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motaki's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Gore
Moderate: Addiction, Murder, and Alcoholism
Minor: Blood, Cancer, and Grief
leahsbooks's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.0
So let me start this by saying I have no idea what led me to think that this was going to be a YA book, but it most certainly was NOT. It’s a queer retelling of Peter and the Wolf, but the beginning gave me some serious The Bear and the Nightingale vibes. It’s set in Siberia, and it was the perfect winter story to read while sipping a hot cup of tea while wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.
A chance encounter between Pyotra’s little brother and a tundra wolf sets off a chain reaction with massive consequences for the whole family. Pyotra winds up going after the wolf and playing a game of cat and mouse in the first part of the book, except that it isn’t exactly clear who is the cat and who is the mouse. And Volk, the wolf, isn’t what she appears to be either.
I loved how the perspective shifted between Pyotra and Volk. It kept me from getting bored, even though there wasn’t a ton of action. I still found it intriguing and seeing how their characters interacted. There were some graphic sexual scenes in the story, so be prepared! I wasn’t expecting it, but the queer romance was well-developed and slow-burning.
The second part of the story shifts perspective to that of Pyotra’s brother Sergei. I was truly invested in the story by this time, and was super curious about what was going on with him. But in the third (and final) part of the story, there were some additional POVs added. I didn’t get to know these characters as well, so I wasn’t as invested in them. Those characters and the ending itself all felt a bit rushed, but all in all, I enjoyed the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Murder, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer
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