A review by creolelitbelle
Walk the Wild with Me by Rachel Atwood

4.0

A college literature class on W. B. Yeats turned me onto faerie stories and the strange myths that surround the creatures in the British Isles. In this enchanting novel Rachel Atwood spun a faerie tale that also invokes the legend of Robin Hood and some of his fellows from Nottingham with a dive into history. I really enjoyed Nick’s venture into the Wild and learning why the Wild Folk draw him in so easily. The perspective of storytelling jumps around often between multiple characters — Nick, Tuck. Little John, Hilde, and Jane — but each character feels to have his or her own voice. The chapters are even constructed with clear breaks to leave no doubt of scene or POV changes. Well done both in writing style and clear, visual chapter breaks. The narrative itself moves fluidly and left me feeling immersed in the Wild that Nick stumbles upon. Each time I opened the book I felt as if I dived into another time and place and stopping brought me a feeling of resurfacing. I love immersive reading like this. That Atwood included so many fantastical elements while staying true to core myths surrounding them gives me confidence in her as a writer and the desire to read more books with a similar ring. Sure, the ending is a little open-ended, but in a world of so many near immortal creatures, I honestly expect nothing less. Not all stories, especially those within fantasy, are meant to be tied up with pretty little bows and a “happily ever after”.