For the wolf by Hannah Whitten

Name of Book: For the wolf

Author: Hannah Whitten 

ISBN: 9780316592789

Publisher: Orbit

Part of a Series: Wilderwood Duo (prequel to For the Throne)

Type of book: little red riding hood retelling, fantasy, politics, sacrifice, beauty and the beast retelling, enchanted forest, healthy romantic relationships, sisterhood, independence, agency, bargains, lies, religion  

Year it was published: 2021

Summary:

The first daughter is for the Throne.

The second daughter is for the Wolf.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn't learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole.

Characters:

Main characters would be Redarys, Neverah, Arrick, Raffe and Eamon, otherwise known as WOLF. Redarys (Red) is a second daughter who on the twentieth birthday must leave her home and become a sacrifice to the enchanted forest as well as to WOLF. From the start she has no hold on her Destiny. Instead when that event occurs at the start, she finally begins to gain agency and freedom. She is kind, compassionate,  and loyal as well as observant and thoughtful. Neverah (Neve) is the first daughter, destined for the throne, and she is extremely devoted to Red and becomes determined to bring her beloved sister back from the WOLF and the forest. Arrick is Neves future husband who is in love with Red and also desires to free Red from the clutches of the WOLF. Raffe is quite close to Neve but their relationship suffers when Neve begins to keep secrets from him. Eamon is the WOLF who feels he cannot ask for help and is afraid of involving Red in being a caretaker for the forest due to the past. He is kind, sacrificing, and isn't manipulative nor takes opportunity or advantage of Red in any shape or form. ( seriously, for a healthy relationship, check out this book!)  

Theme:

Religion and tales are a game of broken telephone 

Plot:

The story is in third person narrative from Reds and Neves points of view. Red is symbolized by chapter numbers and WOLF picture, while Neve is symbolized by castle and Roman numerals. In my view, the romance feels subtle and natural throughout the book instead of something obvious, and in the forest Red has an unusual amount of agency over her romantic relationships. I also loved feeling as if I was in European forests and enjoyed the little red riding hood retelling of sorts. Definitely a unique spin and something I might read again in the future. 

Author Information:
(From goodreads)

Hannah Whitten has been writing to amuse herself since she could hold a pen, and sometime in high school, figured out that what amused her might also amuse others. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, making music, or attempting to bake. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in a house ruled by a temperamental cat.

Opinion:

If I had a teenage daughter, I would seriously encourage her to read this book instead of turning to twilight or another future novel that glorifies lack of agency and has a woman literally living to be with a man. I truly loved this novel, and I imagine that those who are seeking angsty reads, then FOR THE WOLF will be a perfect read. Also, so far, FOR THE WOLF, for me, has a sad distinction of being the only book where female protagonist isn't manipulated into helping or loving male protagonist. Seriously, where are the novels that will portray female character having independence in relationships? Aside from that, I loved the world of Neve and Red and loved being in the enchanted forest with Red and WOLF. I look forward to reading more from the author. Also, i do wish a map of the world would havd been included in the novel so i can get a picture of how it looks like. 

This was given for review 

4  out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)