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sporsh's review
5.0
I'm mildly obsessed with werewolf stories, but it's damn hard to find a good one - however wading through all of the unimaginative drivel is worth it when I stumble upon gems like this.
It's a unique spin on a werewolf story, evolving from gritty survival horror to somewhat of a dark fairy tale with some folk horror vibes. I was completely enraptured the entire time and managed to devour the whole thing in one night at the expense of being very tired the next morning.
Now, this book is extreme horror, something I'm not usually the biggest fan of if done cheaply, but the setting was so immersive that the horrible things felt fitting and ingrained in the narrative rather than purely for shock value, with some exceptions which I'll get to in a bit. Things escalated so slowly and consistently that it wasn't jarring but after I finished the book I ended up sitting there like "DAMN that was depraved what did I just read" and spent some time lying there mulling over the whole story.
One thing I really dislike on principle is gratuitous sexual violence against women, especially when written by a male author. In this case I understand the inclusion as it's so tied into the theme - feralness, returning to the wild, the cruelty of nature. But there were some moments where I think it just got excessive -.
My only other gripe was that some elements seemed repetitive throughout the girls' journeys, e.g.
However, aside from a couple of gripes, the book was so damn compelling that I have to give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. So often I settle for reading mediocre books with werewolves in them out of desperation for content, but this is just a damn unique and well written book whether you like werewolves or not.
It's a unique spin on a werewolf story, evolving from gritty survival horror to somewhat of a dark fairy tale with some folk horror vibes. I was completely enraptured the entire time and managed to devour the whole thing in one night at the expense of being very tired the next morning.
Now, this book is extreme horror, something I'm not usually the biggest fan of if done cheaply, but the setting was so immersive that the horrible things felt fitting and ingrained in the narrative rather than purely for shock value, with some exceptions which I'll get to in a bit. Things escalated so slowly and consistently that it wasn't jarring but after I finished the book I ended up sitting there like "DAMN that was depraved what did I just read" and spent some time lying there mulling over the whole story.
One thing I really dislike on principle is gratuitous sexual violence against women, especially when written by a male author. In this case I understand the inclusion as it's so tied into the theme - feralness, returning to the wild, the cruelty of nature. But there were some moments where I think it just got excessive -
Spoiler
I really didn't need to read the werewolf oral rape scene, especially right after another rape that happened mostly offscreen/through distorted reality which was disturbing enoughMy only other gripe was that some elements seemed repetitive throughout the girls' journeys, e.g.
Spoiler
stumbling upon a shack/house, meeting a kind woman who looks after them, but then is revealed to be a werewolf and turns against them - this happened like 3 times? 4 if you count Mother Streega (she was obvious from the start but similar themes)? Idk I lost count but it got predictableHowever, aside from a couple of gripes, the book was so damn compelling that I have to give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. So often I settle for reading mediocre books with werewolves in them out of desperation for content, but this is just a damn unique and well written book whether you like werewolves or not.
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