The Wolf of Cape Fen by Juliana Brandt
Release: April 7th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Source: Amazon
Synopsis:
First Frost has touched Cape Fen, and that means Baron Dire has returned. For as long as anyone can remember, Baron Dire has haunted the town come winter, striking magical bargains and demanding unjust payment in return. The Serling sisters know better than to bargain, lest they find themselves hunted by the Baron’s companion, the Wolf.
Then the Wolf attacks Eliza’s sister Winnie. They manage to escape, but they know the Wolf will be back, because the Wolf only attacks those who owe the Baron Dire. Winnie would never bargain, so that must mean that someone has struck a deal with Winnie as the price.
Eliza embarks on a journey to save her sister, but as she untangles the links between Baron Dire, the Wolf, and her family, she discovers a complicated web of bargains that cross all of Cape Fen. If Eliza can learn the truth, she might be able to protect her sister, but the truth behind the bargain could put her own life in danger.
The Wolf of Cape Fen Review:
This book had so much potential. I thought it was amazing when I started reading it. I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. It is lyrical, poetic, enchanting and magical. I just loved the way she framed her sentences and how the story progressed. I was engrossed because of the story’s atmospheric theme and felt it was different for a middle grade novel.
However, my perception of the story changed at the end. I am not giving away any spoilers, but the ending was disappointing. For instance, I never felt like the main character, Eliza was very smart. Although I liked her throughout the story, I always felt that she was too confused to figure out the answer even when people gave her hints. So, it was unbelievable when she figured out how to put an end to the curse all on her own. Secondly, I thought it was a bit silly that the plan she came up with worked in all the ways she never imagined. Needless to say, I just couldn’t believe that Eliza resolved all the plots from her one act.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading the story! A lot of the supporting characters like Colby and Zilpha were eccentric and interesting in their own manner. I loved Winnie as well and thought she brought the much needed humor and lighthearted feel into the plot. The illustrations are gorgeous in the beginning of each chapter, along with the caption of what each character dreams of.
Overall, I thought the author did a wonderful job in this novel, but just wished it had ended a bit better. I really loved her style of writing and hope to read more of her books in the future!
