For the Wolf is an enchanting, dark and gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling. While the characters themselves are absolutely wonderful, it’s the Wilderwood itself that really steals the show. The settings in the book are so beautifully detailed and truly take on a life of their own. The Wilderwood is alive and a leading character as much as Red and the Wolf are. For the Wolf is definitely a world driven story as much as it is a character based one.
Red is a strong female lead. Marked for sacrifice from birth, Red has grown up with everyone but her twin and boyfriend keeping her at arms length. Even her mother treats her like something to be used instead of a daughter. I love how she weathers the circumstances of her birth and still is strong enough to do what she believes in, even when others give her every opportunity to run. Over the course of the book she has to learn to conquer her fear of herself and the power she holds. Instead of fearing it she has to learn to seize it and control it. Watching her discover this strength in herself is a great part of her character development.
Eammon isn’t the monstrous wolf of legend. Red expects to find her end at the hands of a violent and bloodthirsty monster of lore, only to find a kind and intelligent man who wants nothing more than to protect her and take away her pain. The sweet ways he shows Red he cares for her, even when he has to keep her at arms length to protect her, makes his character so appealing. The way he will literally bleed himself dry just to try and keep what humanity he has is heartbreaking. His feelings of insecurity and insufficiency really help to tear down the monster to show the man beneath.
Love as a driving factor of not only the most noble but the most terrible actions is a common theme throughout the book. Multiple times you see how love is the justification behind many of the characters actions, both moral and amoral. Those not motivated by love are by power. Unlike love, power corrupts when it’s the driving motivations behind ones actions, illustrated well with the kings.
Not only do we get Red and Eammons story, we get to see the beginning of Red’s twin sister, Neve’s, story. Neve is Red’s inverse in every way. Raised for the throne she was treated as an individual and not just a tool to be used. This didn’t stop her from loving Red fiercely though. Even though that love lead her to take some ill advised actions, she is a good person at heart. Im excited to see more of her story in the next book, For the Throne.
Overall For the Wolf is an amazing story of love and sacrifice built around a rich and beautiful world. The characters are complex and engaging, truly drawing you in and captivating you. I became deeply invested in Red and Eammon’s journey to save each other and the Woods that claimed them. For the Throne will absolutely be on my highly anticipated list and I can’t wait to explore the shadowlands with Neve as well as see more of the wolves as they try and save her from them.
