Don't Call The Wolf
Don’t Call The Wolf is a deliciously dark Eastern European fantasy debut that took me completely by surprise.
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.
Ross weaved elements of classic fairy tales in her story, which I really liked. The first meeting between Ren and Lukasz was reminiscent of The Little Mermaid; Ren’s ability to change into a lynx reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, especially when the villagers referred to her as a monster. Lukasz waking Ren with a kiss combined elements of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. To me, these moments added to Ross’ original story about a young queen trying to save her forest from a growing evil.
I noticed some complaints online about the speed of Ren’s romance with Lukasz. Their relationship was actually one of my favourite parts of the book. Their growing feelings for each other didn’t feel rushed to me. Lukasz helps Ren see that not all humans are destructive and cruel. Through Ren, Lukasz learns he can be more than a dragon slayer; he can have a home and a purpose, even after his injury. They help each other grow.
I especially liked Ross’ writing style. She did a great job pacing the novel and keeping the reader interested. The way she wrote Lukasz’s chapters gave him such a strong, unique voice. She did this with Ren, too, but sometimes when writing multiple perspectives the main characters can sound too much alike, so that it’s hard to distinguish between the two. That wasn’t an issue with Ross.
Don’t Call The Wolf is a romantic, enchanting, dark tale that is perfect for lovers of fantasy novels. I can’t wait to read Ross’ next book!
Don’t Call The Wolf Rating: ★★★★★
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.
Ross weaved elements of classic fairy tales in her story, which I really liked. The first meeting between Ren and Lukasz was reminiscent of The Little Mermaid; Ren’s ability to change into a lynx reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, especially when the villagers referred to her as a monster. Lukasz waking Ren with a kiss combined elements of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. To me, these moments added to Ross’ original story about a young queen trying to save her forest from a growing evil.
I noticed some complaints online about the speed of Ren’s romance with Lukasz. Their relationship was actually one of my favourite parts of the book. Their growing feelings for each other didn’t feel rushed to me. Lukasz helps Ren see that not all humans are destructive and cruel. Through Ren, Lukasz learns he can be more than a dragon slayer; he can have a home and a purpose, even after his injury. They help each other grow.
I especially liked Ross’ writing style. She did a great job pacing the novel and keeping the reader interested. The way she wrote Lukasz’s chapters gave him such a strong, unique voice. She did this with Ren, too, but sometimes when writing multiple perspectives the main characters can sound too much alike, so that it’s hard to distinguish between the two. That wasn’t an issue with Ross.
Don’t Call The Wolf is a romantic, enchanting, dark tale that is perfect for lovers of fantasy novels. I can’t wait to read Ross’ next book!
Don’t Call The Wolf Rating: ★★★★★