Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - For the Wolf

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten

41 reviews

azrah786's review

4.0

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I received a proof copy from Orbit Books UK in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, gore, blood, murder, death, death of parent, grief, self harm (for magic use), parental neglect, emotional abuse, religious trauma/abuse, moderate sexual content
--

I got sent a copy of this book around the time it was released however, I didn’t get around to reading it until recently and I’m definitely kicking myself for not having done so sooner as I really enjoyed it!

For The Wolf takes place in a kingdom where if there are ever two daughters born to the royal family then the oldest inherits the throne and second one is sacrificed to the Wolf of the Wilderwood as part of a centuries old ritual to safeguard the nation.
With a secret of her own Red readily welcomes her fate as she believes it is the only way to keep her older sister Neve and everyone safe however, upon entering the Wilderwood and meeting the Wolf she comes to realise not everything is as the lore tells it. But Neve isn’t ready to let her sister go and will do whatever it takes to claim her back from the forest.

Though a little repetitive at moments in the story this was a solid debut novel. The cover made me think this was going to be some form of Little Red Riding Hood retelling but it is actually more along the lines of Beauty and the Beast, and a refreshing take on it at that.

Whitten’s writing is pleasantly engaging and evocatively atmospheric. We predominantly follow Red as she becomes accustomed to the blood thirsty sentient forest that is now her home, the obscure magic that runs through her veins and the broody and misunderstood individual that she now shares this all with.

As mentioned already you immediately get a vivid sense of the atmosphere, the Wilderwood is like its own character and is the perfect setting for a dark fairytale as this one. The truth and mystery of the folklore surrounding the forest was so interesting to discover and really keeps you hooked. The magic involved in the story was a little confusing to understand at times but this is one of those books where the characters are also in the dark to all the finer details. The way everything unravels and how we learn more as we read on alongside the characters worked really well.

My favourite part of the book was the relationship between Red and Eammon which blossomed beautifully. A headstrong mc who runs headfirst into danger and a soft but hardy li who will do anything to protect their own may not be an original pairing in fiction but Whitten captured it so well! There were also some wonderful supporting characters in the book and the sisterhood between Red and Neve was also a highlight.

Alongside Red’s perspective the interludes scattered between the chapters where we get a glimpse of what is happening on Neve’s side of the world were so compelling. The blend of court politics and religious manipulation just added to the intrigue and I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues and concludes in the sequel. Hopefully I can get my hands on For the Throne asap!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars

Content Warnings

pvbobrien's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

saurahsaurus's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

karelidz's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

FINALLYY! after a 2month reading slump I finally finished a book!
It was really good, though i wouldn't call it a favorite.
It's a mix between Beauty & the Beast retelling and something else. It's its own thing.
I liked it, I found it entertaining and I really felt inside the story. My only complaints would be that sometimes i would get lost in the descriptions of what was happening and I had to backtrack a bit. Some of the decriptions were not very clear to me.
Also, (but this is a me problem), I didnt really like when we switched pov's to her sister. I understand why and that it had to happen to move the story along but those were my least favorite parts of the book.

That being said, i don't think i'll read book 2, just because I feel like it ended in a kind of good note (at least for me).

Content Warnings

bluelillybooks's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In shock, no words, many feelings

I've recovered and here's a review:

My reading experience was definitely a rollercoaster: I went from being super excited to bored to interested to mildly annoyed to captivated and emotional. Save to say the last 20% of the book made my rating go from 3 to a very decent 4 stars. It's easy to fall into the fiction as you follow the characters and the atmosphere - which plays a character of its own throughout the book- is strong from the start. The author lost me for a while in the middle when there just weren't enough things going wrong; too much exposition at a point where you would expect action. So I was all the more happily surprised when the story picked up speed, I suddenly got attached to the characters and promising subplots finally thickened.

Whitten's writing style is right up my ally and I immediately clicked with the fluent storytelling, pretty metaphors and clever allusions. The way the Wilderwood is both setting and character pleases the literature student within me and it is just beautifully and cleverly done. But I wish there were more synonyms for words like "root" and "vine" because girl we got it after the 1726th time.

There was.. a lot of blood though. Like /a lot/. The plot revolves around blood. So big big trigger warning there. I guess that's why this book really walks the line between YA fiction and fantasy.

That makes it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating for me! I did really enjoy For the Wolf and I'll be reading its sequel For the Throne without a doubt. Thanks for getting me out of a reading slump Whitten!

Content Warnings

blewballoon's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I had a hard time getting into this, but once Red started to bond more with the Wolf and the others living in the forest it became a lot more interesting. I liked these characters a lot and I understood and sympathized with their motivations. I enjoyed the feeling of found family with their little crew and

the people who lived on the other side of the forest, cut off from the world but very self sufficient.

I had a harder time with the interlude chapters. I really hated what was going on with Neve and the characters around her. Overall, though, I enjoyed the fantasy and fairy tale feeling of the story and was happy to have read it. I listened to it on audiobook and it was okay, the narrator was fine but I may have preferred reading it myself since I could have glossed over the parts that didn't interest me.

Content Warnings

sirkeili's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Wow, this book really just drew me in and didn't let me go until I finally finished it. How do I even begin to describe this book?

I love how this tale is Little Red Riding Hood meets Beauty and the Beast, and yet it holds its own in both regards. Red's character feels both remarkably insular to the fairy tale heroine, and yet she also is so much more.

However, this story is also about love, and how far one will go for it. Red for Eammon - and him for her - as well as how far Red and Neve will go for one another. Making deals with gods and ancient beings alike, just to ensure the other is safe, whatever the price may be.

Content Warnings