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A review by angelraving
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
Did not finish book.
1.0
I have to be honest—I had to force myself through the first part of this book, which is never a good sign. While I understand the appeal of in medias res storytelling, there’s a fine line between immersive and confusing, and For the Wolf falls into the latter. A strong prologue—perhaps establishing the Wilderwood’s origins, the first sacrifice, the factions at play, or the kingdom’s traditions—would have helped smooth out the world-building. Instead, the early exposition feels clunky and difficult to grasp.
Once the world-building settled (around 20% in), the pacing improved, and the storytelling flowed more naturally. However, the plot still lacked momentum, and the setting remained shaky. Frequent interruptions from events outside the Wilderwood only added unnecessary layers of confusion. Suffice it to say, I struggled to stay invested.
In this kingdom, every second-born daughter is sacrificed to the Wolf, and Redaris (Red) is the latest offering. Her red cloak suggests a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, but that’s misleading—the story instead blends elements from LRRH, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tales in a way that feels more like a mash-up than a fresh take.
One of the book’s few strengths is that Red’s magic doesn’t fall into the frustrating “unearned” category. Unlike many fantasy protagonists who are simply given power, hers has a clear origin, and her learning process feels organic. Unfortunately, this is undermined by the MMC (Eammon), who constantly insists she not use it.
The relationships, however, lacked any real development. The trees literally tell Red and Eammon to get married (I wish I were joking), and so they handfast. That’s it.
The only relationships that felt genuine were the sisterly bond between Red and Neverah and the distant, strained dynamic between Red and her mother. The supposed romantic pairings for both sisters felt tepid at best and completely forced at worst.
Between the clunky start, predictable storyline, and underwhelming execution, For the Wolf failed to hold my attention. I wanted to love it, but instead, I found myself pushing through until I finally gave up at 34%.
Once the world-building settled (around 20% in), the pacing improved, and the storytelling flowed more naturally. However, the plot still lacked momentum, and the setting remained shaky. Frequent interruptions from events outside the Wilderwood only added unnecessary layers of confusion. Suffice it to say, I struggled to stay invested.
In this kingdom, every second-born daughter is sacrificed to the Wolf, and Redaris (Red) is the latest offering. Her red cloak suggests a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, but that’s misleading—the story instead blends elements from LRRH, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tales in a way that feels more like a mash-up than a fresh take.
One of the book’s few strengths is that Red’s magic doesn’t fall into the frustrating “unearned” category. Unlike many fantasy protagonists who are simply given power, hers has a clear origin, and her learning process feels organic. Unfortunately, this is undermined by the MMC (Eammon), who constantly insists she not use it.
The relationships, however, lacked any real development. The trees literally tell Red and Eammon to get married (I wish I were joking), and so they handfast. That’s it.
The only relationships that felt genuine were the sisterly bond between Red and Neverah and the distant, strained dynamic between Red and her mother. The supposed romantic pairings for both sisters felt tepid at best and completely forced at worst.
Between the clunky start, predictable storyline, and underwhelming execution, For the Wolf failed to hold my attention. I wanted to love it, but instead, I found myself pushing through until I finally gave up at 34%.