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wdianasheppard 's review for:
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves
by Meg Long
Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC of this book!
Sena is a girl with a lot of problems - in trouble with a local crime boss, she agrees to help a scientific expedition participate in a local race. And not just any race, but a terrifying, deadly race on an inhospitable ice planet. Her bond with a fighting wolf puts her at the center of a survival tale that teaches her about the importance of trust, compassion, and connections with others.
This book was a lot of fun, reminding me of such “person tames wild animal” adventures like White Fang and The Black Stallion. The environment was completely unique - I don’t think I’ve read a YA book that takes place on an ice planet! - and I really loved the worldbuilding that took place. I was really rooting for Sena and her wolf by the time the race began.
The only issue? That race took place around the 55% mark. While the worldbuilding was great, the plot up until that point was so repetitive: Sena got in trouble with the same crime boss like three times! I really feel like some of that could have been compressed to give her fellow racers more attention. There was simply too much going on, and characterization ultimately suffered.
That said, I did enjoy my time with this book. It makes the perfect winter read!
Sena is a girl with a lot of problems - in trouble with a local crime boss, she agrees to help a scientific expedition participate in a local race. And not just any race, but a terrifying, deadly race on an inhospitable ice planet. Her bond with a fighting wolf puts her at the center of a survival tale that teaches her about the importance of trust, compassion, and connections with others.
This book was a lot of fun, reminding me of such “person tames wild animal” adventures like White Fang and The Black Stallion. The environment was completely unique - I don’t think I’ve read a YA book that takes place on an ice planet! - and I really loved the worldbuilding that took place. I was really rooting for Sena and her wolf by the time the race began.
The only issue? That race took place around the 55% mark. While the worldbuilding was great, the plot up until that point was so repetitive: Sena got in trouble with the same crime boss like three times! I really feel like some of that could have been compressed to give her fellow racers more attention. There was simply too much going on, and characterization ultimately suffered.
That said, I did enjoy my time with this book. It makes the perfect winter read!