Don't Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
BOOK SUMMARY
A forest, besieged. A queen, unyielding. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black will devour this deliciously dark Eastern European–inspired YA fantasy debut.
When the Golden Dragon descended on the forest of Kamiena, a horde of monsters followed in its wake. Ren, the forest’s young queen, is slowly losing her battle against them. Until she rescues Lukasz—the last survivor of a heroic regiment of dragon slayers—and they strike a deal. She will help him find his brother, who vanished into her forest… if Lukasz promises to slay the Dragon. But promises are all too easily broken.
Book Details
Don't Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross
Published April 28th 2020 by HarperTeen
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy
Hardcover, 512 pages
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review
DON’T CALL THE WOLF by Aleksandra Ross is a YA standalone, fantasy inspired by Polish folklore filled with all sorts of dangerous, mythical creatures and a shape-shifting, forest-Queen who is fighting to keep them from taking over her kingdom.
When Ren rescues a young man in her forest from some devilishly, seductive Rusalki, the two form an unlikely alliance.
Lukasz—the last known survivor of a heroic regiment of dragon slayers agrees to slay the greatest monster of all: the Golden Dragon, if, in turn, she will help him find his missing brother, who vanished into her forest.
One of the first elements that captured my attention in this story is the lovely writing when used to describe the lush world of Kamiena and its magical inhabitants.
The world of Kamiena comes alive and the enchanted forests and the Moving Mountains that Ren and Lukasz journey through, along with all the creatures that inhabit this fairy-tale-like realm!
“The forest is changing too quickly. It is being devoured by evil. The Golden Dragon is burning it down, and from the embers of its fires, new monsters rise. Nawia, nocnica...all the unimaginable evils in the world. Every day, new pits open. New things crawl out. The forest itself is growing.”
Ross fills the pages with interesting creatures and Polish folklore while both Ren and Lukasz are fascination characters to follow.
Though from completely different worlds, there is an immediate attraction between Ren and Lukasz but neither trust the other. It’s a slow-burn romance with a lot of moments of tug-and-pull as they learn over the course of their quest to depend on each other.
The quest to find the dragon takes Ren and Lukasz through vivid landscapes filled with all manner of dangers. Ross does a fantastic job of creating a scene and setting for these monsters of Polish lore.
In the End
Overall, I found Don’t Call the Wolf entertaining with lovely writing and fascinating Polish lore but I would have loved to have explore this world in greater depth and more character development.
I needed more time getting to know Ren and Lukasz emotionally before the quest swept them up. A strong debut and an author I will be keeping my eyes out for future novels.
