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jenniferreadshorror's review against another edition
4.0
The story wasn't what I thought it was, it gives almost secret garden vibes with wolves! Also for younger readers.
It's a lovely young teen story of friendship. Country girl and city boy, adventuring to St Petersburg and to break out her mother, Wolves in tow.
Descriptive on the surroundings.and the story quickly wraps up in the end.
There are some lovely messages in this story as well.
It's a lovely young teen story of friendship. Country girl and city boy, adventuring to St Petersburg and to break out her mother, Wolves in tow.
Descriptive on the surroundings.and the story quickly wraps up in the end.
There are some lovely messages in this story as well.
annerwho's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sannelovestoread's review
4.0
Leuk verhaal, spannend en moedig. Het einde voelde iets afgeraffeld, maar desalniettemin een mooi sprookje.
classicbhaer's review against another edition
5.0
What first caught my attention was the fact that this book took place prior to the Russian Revolution, an era I studied at university quite a bit. Also, the fact that this book dealt with wolves, an animal I admire almost as much as owls.
This book follows a young girl named Feodora who has grown up in the wilderness of Russia with her mother who are related to a long line of wolf wilders. One day her world is shaken apart when a man of stature in the Tsars military warns them to stop or face the consequences. They do not heed his warning and Feodora has to fight back with her wolves and new friends to find justice.
This book is a fast paced adventure through the Russian wilderness. At only 240 pages (my edition) the author fills each page with surprises and some revolutionary ideas. This growth of Feodora from a wild girl to a girl is touching. She goes from only socializing with her mother and her wolves to meeting and trusting others she meets along her journey. While she is still young she has a lot of growing to do she does a decent amount within the book. Additionally, some of the historical tidbits such as the tsars son being ill, letting the military have free reign in some areas and the discontent within the country which allowed the ideas of Marx spread. Obviously some things are not 100% accurate, but the author does a great job of integrating these ideas in her book.
I think this is a fabulous book, I read it in a single day, which I have not done in some time. I gave this book a 5/5 stars, according to goodreads as of right now it has a rating of 4.10 stars. If you are interested in Wolves, family, growth, wolves, and the wilderness or just an all around quality quick read I highly recommend.
This book follows a young girl named Feodora who has grown up in the wilderness of Russia with her mother who are related to a long line of wolf wilders. One day her world is shaken apart when a man of stature in the Tsars military warns them to stop or face the consequences. They do not heed his warning and Feodora has to fight back with her wolves and new friends to find justice.
This book is a fast paced adventure through the Russian wilderness. At only 240 pages (my edition) the author fills each page with surprises and some revolutionary ideas. This growth of Feodora from a wild girl to a girl is touching. She goes from only socializing with her mother and her wolves to meeting and trusting others she meets along her journey. While she is still young she has a lot of growing to do she does a decent amount within the book. Additionally, some of the historical tidbits such as the tsars son being ill, letting the military have free reign in some areas and the discontent within the country which allowed the ideas of Marx spread. Obviously some things are not 100% accurate, but the author does a great job of integrating these ideas in her book.
I think this is a fabulous book, I read it in a single day, which I have not done in some time. I gave this book a 5/5 stars, according to goodreads as of right now it has a rating of 4.10 stars. If you are interested in Wolves, family, growth, wolves, and the wilderness or just an all around quality quick read I highly recommend.
powisamy's review against another edition
When this came out, I remember that this got so much hype and a lot of people liked it. Middle Grade isn't normally my jam but I was going to give it a go. Fast forward to five years later and I still had not read it. I can say that I am happy that I did and the hype is real. The Wolf Wilder is a wonderful exploration into middle grade and the wolves will definitely be running to read this one.
One of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed was the Russian elements. I kept trying to tie it to a specific time but this was not Katherine Rundell's intention when I read the author notes and it does encompass a lot of different time periods. This does work and it helps make an interesting and unique snow setting, which is quite nice when it is 25c outside.
I do really like the attention that was played to the power of friendship and family in the book. I really loved the relationship between Feo and her mother. The lengths that she was willing to go to get her back was a little unrealistic but it's fiction so it doesn't matter. At moments, I thought it was going to get quite sticky but all was well and I love a book that gives a little hope. I also loved Ilya and the relationship that develops with Feo. Together are great and it was nice to see their relationship blossom.
Of course the main part of this book is wolves and I loved this part. The relationship with the wolves especially Feo and Black were really special and it kind of reminded me of the wolves in Game Of Thrones. On the whole, I knew nothing about wolves going in and this taught me so much about them and how special they actual are.
From the first introduction paragraph about the Wolf Wilderings, I knew that Rundell's writing was something special and this is something that pins the book together and makes it so special. Her writing alone is enough for anyone to read this book.
The Verdict:
The Wolf Wilder is a quiet story that shows the lengths that you will go to find home and family.
One of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed was the Russian elements. I kept trying to tie it to a specific time but this was not Katherine Rundell's intention when I read the author notes and it does encompass a lot of different time periods. This does work and it helps make an interesting and unique snow setting, which is quite nice when it is 25c outside.
I do really like the attention that was played to the power of friendship and family in the book. I really loved the relationship between Feo and her mother. The lengths that she was willing to go to get her back was a little unrealistic but it's fiction so it doesn't matter. At moments, I thought it was going to get quite sticky but all was well and I love a book that gives a little hope. I also loved Ilya and the relationship that develops with Feo. Together are great and it was nice to see their relationship blossom.
Of course the main part of this book is wolves and I loved this part. The relationship with the wolves especially Feo and Black were really special and it kind of reminded me of the wolves in Game Of Thrones. On the whole, I knew nothing about wolves going in and this taught me so much about them and how special they actual are.
From the first introduction paragraph about the Wolf Wilderings, I knew that Rundell's writing was something special and this is something that pins the book together and makes it so special. Her writing alone is enough for anyone to read this book.
The Verdict:
The Wolf Wilder is a quiet story that shows the lengths that you will go to find home and family.
alexandromeda's review against another edition
3.0
read for a school assignment, as such my evaluation may be added later
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
I added The Wolf Wilder to my TBR as soon as I saw it. I didn't read the synopsis. I just saw it was by Katherine Rundell, whose Rooftopers I enjoyed, and that it had an intriguing cover. Author plus cover is often all it takes for me. I was in for a pleasant surprise when I started reading.
Feo has an odd job. She and her mother rare Wolf Wilders. Their job is to take in the wolves Russian aristocrats have kept as pets but have lost control of and now want to send far away from them. It is terrible luck to kill a wolf so the Wolf Wilders exist to take in the wolves and train them to be wild creatures again. They teach them to run, to hunt, to howl. Feo loves the wolves and her life with them. When General Rakov arrives at her home to tell them they must stop wilding the wolves, Feo's idyllic world shatters. Dodging soldiers and trying to do their work in secret, it isn't long before Feo's mother is captured and there is a large bounty placed on Feo's head. With the wolves and her new friend Ilya, a rogue soldier in Rakov's army, Feo begins a perilous journey to St. Petersburg to rescue her mother. As they journey toward their destination, Feo and Ilya pick up a group of unlikely allies and discover that Rakov's reign of terror in the countryside is far harsher than they had ever imagined. If they are going to rescue and free their friends and family, they will have to face and overcome the worst sort of predator.
Katherine Rundell has a poetic way of writing that pulls you into a story. She is a potent wielder of imagery and uses her settings well. The cold harsh Russian winter and the beauty of the wild in the wolves are fully rendered and make you feel like you are actually there running along with them through the snow. The prose has a storyteller's cadence and brings to mind fairy tales and folklore though there is no magic save that of friendship, love, support, and the bonds that grow from community. The magic of our everyday world. It's a beautifully told novel.
Feo and Ilya seem an ill matched pair at first. A socially awkward girl who spends her days with wolves and a soldier. But they are both misfits. Feo doesn't fit in with humans because she never really learned how. She understands the language of wolves far better than that of people. Ilya never wanted to be a soldier. He wants to be a dancer. They are brought together by the wolves. Ilya is terrified of them but fascinated. When he first meets Feo and witnesses the birth of a pup, he can not bring himself to follow his orders to kill something just starting out in life that is so magnificent. Both Ilya and Feo are incredibly brave but in different ways. Feo is more outwardly bold and naively flaunting of the rules, but Ilya is willing to risk himself for what he loves despite knowing the horrific consequences that will fall on him if he is caught. I loved watching their relationship develop and the eventual group of children they built into a small little army to complete their mission. That is another way in which this story has a fairy tale type feel to it. The small band of children armed with nothing but faith and courage taking on a force of evil and cruelty. It is a story that never gets old, and the form it takes here is enduring and fascinating. It was a book I couldn't put down and walk away from.
Rakov is a fairly standard villain. He is evil. All we know of him are his terrible deeds and his evil insanity. There isn't a lot of depth there. Randell didn't include any historical afterword so I do not know if he is based on a real person or not. There were certainly commanders in the Russian army who behaved the way he does toward the peasants. However the historical haziness is the only part of the book that bothered me. It shows the rumblings of the coming Russian Revolution, but it feels very unreal in many places and there is much that doesn't make sense to me. This is due, in part, to the storyteller's voice and fairy tale feel of the prose. I'm sure the target audience is not going to care. It was a minor distraction for me.
The Wolf Wilder is an excellent novel that tells a tale of friendship, family, community, bravery and love.
I added The Wolf Wilder to my TBR as soon as I saw it. I didn't read the synopsis. I just saw it was by Katherine Rundell, whose Rooftopers I enjoyed, and that it had an intriguing cover. Author plus cover is often all it takes for me. I was in for a pleasant surprise when I started reading.
Feo has an odd job. She and her mother rare Wolf Wilders. Their job is to take in the wolves Russian aristocrats have kept as pets but have lost control of and now want to send far away from them. It is terrible luck to kill a wolf so the Wolf Wilders exist to take in the wolves and train them to be wild creatures again. They teach them to run, to hunt, to howl. Feo loves the wolves and her life with them. When General Rakov arrives at her home to tell them they must stop wilding the wolves, Feo's idyllic world shatters. Dodging soldiers and trying to do their work in secret, it isn't long before Feo's mother is captured and there is a large bounty placed on Feo's head. With the wolves and her new friend Ilya, a rogue soldier in Rakov's army, Feo begins a perilous journey to St. Petersburg to rescue her mother. As they journey toward their destination, Feo and Ilya pick up a group of unlikely allies and discover that Rakov's reign of terror in the countryside is far harsher than they had ever imagined. If they are going to rescue and free their friends and family, they will have to face and overcome the worst sort of predator.
Katherine Rundell has a poetic way of writing that pulls you into a story. She is a potent wielder of imagery and uses her settings well. The cold harsh Russian winter and the beauty of the wild in the wolves are fully rendered and make you feel like you are actually there running along with them through the snow. The prose has a storyteller's cadence and brings to mind fairy tales and folklore though there is no magic save that of friendship, love, support, and the bonds that grow from community. The magic of our everyday world. It's a beautifully told novel.
Feo and Ilya seem an ill matched pair at first. A socially awkward girl who spends her days with wolves and a soldier. But they are both misfits. Feo doesn't fit in with humans because she never really learned how. She understands the language of wolves far better than that of people. Ilya never wanted to be a soldier. He wants to be a dancer. They are brought together by the wolves. Ilya is terrified of them but fascinated. When he first meets Feo and witnesses the birth of a pup, he can not bring himself to follow his orders to kill something just starting out in life that is so magnificent. Both Ilya and Feo are incredibly brave but in different ways. Feo is more outwardly bold and naively flaunting of the rules, but Ilya is willing to risk himself for what he loves despite knowing the horrific consequences that will fall on him if he is caught. I loved watching their relationship develop and the eventual group of children they built into a small little army to complete their mission. That is another way in which this story has a fairy tale type feel to it. The small band of children armed with nothing but faith and courage taking on a force of evil and cruelty. It is a story that never gets old, and the form it takes here is enduring and fascinating. It was a book I couldn't put down and walk away from.
Rakov is a fairly standard villain. He is evil. All we know of him are his terrible deeds and his evil insanity. There isn't a lot of depth there. Randell didn't include any historical afterword so I do not know if he is based on a real person or not. There were certainly commanders in the Russian army who behaved the way he does toward the peasants. However the historical haziness is the only part of the book that bothered me. It shows the rumblings of the coming Russian Revolution, but it feels very unreal in many places and there is much that doesn't make sense to me. This is due, in part, to the storyteller's voice and fairy tale feel of the prose. I'm sure the target audience is not going to care. It was a minor distraction for me.
The Wolf Wilder is an excellent novel that tells a tale of friendship, family, community, bravery and love.
hamckeon's review against another edition
4.0
This book was unlike any other I have previously read. It had an interesting take on Russia and I loved how the wolves were treated as characters. Also, the book has a great message of the power and importance of children.
sqiddo13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? No
5.0