Once upon a time, a hundred years ago, there lived a dark and stormy girl. She was wild in spirit and loved fiercely; and no wonder, for she was raised in the company not of humans, but of wolves. They were her friends, her teachers, her pupils, her family - her (almost) everything. And, at the tender age of twelve, this girl and her half-tame friends would go on to lead a revolution.

The Wolf Wilder was one of my most anticipated books of 2015. I refused to read my early copy as I wanted to wait to see Gelrev Ongbico's divine illustrations . And it was well worth the wait. I cannot decide which cover for The Wolf Wilder I love the most; it's a stunning book, inside and out. No, lapushka!” Marina’s arm, with its embroidery of scars and muscle, enwrapped Feo. “Of course not. But we’ll be a little more silent, and a little more watchful.” She rattled the chestnuts roasting in the grate, and flipped one into Feo’s hands. “It’s what the wolves do. We can do it too. Can’t we?”This is glorious. A haunting, fast-paced snowy adventure with another superb gutsy heroine told in Rundell's beautiful and witty style -- A Case for Books

Full disclosure: I received a free electronic ARC for review through Edelweiss. Mild trigger warning for sexual harassment of a minor.) The Wolf Wilder is the kind of novel that reminds you why books are worth reading and life is worth living Lauren St John I confess, I am not one for the kind of fairy tale sought of plot or genre but this book is so good I would put it as one of the best books I have read in my short life. The book had me gripped from the very beginning, and there were parts in the story that I just couldn’t put down.

While it's clearly geared toward younger readers, The Wolf Wilder is an enchanting fairy tale for those of all ages. I absolutely loved the characters. They were all so warm and charming in their own ways, from fierce, brave Feo, to her lovable friend Ilya and the bunch of children they encounter on their journey. The wolves as well were fantastic, each with their own personalities, and the bond they had with Feo was so lovely to read about. He’s blind in one eye because of me. But he’s always been blind: He doesn’t see the facts. The fact that there are more than us than there are of him. The fact that fire in your soul beats fire on the ground. The fact that love always beats fear. And the fact that it helps to have wolves on your side. The wolves, of course, positively steal the show. The passages about the wolves - their mistreatment at the hands of humans, their indomitable spirits, Feo's interactions with (and love for) them - are among the most beautiful in the book. Unlike War and Peace, this fairy-tale-like story takes place in the wild and on the fringes. The three main characters -- Feo, Ilya and Alexei -- are a wolf wilder barely out of childhood (Feo), a young soldier who wants to be a dancer (Ilya) and a budding revolutionary (Alexei) who wants retribution for his burnt-out village. Not forgetting the wolves, of course. The wolves, like the children, still have enough wildness in them to resist brutal attempts at taming.

The only thing I have a problem with is that I like a bit of blood and gore even in my fairy tales, and, apart from the occasional wolf being shot there was not much else. I wish that you could have seen Rakov’s death with chunks coming out of his arm and all. This book was very captivating and thrilling but was still poignant and moving. I think The Wolf Wilder shows how important it is to fight for the things you love and to have courage in tough times. I also liked the focus on the relationships the characters had in the book. Feo was friends with boys in the book and I thought it was good that Katherine Rundell kept them as friends. I was almost expecting her to have them go into a romantic relationship (which is a bit cliche) but the fact she didn’t made the book better. The descriptions of Russia in the book was beautiful. One of my favourite things that the books described was colours pouring out of the windows and onto the snow (as show on the cover). I think that this was a really unique description that definitely captured my imagination. The unlikely friendship between Liya and Feo gives the reader hope. The sacrifices Liya makes for Feo shows the true loyalty of their friendship and the determination to make Russia a better place. I know that you are living in England at the moment. Is there anywhere else in the world that you would prefer to live? Although there are hints of history, the book is more of an old-fashioned adventure story. Feo goes on a journey, which is both literal and figurative, making friends along the way. It ends with a triumphant storming of the city; although, inevitably, there are some sad losses along the way. Although it is probably a middle-grade book, according to the rules of judging these things, it has the ability to appeal to all ages. As C.S. Lewis so wisely said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."Marina closed her eyes for one brief moment, then opened them and smiled at Feo. The two soldiers spat on the floor in a bored kind of way and headed out into the snow.

The girl was Russian, and although her hair and eyes and fingernails were dark all the time, she was stormy only when she thought it absolutely necessary. Which was fairly often. Ah, that’s so difficult! I love Zimbabwe and I like New York, St Petersburg, Paris, Manaus – I wish there were a way to live one day a week in each. But no, most of all I love England: I love its wit and its warmth and its toughness and I love the London skyline. You both disgust me.” Rakov shook his head. “It is an abomination to live with those animals. Wolves are vermin with teeth.” Society" wolves could always beg, hold out a paw, lie still. Often - it made Feo want to cry - they could dance on their hind legs, their faces blank. Rakov did not even glance in her direction. “Take the paintings,” he said. They had three, each with boldly colored cubes arranged in shapes that hinted at men and women. Marina loved them. Feo humored her.

Katherine Rundell Press Reviews

That’s a very good question! I imagine it must have been terrifying, that sudden upheaval of the past, and I would have been terrified. But there were female revolutionaries, a small group and some of them very young (only 2500 female Bolsheviks, officially, in 1917) and they fought alongside the men for equality for women, and whatever you think about the revolution itself, they sound like very brave souls. All in all I thought the book was a well-written, fun book for those who are 9 years old and above. I would recommend it because I really enjoyed the content and how the book made me feel, which was emotional and satisfied. The book left me wanting a little more, so I would enjoy a sequel. Despite this, I think Katherine Rundell did an excellent job. And your daughter is vermin when she is with those wolves. I’ve heard stories about you both—you’re unfit to be a mother.” When you are writing a book do you have a plan about your working day and where do you do most of your writing?