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cammiem8's review
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? It's complicated
3.75
This book was interesting and kept me hooked but I felt it never quite lived up to its concept. Don’t be fooled by the title, the red riding hood connections are purely aesthetic and seem like a marketing gimmick. There are some really cool creepy images and some very intriguing bits of world building, so it’s a quick read despite being long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content
dernhelms_bag's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
forthesanityof1's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The only thing I kept thinking about while reading this was how much I could see it made into a movie by Studio Ghibli. The author knows how to take her time in all the right places and draw out the pocket of the story in a way that felt effortless, hence the Ghibli vibes. This book is a beautiful, wonderful mix of dark fantasy, fairy tales, and political intrigue. I want to gush about so many things I loved about it. The world building is fantastic, I loved the whole idea of the Wilderwood and the Wolf. The Wolf himself was so different than what I was expecting that I adored him from the get go for the subversion. The narrator, Red, feels like a breath of fresh air. I loved her attitude towards everything, her fear and her contempt and her curiosity. Her reflective nature helped make this story what it is. I think my favorite thing about this book, though, was the writing style; it's utterly captivating to me, cutting in just the right way to make the reader feel the impact of certain lines and really experience the storytelling and the uniquely terrifying setting of the Wilderwood. Holy crap, do I recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Self harm
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Violence
The self-harm trigger is in reference to charactersmontereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Body horror, and Self harm
jamielikestoread's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Body horror
margotnelson's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I had heard so much hype about this book so I was really eager to dive in. I was especially excited about the nature-horror twist on Red Riding Hood, and to see how that all played into a larger fantasy set-up. The first half of the book was a little dense for me, mostly because of how descriptive the author's writing style is. I would describe it as maximalist, and it works for a fairytale book but did make it a little hard to understand exactly what was going on at times. However, the second half of the book made up for it. By that point, the dynamic between Red and Eammon was a lot more believable and tense, the logic of the Wilderwood made more sense, and the political intrigue was a great parallel plot. I did enjoy this book, even if it took a while to get into!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Self harm, and Violence
onceuponabookcase's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? No
3.5
Being such a huge fan of retellings, it will come as no surprise that I just had to read For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten when I heard of it. A mash up retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast, For the Wolf is a high fantasy story where the second born daughter of to the crown is sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wilderwood, in hopes that he'll return the Kings, the lost gods that have been trapped in the magical forest for centuries. After centuries without, there's now a second daughter: Red, and it's her turn to be sacrificed. She has spent her whole life knowing what her purpose was, knowing she would be willingly given up by her people for a chance to get back the Kings. Despite knowing it will lead to her death, Red is glad to be sacrificed, even though her sister, Neve, rails against the idea. For Red has a dark, dangerous magic inside her she struggles to control, and is terrified of hurting the people she loves. Inexplicably drawn to the Wilderwood, she soon discovers the Wolf is not a monster, but is himself uniquely tied to the forest. There's more to the story she's been brought up with, more than her people know. And it's Red's magic that might just save them all.
Apart from the fact that Redarys goes by Red, and the warden of the Wilderwood is known as the Wolf - but is actually called Eammon - For the Wolf is much more of a Beauty and the Beast retelling than one of Little Red Riding Hood. Eammon is believed to be a monster that kills the second daughters, when in actual fact, the Wilderwood is the only thing keeping a different realm, the Shadows Lands, a prison for the monsters that used to terrorise the world, from opening. A bargain was made years ago, to keep everyone safe. But the Sentinel trees are constantly battling rot, that will allow the way through. The second daughters are needed by the Wilderwood, the price of the bargain, to keep the Shadow Lands closed. The Wilderwood is weakening, and is desperate for the magic in Red's veins, but Eammon is doing all he can to keep her from the Wilderwood, to not let it have her.
The worldbuilding for For the Wolf is amazing! I love the religion surrounding the Kings, I loved the dark, creepy, sentient Wilderwood, the brooding, tragic Eammon, and just how messed up the magic is. It's actually a part of the Wilderwood that they both have in them. Eammon has more, due to his connection with the forest, and it's freaking disturbing everytime he uses it. From his body sprouts vines, bark grows on his skin. The Wilderwood is living inside them. But the Wilderwood also wants to be whole, to connect with their magic to do its job. It's a constant fight to stop the Wilderwood from sending vines and shrubs into any cut Red might get. There's a definite body horror element to the story, I'm not really describing it very well, but when the Wilderwood comes for you, it's not messing about! It's downright sinister.
But For the Wolf it's a much slower story than I expected. Red is terrified of her power, or not being able to control it, but seeing what Eammon goes through, trying to use his own power to heal the Sentinels that start to rot, and close the breaches that do manage to open, she realises he can't do this on his own. But he is full of guilt over the deaths of the previous second daughters, deaths he feels he should have been able to prevent if only he was stronger, and he's trying to make sure the same doesn't happen to Red. Blood or magic is the only thing that helps, and Eammon is almost bleeding himself dry to try and prevent the changes to his body brought on by using magic. And with the Wilderwood weakening, soon Eammon won't be enough. Their slow burn romance is sweets during the constant back and forth. There are baby steps, where Eammon allows her to help in small ways, but it's not enough. This is the story for the most part; Red learning about her magic, trying to learn to control it, trying to convince Eammon to let her help, with the threat of the Wilderwood, and what comes through the breaches a constant backdrop.
There were a number of interludes that go back to Neve's sister and see things from her perspective, where she's willing to do whatever it takes to get her sister back, and her collaboration with a priestess who is obsessive and fanatical. This is where the story gets darker. Things are going on while Red is trying to learn how to use her magic. Dark, sinister things. These interludes were much more disturbing than the Wilderwood itself, to be honest. So while it's slow, there is a lot that's going on, and this sense of foreboding, as you now things are going to get really, really bad. For the Wolf wasn't as exciting as I would have hoped, but it's definitely intriguing! I love the dark, sinister aspects to the story, and it really kicked up a gear towards the end, with quite the cliffhanger ending! I'm really interested to see where the story goes in the second and final book, For the Throne. If you like your fairy tale retellings dark and disturbing, definitely give this one a go!
Apart from the fact that Redarys goes by Red, and the warden of the Wilderwood is known as the Wolf - but is actually called Eammon - For the Wolf is much more of a Beauty and the Beast retelling than one of Little Red Riding Hood. Eammon is believed to be a monster that kills the second daughters, when in actual fact, the Wilderwood is the only thing keeping a different realm, the Shadows Lands, a prison for the monsters that used to terrorise the world, from opening. A bargain was made years ago, to keep everyone safe. But the Sentinel trees are constantly battling rot, that will allow the way through. The second daughters are needed by the Wilderwood, the price of the bargain, to keep the Shadow Lands closed. The Wilderwood is weakening, and is desperate for the magic in Red's veins, but Eammon is doing all he can to keep her from the Wilderwood, to not let it have her.
The worldbuilding for For the Wolf is amazing! I love the religion surrounding the Kings, I loved the dark, creepy, sentient Wilderwood, the brooding, tragic Eammon, and just how messed up the magic is. It's actually a part of the Wilderwood that they both have in them. Eammon has more, due to his connection with the forest, and it's freaking disturbing everytime he uses it. From his body sprouts vines, bark grows on his skin. The Wilderwood is living inside them. But the Wilderwood also wants to be whole, to connect with their magic to do its job. It's a constant fight to stop the Wilderwood from sending vines and shrubs into any cut Red might get. There's a definite body horror element to the story, I'm not really describing it very well, but when the Wilderwood comes for you, it's not messing about! It's downright sinister.
But For the Wolf it's a much slower story than I expected. Red is terrified of her power, or not being able to control it, but seeing what Eammon goes through, trying to use his own power to heal the Sentinels that start to rot, and close the breaches that do manage to open, she realises he can't do this on his own. But he is full of guilt over the deaths of the previous second daughters, deaths he feels he should have been able to prevent if only he was stronger, and he's trying to make sure the same doesn't happen to Red. Blood or magic is the only thing that helps, and Eammon is almost bleeding himself dry to try and prevent the changes to his body brought on by using magic. And with the Wilderwood weakening, soon Eammon won't be enough. Their slow burn romance is sweets during the constant back and forth. There are baby steps, where Eammon allows her to help in small ways, but it's not enough. This is the story for the most part; Red learning about her magic, trying to learn to control it, trying to convince Eammon to let her help, with the threat of the Wilderwood, and what comes through the breaches a constant backdrop.
There were a number of interludes that go back to Neve's sister and see things from her perspective, where she's willing to do whatever it takes to get her sister back, and her collaboration with a priestess who is obsessive and fanatical. This is where the story gets darker. Things are going on while Red is trying to learn how to use her magic. Dark, sinister things. These interludes were much more disturbing than the Wilderwood itself, to be honest. So while it's slow, there is a lot that's going on, and this sense of foreboding, as you now things are going to get really, really bad. For the Wolf wasn't as exciting as I would have hoped, but it's definitely intriguing! I love the dark, sinister aspects to the story, and it really kicked up a gear towards the end, with quite the cliffhanger ending! I'm really interested to see where the story goes in the second and final book, For the Throne. If you like your fairy tale retellings dark and disturbing, definitely give this one a go!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Self harm, and Body horror
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
queenmackenzie's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
5.0
For the Wolf gripped me immediately. It opens a few days before Redarys’ ceremony, in which she will be dedicated to the Wolf and sent to the Wilderwood as a sacrifice, in the hopes the the Five Kings that disappeared 400 years before will finally be released from the forest that holds them prisoners. As the Second Daughter, she has been raised for this, but Red has another reason for submitting to this ceremony she doesn’t believe in: for four years, ever since her and her twin sister Neve rode out to the Wilderwood in the hopes of destroying it, she has had a shaft of it embedded within her, a strange magic she keeps caged because it always seeks a way out, and she does not want to hurt anyone around her. So even with her sister and her friends trying to get her to run while she can, she takes the path into the Woods.
‘He was somewhere in there. She could feel it, almost, an awareness that prickled at the back of her neck, plucked at the Mark on her arm. The Wolf, the keeper of the Wilderwood and alleged jailer of gods.’
When Red does enter the forest, she finds that a lot of what the stories say is not true: the Wolf is not a monster but a man, and he is working hard to keep the forest intact and the lands beyond it safe from the monsters it imprisons. Red hadn’t expected to live beyond her first day in the Wilderwood, let alone start to enjoy her time there, and maybe even enjoy the company of Eammon, the Wolf.
Eammon is the perfect dark, handsome, and tortured soul, but at his core he is incredibly caring and all his agony comes from putting everyone before himself to keep them safe, and the dynamic between him and Red and she tries to take on some of his burden was sweet torture to read. I expected, from the start, that this would be a slow-burn romance, and I was not disappointed. I flew through all the Red and Eammon scenes, while wanting to savour them at the same time. I will definitely be rereading this more slowly sometime in the future, when I’m not also worrying about what comes next in the plot.
One thing I didn’t expect from this story was how dark it would be; while the Wilderwood isn’t quite what Red was led to believe, it is still a primal and violent force, and the shadows it holds back are real enough. The scenes in which these shadows break through their prison gave me goosebumps, and Whitten does a great job providing just enough of a description that the reader’s mind will fill in the rest, which makes it scarier.
‘The thing might’ve been a man, once, and that made it worse. The way he moved was wrong, low and lurching, on legs with knees bent backward. His shirt hung open at the arm, a long, dark slash marking his swollen bicep. Shadow crawled from the wound, inched over his skin, rotting it as surely as it rotted the ground. “Saw the shadows,” he singsonged, pacing back and forth. “Saw the shadows and the things in the shadows, and the things in the shadows have teeth.”’
This darkness woven in with the golden legend of the Kings and the original Wolf and Second Daughter create a tense atmosphere, in which both characters and readers are looking for the truth behind the myths, and Red and her sister Neve are trying to come to terms with them on their different sides of the world.
All of this – compelling characters, dark settings, legendary creatures, a tortured romance – is pulled together by exquisite writing that flows with imagery yet moves the story along seamlessly. I absolutely could not get enough of this book, and I expect the bittersweet feeling it has left me with will stay with me for a while. Book two, For the Throne, cannot come soon enough!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Moderate: Violence
whatellisreadnext's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
"𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭."
As the second born daughter, Red is to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the woods. She is relieved to go, magic that she can't control runs through her veins, atleast the people around her will be safe. But the legends lie, the wolf is a man, not a monster.
This book was bloody great. It had everything I love in a fantasy book and more. A sentient forest that feasts on blood✔ Beauty and the Beast meets Red Riding Hood vibes✔ Moody centuries old love interest✔ Weird magical cult✔ Badass main character✔ I honestly just couldn't get enough of this story, and the fact that this is a debut left me flabbergasted.
Me and romance in fantasy have a very compliacted relationship, but whilst reading For The Wolf, I was totally into it. Eammon is wonderful, and I love him. I'm talking moody bookworm, with a tragic existence, just my type. His relationship with Red drove me crazy, you could literally cut the sexual tension with a knife💁🏻♀️
I really enjoyed the journey of For The Wolf, but the ending was something else entirely. There was so much going on, Whitten did not hold back. And that cliffhanger?!?!? I need the sequel For the Throne as soon as humanly possible💃
This amazing book hit the shelves yesterday and if you love fantasy, then you're going to need it, just saying. Thanks so much to Orbit Books for the gifted copy!
As the second born daughter, Red is to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the woods. She is relieved to go, magic that she can't control runs through her veins, atleast the people around her will be safe. But the legends lie, the wolf is a man, not a monster.
This book was bloody great. It had everything I love in a fantasy book and more. A sentient forest that feasts on blood✔ Beauty and the Beast meets Red Riding Hood vibes✔ Moody centuries old love interest✔ Weird magical cult✔ Badass main character✔ I honestly just couldn't get enough of this story, and the fact that this is a debut left me flabbergasted.
Me and romance in fantasy have a very compliacted relationship, but whilst reading For The Wolf, I was totally into it. Eammon is wonderful, and I love him. I'm talking moody bookworm, with a tragic existence, just my type. His relationship with Red drove me crazy, you could literally cut the sexual tension with a knife💁🏻♀️
I really enjoyed the journey of For The Wolf, but the ending was something else entirely. There was so much going on, Whitten did not hold back. And that cliffhanger?!?!? I need the sequel For the Throne as soon as humanly possible💃
This amazing book hit the shelves yesterday and if you love fantasy, then you're going to need it, just saying. Thanks so much to Orbit Books for the gifted copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
jamieleepilk's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
4.5 Rounded Up 🌟
Thank you so much to Orbit Books/Little Brown for the Proof Copy. UK Release 17.6.21.
'The first daughter is for the Throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf.'
If you love dark, angsty, dark fairy tale inspired fantasy with epic romance do not hesitate in picking up this incredible debut.
In the beginning there is a fair bit of world building that takes a little while to sink in but once you've got your head around everything you'll be fine. I admire the sheer scale of this new world and it's mythology that went into this book. You instantly root for all the characters in this book, Red is a strong protagonist and I loved reading from her POV. I love fantasy books that give you brilliant ensemble characters and this book is no exception Lyra and Fife were so lovely that I really would like a spin off. The romance in this book is so well done and didn't feel forced or off.
Also where can I buy a red cloak for daily wear??
I can't wait to see where she takes this story in the the sequel because this was a wild ride.
If you liked/For Fans of...
📚 'The Once & Future Witches' by Alix E Harrow
🎬 'The Brothers Grimm' 2005
📚 'The Bear & the Nightingale' by Katherine Arden
Thank you so much to Orbit Books/Little Brown for the Proof Copy. UK Release 17.6.21.
'The first daughter is for the Throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf.'
If you love dark, angsty, dark fairy tale inspired fantasy with epic romance do not hesitate in picking up this incredible debut.
In the beginning there is a fair bit of world building that takes a little while to sink in but once you've got your head around everything you'll be fine. I admire the sheer scale of this new world and it's mythology that went into this book. You instantly root for all the characters in this book, Red is a strong protagonist and I loved reading from her POV. I love fantasy books that give you brilliant ensemble characters and this book is no exception Lyra and Fife were so lovely that I really would like a spin off. The romance in this book is so well done and didn't feel forced or off.
Also where can I buy a red cloak for daily wear??
I can't wait to see where she takes this story in the the sequel because this was a wild ride.
If you liked/For Fans of...
📚 'The Once & Future Witches' by Alix E Harrow
🎬 'The Brothers Grimm' 2005
📚 'The Bear & the Nightingale' by Katherine Arden
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Body horror and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Vomit