosen has spent the last five years of her life trying to make enough money to get herself off her frozen planet of Tundar and to start a new life for herself away from the planet that brings her nothing but bad memories. However, after angering Kalba, local gang boss, Sena is forced to flee along with the boss’ prize-fighting wolf, Iska, leaving her with nowhere to turn. A team of scientists offers to pay her way off Tundar on one condition: she help to train and get them to the finish line of the planet’s infamous sled race… the same race that killed her mothers. Sena has sworn to herself to never get involved with the race that took her mothers from her, but now it is her only option if she wishes to finally leave Tundar, and her memories, behind.
But the tundra is a dangerous and unforgiving place and, as the race unfolds, Sena, Iska, and their team’s lives are threatened at every turn by deadly creatures, massive storms, and fierce competitors who will do whatever is possible to get to the finish line first and to make Sena pay for double-crossing Kalba, causing Sena to question her own skills and her ability to keep her team, and herself, alive. She must discover whether she is strong enough to survive the wilds that took her mothers’ lives and whether she and Iska are strong enough to get each other and their team to the end.
The Worldbuilding
One of my favorite aspects of the novel would have to be the fantastic worldbuilding. Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves promises a frozen and unforgiving world filled with menacing trees, deadly creatures, frigid temperatures, and unrelenting storms and it sure delivers. Long makes the world of Tundar come to life on the page between the aspects and descriptions of the physical world as well as its history, making it fully fleshed and conveying a full sense of Sena’s world and what she must face. Likewise, Long strikes a nice balance between “showing” and “telling” when it comes to the world of the novel, using Sena’s perspective to highlight the world around her and using Sena herself as a mouthpiece to convey elements of Tundar’s history, particularly with regards to the scavvers, the race, and the corporations. I really enjoyed being able to witness the world of the novel on the page and gaining a broad sense of what life is like on Tundar from Sena’s perspective.
The Characters
I really enjoyed Sena’s character. She is such a strong, brave, independent, resourceful, and just an overall badass character who is willing to do whatever it takes to survive and to make her way off Tundar (even if it means stealing from Kalba, one of the most powerful gang boss’ on the planet). Sena also undergoes such amazing character growth as the story progresses, particularly as the race begins around the halfway point of the novel. Spending the last five years basically on her own (with the exception of her “aunt,” Kirima, whom Sena is not particularly close with) and being an outcast from society due to one of her mother’s being a scavver, Sena begins the story as a recluse accustomed to only relying on herself (and the skills she learned from her mothers) to survive and distancing herself from those around her, even when they make an effort to reach out (which is the case with her friend, Temur). She is sort of “stuck” in her current position of fending for herself, namely through being a pickpocket trying to gain (or steal) enough money to escape Tundar (a situation which leaves her little to no room to develop as a character) and it is not until she participates (rather unwillingly) in the sled race that she begins to grow into her own. As the race begins, Sena slowly starts to grow and progress as a character, beginning to become more sure of herself and starting to trust both herself as well as those around her, namely Iska and one of her teammates, Remy. Sena is placed in a position in which she is forced to depend upon those around her and is likewise charged with keeping her inexperienced team of scientists safe from the tundra around them, a situation completely divergent from her usual position on Tundar. Sena skills, abilities, and qualities are put to the test and brought to the forefront, showcasing just how resourceful and strong she truly is and must be in order to keep herself and her team alive during a race that is out to kill them. As the story is told through first-person point of view, we, as the readers, truly come to “know” Sena as a character namely through her internal thoughts, which clearly highlight Sena’s growth as a character through seeing her various views of the world around her and those within it shift as the story progresses. I loved being able to witness Sena’s growth as a character, which is particularly why I enjoyed the latter half of the novel so much more than the former.
I also loved the relationships and bonds that Sena formed over the course of the novel, especially since these various bonds work to showcase Sena’s progression as a character. I adored Sena’s bond with Iska and witnessing how much Sena began to care about, trust, and rely on the wolf and began to consider Iska “hers” as opposed to Kalba’s. I love how much faith they had in each other which, like Sena’s own qualities and skills, is put to the test and truly showcased during the race. I just love a good human and animal bond, which we do not have enough of in young adult fiction, which is one of the many reasons why I adored Sena and Iska’s relationship and seeing them become a family. I also enjoyed the relationships that Sena formed with her teammates, namely Remy, Pana, and Kaassen, and seeing her begin to consider them friends in addition to teammates.
The one thing I will say is that this book suffers slightly from introducing (or “name dropping”) too many characters, most of whom are quickly dropped from the story or end up playing no real role, especially after the halfway mark when the race begins. Because of this, it becomes a little difficult to keep track of the characters (mainly in the first half of the novel) and the text becomes a little muddled with characters who end up adding nothing to the story. Likewise, there were some characters that were introduced who I wish we got to see more of, namely Sena’s friend, Temur, and “aunt,” Kirima. I really enjoyed both of their characters, including their relationships with Sena, and I was sad when the race began and both of them were completely forgotten about and never mentioned or seen again (I mean, I get why we did not get to see them again, but it made me sad either way), especially since they both played a semi-large role in the first half of the story. This was especially the case for me with Temur; I found him to be super sweet (I have a thing for super sweet, nice, and soft characters, what can I say?) and I wish that we got to see his relationship with Sena progress more, namely since Sena considered Temur to be one of her only real friends which says a lot considering Sena’s relationship with those around her at the beginning of the story.
The Writing & the Pacing
In terms of the writing, I found the story quite easy to read, which makes it simple to enter the world of the novel and navigate the world alongside Sena. Long has a way of writing, particularly settings, which makes it feel as though you are there alongside Sena and the rest of the characters; Long’s descriptions, as previously stated, make the world of the novel come to life on the page and her writing style definitely fits when it comes to creating, capturing, and depicting worldbuilding. In addition, I greatly enjoyed Long’s writing of dialogue, both internal (when it comes to Sena) and external, and I found it to show a lot about the various characters. Each character is given their own distinctive “voice” and manner of speaking in keeping with their overall character (at least based upon Sena’s view of them) that helps greatly to gain a better sense of just who these characters are, especially considering that, when it comes to Sena’s race teammates, Sena (and therefore us as the readers) does not know anything about them and therefore gauges her opinions upon them largely based on her conversations with them, making Long’s writing of dialogue very important.
While I enjoyed the overall writing style, the pacing of the story really threw me off. The first half of the novel really dragged for me—the sled race itself does not begin until around the halfway point of the story with the first half of the novel being the lead up to the race. I feel as though the first half of the story could have been greatly cut and the race introduced sooner, especially considering that the race is one of the main selling points of the novel.
Conclusion
Overall, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a fantastic debut. Between the found family aspects, the action and adventure, the fantastic worldbuilding, and, of course, the wolves, this book was everything that I did not know I needed until I picked it up. I cannot wait to see what Meg Long writes next!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves! This is a fantastic debut from author Meg Long. Sena is a wonderful main character, full of flaws and grief and a need to belong that she unearths along the way. The story perfectly balances the person vs. person conflict with the person vs. nature conflict, and interweaves Sena's personal journey with each. I loved seeing her progression throughout the story, and especially how her relationship with the wolf Iska developed. This is a wonderful story full of found family themes, and it was refreshing to read such a masterfully crafted story that focuses on a different type of love that isn't romantic. The setting was gritty and richly developed, and it provided the perfect backdrop for Sena and her crew. This is a standalone with a satisfying conclusion, but I could easily see the author writing another story in this world she's created. Fans of Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore will love Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, and I'm excited to see what Meg Long writes next!
Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: I will definitely be adding a finished copy of Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves to my shelves! I do tend to buy and reread series more than I do standalones, but this is one that I know I will want to reread because I enjoyed it so much. Plus, the cover is gorgeous, and I've seen that it will have an equally beautiful case stamp on the naked book. It will be a wonderful addition to my book collection!
I absolutely loved Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves! This is a fantastic debut from author Meg Long. Sena is a wonderful main character, full of flaws and grief and a need to belong that she unearths along the way. The story perfectly balances the person vs. person conflict with the person vs. nature conflict, and interweaves Sena's personal journey with each. I loved seeing her progression throughout the story, and especially how her relationship with the wolf Iska developed. This is a wonderful story full of found family themes, and it was refreshing to read such a masterfully crafted story that focuses on a different type of love that isn't romantic. The setting was gritty and richly developed, and it provided the perfect backdrop for Sena and her crew. This is a standalone with a satisfying conclusion, but I could easily see the author writing another story in this world she's created. Fans of Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore will love Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, and I'm excited to see what Meg Long writes next!
Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: I will definitely be adding a finished copy of Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves to my shelves! I do tend to buy and reread series more than I do standalones, but this is one that I know I will want to reread because I enjoyed it so much. Plus, the cover is gorgeous, and I've seen that it will have an equally beautiful case stamp on the naked book. It will be a wonderful addition to my book collection!
2024 reads: 342/250
2024 tbr: 103/120
content warnings: animal cruelty (including death), death of parents prior to story, violence
being part of the sled race used to be sena’s biggest dream, up until it killed her mothers. now, she makes money however she can, even though her methods aren’t exactly legal. after angering a local gangster, though, she finds herself caring for an injured fighting wolf named iska and teaming up with a team of scientists to help them win the race.
i don’t know why i put this off for so long, but i really enjoyed this!! the whole wolf aspect was interesting to me, with racing wolves and fighting wolves. unfortunately, these wolves are not treated very well, as i’m sure anyone could guess. seeing the bond between sena and iska (who, not-so-coincidentally, has the same name as one of her mothers) grow was so special. overall, this was an enjoyable book, and i’m excited to read book two!
2024 tbr: 103/120
content warnings: animal cruelty (including death), death of parents prior to story, violence
being part of the sled race used to be sena’s biggest dream, up until it killed her mothers. now, she makes money however she can, even though her methods aren’t exactly legal. after angering a local gangster, though, she finds herself caring for an injured fighting wolf named iska and teaming up with a team of scientists to help them win the race.
i don’t know why i put this off for so long, but i really enjoyed this!! the whole wolf aspect was interesting to me, with racing wolves and fighting wolves. unfortunately, these wolves are not treated very well, as i’m sure anyone could guess. seeing the bond between sena and iska (who, not-so-coincidentally, has the same name as one of her mothers) grow was so special. overall, this was an enjoyable book, and i’m excited to read book two!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves!
I really enjoyed this book! The best things about it are the world-building and the character development. I really loved getting to know the icy world of Tundar, and I felt like I was there along with Sena as she struggles to survive on such a harsh world after losing her mothers to the deadly race. I loved Sena's character, as well as many of the side characters, though I have to say that my favorite character is definitely the wolf Iska. I enjoyed watching Sena slowly come to trust Iska and some of the other characters, and one of the best features of the relationship-building in the book is that there is no romance at all. The story centers more around friendships and the relationship between Sena and Iska rather than on romance, and I found that to be extremely refreshing in this kind of YA book. The only thing that I found to be slightly less than perfect about the book was the pacing of the plot, since I felt like it dragged a lot at the beginning and then ended with too many moments of high action all in a row. Overall, though, the story is compelling, and I devoured it in one day!
Definitely recommend!!
I really enjoyed this book! The best things about it are the world-building and the character development. I really loved getting to know the icy world of Tundar, and I felt like I was there along with Sena as she struggles to survive on such a harsh world after losing her mothers to the deadly race. I loved Sena's character, as well as many of the side characters, though I have to say that my favorite character is definitely the wolf Iska. I enjoyed watching Sena slowly come to trust Iska and some of the other characters, and one of the best features of the relationship-building in the book is that there is no romance at all. The story centers more around friendships and the relationship between Sena and Iska rather than on romance, and I found that to be extremely refreshing in this kind of YA book. The only thing that I found to be slightly less than perfect about the book was the pacing of the plot, since I felt like it dragged a lot at the beginning and then ended with too many moments of high action all in a row. Overall, though, the story is compelling, and I devoured it in one day!
Definitely recommend!!