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heyshay07's review
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Since it’s banned book month, I listened to Julie of the Wolves to see why it was on the list and compared to some of the others I’ve read I’m disappointed. This is a really slow book and the only thing kind of objectionable about it was that Julie/Miyax gets married at 13 years old, there is a brief mentioning about how her father-in-law is an abusive drunk, and her “husband” is a literal idiot who rips her dress and tries to “mate” with her but can’t figure it out. This gives her the reason to run away which then she gets lost and joins a wolf pack which is the majority of the story. It really wasn’t a huge part of the story to get it in the banned book list. I think middle schoolers would have no problem with the book, but probably not an elementary book just due to that.
I found Miyax really juvenile and the dialog was just ridiculous, but maybe it was how the narrator read it. I had a hard time caring about her in the beginning and she’s basically the only character so that’s bad. The first half of the book reminded me of a movie I saw in 8th grade about a scientist learning about wolves, I think it was Never Cry Wolf. I found this book boring but I am not an outdoorsy kind of person. I remember reading George’s other book, My Side of the Mountain, in elementary school and Hatchet by Gary Paulson in 6th grade and thinking they were ok, but this one just drug on for me. Maybe I’m just really not the intended age group, but if you liked the other two books I mentioned you might like Julie of the wolves. 🤷🏻♀️
The second part about the customs of the Eskimo and Miyax’s childhood was a little more interesting and I was starting to like it at the end. By the last part, Julie grows up a lot and steps into her own which is a good note to end on. I liked the contrast between her father and adopted wolf father. I almost gave it one more star except for the very last sentence of the book! Ugh! I feel like that totally undoes all the good there at the end. Anyone with me on that?
I found Miyax really juvenile and the dialog was just ridiculous, but maybe it was how the narrator read it. I had a hard time caring about her in the beginning and she’s basically the only character so that’s bad. The first half of the book reminded me of a movie I saw in 8th grade about a scientist learning about wolves, I think it was Never Cry Wolf. I found this book boring but I am not an outdoorsy kind of person. I remember reading George’s other book, My Side of the Mountain, in elementary school and Hatchet by Gary Paulson in 6th grade and thinking they were ok, but this one just drug on for me. Maybe I’m just really not the intended age group, but if you liked the other two books I mentioned you might like Julie of the wolves. 🤷🏻♀️
The second part about the customs of the Eskimo and Miyax’s childhood was a little more interesting and I was starting to like it at the end. By the last part, Julie grows up a lot and steps into her own which is a good note to end on. I liked the contrast between her father and adopted wolf father. I almost gave it one more star except for the very last sentence of the book! Ugh! I feel like that totally undoes all the good there at the end. Anyone with me on that?
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
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