A review by diaspora_reader
Blood For Blood by Ryan Graudin

4.0

"The nights were just as still as the day. They should have been more disturbing, with the darkness everywhere, but Luka found himself enjoying the evenings around the fire. It was warm, there was food and there was her."

I absolutely loved almost everything about this book. It breaks my heart that I have to say "almost" amidst that sentence. But when it comes to 'Blood for Blood', that's not the only reason for this broken heart of mine.

If you're looking at reviews for this book, you'd be confused by the varied responses from fans who continued the duology. One person rates 1 star, another rates 4.5, another leaves a review that starts with their disappointment, and another commends Gaudrin for what she's left us with. I've come to a conclusion on this odd phenomena:

For anyone who read 'Wolf by Wolf' and loved it for its action filled, fast paced tone, book 2 is quite likely to disappoint you. The pace slows down immensely. There is no Axis Tour and no race against Japan and Germania's finest, fittest youth. When Yael 'kills' the Fuhrer, the setting is altered completely. There's still action and there is still heart-racing moments, but it's slightly overwhelmed by other things instead.

For those who loooved book 1 for its characters, for Yael as an individual, for her relationship with her wolves, and with Felix and Luka, you are quite likely to adore book 2 and eat it up like birthday cake. I fit into this spectrum. I was so excited to see how Luka would react to Yael's true form, and her reason for impersonating Adele. My heart raced to see if there was something more between the 2 of them. I wanted to know where Felix's story would go from the blow Yael delivered to his head.

I got to read all these things. And, there were so many pleasant surprises to go with them.

Luka freaking Lowe. If someone had told me during 'Wolf by Wolf' how pivotal his character would become I would've hit them up with an uncertain 'suuure'. You surprising son of a gun. How dare you make me love you like this?

My first review had centred on Yael and how much I'd loved loved loved her. But this one's for you, Luka. Absolute shout out to you.

It's been so long since I've read a book that actually got under my skin. Sleepless nights to find out what happens next. Denial when what happens actually happens. Anger for it. 5 starts despite myself. The decision to make it a 4 instead. And a few tears, I'll be real - I shed some tears.

Plucking out quotes to mark the beauty of 'Blood for Blood' doesn't do it justice. Chapters is more like it. Chapters on farmhouse steps where wolves met skin. Chapters in front of cameras where boy meets world and tells the truth. Chapters where three 17 year olds, too young for war, develop into something more. Chapters where on and on, they fall in love. It was so powerful to watch them fall in love (I considered the love story a beautiful necessity despite nay-sayers)

But why did I almost, almost love book 2? The last page left me so unsatisfied.

Spoiler

I'm not exaggerating when I say I fully hated that ending. I do see why Graudrin went though with it. It brings Luka full circle. The national socialist poster boy who really was so much more. Who died for the so much more.

Doesn't mean I'll ever like it. My personal opinion: a far better ending could have been written if he had lived and Yael and him got that happily ever after. Reviving Miriam mid-way through book 2 low-key proved she could surprise us with Luka's unexpected survival. It just wasn't necessary to kill him.

I'm incredibly impressed with the way the Wolfe twins were developed though. My finding is that both are national socialist sympathisers, rather than just loyal to their family. I fully despise Felix's actions and his inability to listen to just listen to Yael. And love Yael for her ability to forgive and let go.

" What now?
—NOW WE MAKE OURSELVES—
Yael was not a monster. Luka was not the next generation of Nationalist Socialists. They were what the Reich would come to fear the most. A Jewish girl and a German boy holding the future and the past in their hands - together ".