The Wolf and the Woodsman audiobook

this book. has everything?? a nuanced and brutal view of the violence of nation-building and the complexities of cultural identity, AND ALSO a prideful, tortured prince brought to his knees--his 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼--by his doomed and fragile love--it has the unsettling-but-compelling gore of henderson's The Year of the Witching, the folkloric lilt of The Bear and the Nightingale, and the moral complexity of Seeing Like a State. i'm......obsessed.

I received a copy of this book to review. This in no way changes my opinion of the book. Rated 4.5/5 stars! This is the kind of story that seeps into your very bones. It's both haunting and beautiful, brutal and magical. It's so many contradictions in one, and yet it all just works. The mythology is so prominent within the story, and you can really feel the atmosphere seeping into your skin as you're pulled in.This isn't a story for the faint hearted - while seemingly whimsical with its magic and romance, everything comes with a sharp edge. There are some gory scenes peppered throughout, the cause of each scene being so inherently interwoven into the story that it's not something to skip over. And you wouldn't want to - it's all part of the story. But amongst that, you have a main character you can't help but love. Not in an endearing-automatic-adoration way. But in the way where you see the faults, the quiet fierceness, the determination, and can't help but admire her as she makes her way through the world and everything it throws at her. I adored reading about Evike, and she's not a character that will be easily forgotten. Will also note that the audiobook for this book is wonderful, the tone of the narrators voice seeming to match Evike's perspective so well. The direct way of speaking, while also acknowledging such magic and emotion through the story...they really brought the story to life audibly. Also a massive help for anyone wanting to work on pronunciations (note - there's a guide in the back too). I actually already want to reread this one, convinced there is so much more to find within that just went over my head. In fact, I know there is, based on other reviews and from what the author has said themselves. But I can tell this is one to marvel at, while being entertaining all in one. I really loved it, and can't wait to see what else Ava Reid has to write in the future!

a beautifully wrought and surprisingly romantic tale that is rich with real-life political allusions. rtc! > 4 stars*why yes, I am absolutely obsessed with the fact that so many dark woodsy books with wolf in the title seem to be coming out in 2021!!okay fine maybe it's like . . . 2 books . . . this one and For the Wolfa note: a lot of people are marking this as YA but it's actually adult pals

Now a Goodreads Choice nominee in Fantasy! “If you stare long enough into the darkness of the forest, eventually something will stare right back.”I’ve been looking for a good escapist fantasy I could really sink my teeth into. I’m not sure exactly how The Wolf and the Woodsman came up on my radar, but once I read the description I just knew I had to have it. I mean, just look at those comp titles— The Bear and the Nightingale, Spinning Silver?? As a debut??? I literally had no choice.Évike is everything you could want in a heroine. She’s an outsider in her pagan village, as the only girl who has grown up to have no powers. So when the feared Holy Order of the Woodsmen make an appearance, demanding the same familiar sacrifice of one “wolf-girl” from her community, it’s not a huge surprise that they don’t hesitate to offer Évike up to be taken. She’s bound and taken away to be presented to the king of Régország, who follows the Patrifaith, and eventually face a likely death.But nothing involving Évike ever seems to go as smoothly as it’s supposed to. The majority of their long journey back to the palace is through heavily wooded areas where all kinds of sinister creatures are known to roam. Further complicating matters, Évike meets Gáspár, who challenges what she believes she knows about the domineering religion in Régország. To survive, Évike will have to make sacrifices of her own, some more extreme than she could ever imagine, and face difficult truths about who she is and where she comes from.As present as magic is in this novel, religion plays just as significant a role. Though the names and customs are changed, you can feel the echos of real history’s power dynamics playing out in this fictional world. The Yehuli are representative of Jewish populations in Central/Eastern Europe, and the Patrifaith is the influence Christianity was exercising at the time. Pagan villages like Évike‘s also existed, much to the disdain of the expanding Christian empires. Though with her mixed Yehuli and pagan heritage, it’s up to her which parts of her identity she will hold on to and which she will discard completely. I have a bit of a soft spot for authors who have been told that their stories don’t belong. More often than not those stories in question feature characters that have been made to feel the same way. And I think a lot of us have held those feelings too, at one time or another. Évike is many things, but she starts as an outsider in her own community, and no matter where this story ends up taking her, that will always be a part of her identity. And the beautiful thing about Reid’s writing and fantasy in general is that you don’t have to be have the same cultural background as a character like Évike in order to identity with her.⁣ This is not a ‘clean’ fantasy where everything follows an easy formula. Expect a conflicted reading experience.I loved my time with this book. It’s equal parts mesmerizing and vicious, equipped with the full sting of an unforgiving world. There’s some dark and brutal elements, including body horror, violence and general gore, but Reid also creates a starkly beautiful setting, full of warmth and intricate world-building. My only regret is that it’s a standalone, the ending felt somewhat abrupt. But that may just be me wanting to see more of this world. Inspired by Jewish folklore and Hungarian history, by an author of the same heritage, The Wolf and the Woodsman is interwoven with magic, blood and betrayal. You’re not going to want to miss the chance to pick it up and read it for yourself.*Thanks to Harper Voyager for my finished copy!**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!

Before I begin my review, I would like to discuss some grievances I have with the publishers of this book. This has nothing to do with the author or book, as this is out of their control. I take issue with the poor distribution of ARCs to Jewish reviewers. This book was promoted heavily as a Jewish OwnVoices story, so it was disappointing to see so many gentile reviewers and an absence of Jewish voices. I am Jewish, and upon requesting this book months prior, I was declined, only to suddenly be approved the day before the book was published? This is a widespread problem in publishing, despite the rise in more diverse stories. OwnVoices reviewers should always be prioritized, but the opposite could be said for the distribution of this book.Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about this book! Because-- wow. This book was amazing.This book gave me everything I was promised, amazing Jewish folklore and even more amazing characters. This book was truly a character driven story. Though that's not to say the plot wasn't equally as engrossing. The world was complex, yet I felt like I could simply step into the world during the author's wonderful worldbuilding. This book truly is one of the most beautiful depictions of Jewish culture that I've ever seen. Reading about the Purim celebration felt like a warm hug.The main character was so complex, but I found myself resonating with her motivations and emotions throughout the story. None of these characters felt underdeveloped, each of their stories felt completely authentic. While the romance definitely takes a back burner in much of the story, that is not to say it isn't compelling. I really enjoyed the character's dynamics, and really felt like I got to know them through the author's writing.This book was nothing short of enthralling, and I have nothing but praise for the author.

This remains to be one of the best fantasy debuts of all time and one that i will return to time and time again. a full review is in order at some point

Before I begin my review, I would like to discuss some grievances I have with the publishers of this book. This has nothing to do with the author or book, as this is out of their control. I take issue with the poor distribution of ARCs to Jewish reviewers. This book was promoted heavily as a Jewish OwnVoices story, so it was disappointing to see so many gentile reviewers and an absence of Jewish voices. I am Jewish, and upon requesting this book months prior, I was declined, only to suddenly be approved the day before the book was published? This is a widespread problem in publishing, despite the rise in more diverse stories. OwnVoices reviewers should always be prioritized, but the opposite could be said for the distribution of this book.Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about this book! Because-- wow. This book was amazing.This book gave me everything I was promised, amazing Jewish folklore and even more amazing characters. This book was truly a character driven story. Though that's not to say the plot wasn't equally as engrossing. The world was complex, yet I felt like I could simply step into the world during the author's wonderful worldbuilding. This book truly is one of the most beautiful depictions of Jewish culture that I've ever seen. Reading about the Purim celebration felt like a warm hug.The main character was so complex, but I found myself resonating with her motivations and emotions throughout the story. None of these characters felt underdeveloped, each of their stories felt completely authentic. While the romance definitely takes a back burner in much of the story, that is not to say it isn't compelling. I really enjoyed the character's dynamics, and really felt like I got to know them through the author's writing.This book was nothing short of enthralling, and I have nothing but praise for the author.

take a shot every time gáspár kneelsrep: Hungarian-coded setting & cast, Hungarian-Ottoman-coded disabled li, Jewish-coded characters, sapphic side characterstw: magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, eye horror, gore, dismemberment, torture, antisemitism, ethnic cleansing, child abuse, animal death

full review hereI'm in pain. the way this book was so deeply Jewish hurt my heart. I feel like I've just read a love letter to Jewish culture and history. I absolutely fell in love with Évike and Gáspár, mean girl and soft boy of the month.I can't exactly why I'm writing this and crying at the same time. this book simply meant a lot to me, and finishing it seriously feels like saying goodbye to a part of myself. watch me reread it whenever I need to feel seen and loved.thank you so much Del Rey UK for sending me a review copy!

TW: gore, genocide, abuse & torture, antisemitismSuch a beautiful, heart-rendering book.It goes without saying, I truly loved The Wolf and the Woodsman, and I'll try to convey why in my brief review (with my health these days, it's difficult to write anything long and analytical, so I hope this will suffice). But the most important aspect is the representation, including Jewish representation, survival of abuse, and the honest depictions of persecution, oppression, and ethnic cleansing--all of which is integral to the world building. To miss that, I think, is to miss the point of the entire story.Aside from that, however, there's even more to love, particularly the hate to love romance, the atmospheric and lyrical writing, and the haunting / lovely / gory settings. I'll pause at the romance, because goodness me, it had me weak to the knees (if you've read that, you'll see what I did there hah). Our resident solemn prince and wolf girl are stuck together on a dangerous journey, are forced not only to share body heat, but to depend on and rescue each other more than once despite the difference in their beliefs and the very minor fact that she was supposed to be his captive. So. What isn't to swoon over?All of that combined with a riveting end, one I suspect will stick with you forever, and you have a new absolute must-read for 2021. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an early copy!(Do keep in mind that this is very much an adult book.)

Sometimes you read a book and feel as though you just don't have the words to adequately describe the ache of emotion it's left within you and the brand it's blazed across your soul. This is one of those books for me.First, I want explain just why I chose to pick this book up. It wasn't just that it's been likened to two of my personal favorites: The Bear and the Nightingale and The Witcher. Those comparisons surely fit. It wasn't just that it has a dark, woodsy fantasy setting, with a wild girl and a lost prince whose lives crash into each other and become irrevocably bound.No, it's because it tells the story of characters caught between the worlds they are tied to. This story is inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish folklore. I am the daughter of divorced parents, with a father whose family immigrated from Hungary several decades ago. I was raised in recognition of this, and to celebrate it, but never actually knew my father or the Hungarian side of my family. And for that, I ache, because despite having traditionally Hungarian names on my birth certificate, I know practically nothing about the culture or my family's history.In The Wolf and the Woodsman — with its rich and evocative fantasy setting — I found a connection to the fragments that compile Évike's soul and related so deeply to her journey of finding her worth and identity. Évike herself is half-pagan, half-Yehuli, caught in the grasp of a kingdom that feels no love for either of her peoples. Despite her pagan upbringing, she is barren of magic and shunned within her own village, where magic is coveted and revered. While I am not Jewish myself, I was enchanted by the weaving of Jewish folklore throughout this story. Seeing the Jewish representation through the Yehuli people was so powerful. These stories are severely underrepresented in literature, particularly genre fiction such as this, and I hope publishers will take note of how enriching it is to see these stories on the page. When the King's Woodsman come to take another girl for her magic, Évike is surrendered by her village with a lie, and she must pretend to be exactly what she's always desired to be. Except, amongst her captors she finds the disgraced, but true-born prince Gáspár, another soul caught between the worlds of his parents, and seeking redemption in the eyes of his people. Between each other, they develop a tenuous bargain that will prevent the shattering of their worlds and hope to bring peace to Régország. Of course, along they way they come to recognize the kindred pieces of their beings have become twined and their bargain grows into something much deeper and the burn is slow and oh is it good, folks. *wink*From page to page, it is clear how personal the telling of this story is for Reid and she captures it with her expressive and lyrical writing. Through her atmospheric storytelling, the reader is enfolded into a world where nothing is given without first taking, where even the trees themselves feel on the cusp of giving chase, and where the worst monsters live behind city walls and whisper prayers with reverent fervor. It should be noted that this story is squarely adult, with references to and depictions of gore, genocide and sex. The world Reid has crafted is as wild and vicious as it is magical and hauntingly beautiful. Hands down, this is one to savor as you read and one I won't soon forget. I look forward to reading more from Reid in the future and seeing this story in the hands of readers.Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I really, really enjoyed this book. What a masterpiece of lore. The author combines Jewish ethnoreligious culture and dark fantasy into an entrancing and fearful story. I think I will reread this book before writing my review. PLEASE BE ADVISED: this book is an adult fiction novel. NOOOOOTTTTT Young Adult fiction.TW: mutilation, body horror, violence.*** Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog ***The Wolf & The Woodsman by Ava ReidPublisher: Harper VoyagerPublication Date: June 8, 2021Rating: 5 starsSummary (from Goodreads):In the vein of Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestseller Spinning Silver and Katherine Arden’s national bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale, this unforgettable debut— inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology—follows a young pagan woman with hidden powers and a one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen as they form an unlikely alliance to thwart a tyrant.In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power, making her an outcast clearly abandoned by the gods. The villagers blame her corrupted bloodline—her father was a Yehuli man, one of the much-loathed servants of the fanatical king. When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a pagan girl for the king’s blood sacrifice, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered.But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman—he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Gáspár fears that his cruelly zealous brother plans to seize the throne and instigate a violent reign that would damn the pagans and the Yehuli alike. As the son of a reviled foreign queen, Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast, and he and Évike make a tenuous pact to stop his brother.As their mission takes them from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, their mutual loathing slowly turns to affection, bound by a shared history of alienation and oppression. However, trust can easily turn to betrayal, and as Évike reconnects with her estranged father and discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gáspár need to decide whose side they’re on, and what they’re willing to give up for a nation that never cared for them at all.What I Liked:You know that feeling when you see a book's cover, read the synopsis, and just KNOW that this will be something you'll love? I got that feeling when I heard about this book a year ago, and that feeling did not lead my astray. This story was absolutely exquisite. The Wolf & The Woodsman is an adult fantasy novel based on Jewish folklore and Hungarian history. There are many major themes in this book that the author explored, including cultural genocide, antisemitism, and ethnic cleansing. I want to note that I do not have Hungarian heritage and I am not Jewish, so I will not have the best perspective on certain aspects of the book. Nevertheless, I know how hard the author worked to put every ounce of herself, her culture, her religion, and her history into this book. As an "outsider", I can appreciate how well-written the story is, how fantastic the world-building is, and how powerful the messages are.Please note: there is body horror, abuse by elders, mutilation, torture, and other potential triggers in this story. This is the story of Évike, a woman without power in her small pagan village. She is despised by many in her village, and abused for her powerlessness, as well as her mixed heritage (her father is a Yehuli man). When the Woodsmen arrive to take another pagan girl with seer power, the villagers conspire to send Évike. Évike is taken to the nation's capital, where she must serve the king and his treasonous son. Gáspár, one of the Woodsmen charged with bringing Évike to the king, is the king's other son. He knows what it is like to be despised for who he is. Together, Évike and Gáspár must work together to to stop Gáspár's traitorous brother from overthrowing the king, slaughtering the Yehuli, and changing the landscape and the history of the nation forever.There is so much more to this story than what I briefly summarized. The magic system, the politics, the scheming, the romance... this standalone novel is filled with just about everything that makes a fantasy novel amazing. But it's even more than a "usual fantasy novel" - Reid makes this novel her own by weaving Jewish history, lore, and life into this book. This book parallels Hungarian history in the Yehuli's imminent expulsion from the capital, the blatant discrimination, the way they are used and discarded by the government. I need to reread this novel to analyze and engulf myself in the political machinations and the Yehuli trials - Reid has written these aspects so, so well, and with such power and purpose.I do want to talk about the romance - I love a good slowburn, hate to love romance. Évike is a feisty, hurt, tough young woman, and Gáspár is a quiet, hurt, tough young man. They should be on opposite sides of the war, with Évike being a pagan "wolf-girl" of mixed heritage, and Gáspár being a royal prince of mixed heritage. But they are like fire and ice or a moth and a flame - they are magnetic, and I love this pairing. I love Évike's headstrong quality and Gáspár's quiet, less assertive nature. Such a sweet, yet volatile romance!Évike isn't just a strong young woman - she's a fighter and a survivor. She has been abused by her village and her Yehuli family doesn't know she exists. She's tired, hurt, and broken down, but she is a fighter. She takes matters into her own hands - particularly her "powerlessness". Here is where the body horror aspect comes into play - I won't say much more than that. Évike wasn't just on a journey to the capital, or a journey to find this fantastical magical creature - she was on a journey that led to her discovering more about her Yehuli heritage. I really appreciate Reid's commentary on heritage, and the diaspora.This novel is a standalone, and the story feels very full and complete by the time I reached the end. I would love to read more books in this universe, but I feel as though Évike and Gáspár's "chapter" is over. The ending is one that I enjoyed - no spoilers, of course! The author wraps up all the loose ends but also leaves the future slightly open... I wouldn't mind seeing Évike and Gáspár make cameo appearances in companion novels set within the same universe. If that is something that the author is considering!I truly enjoyed this wonderful, powerful, thought-provoking novel. The cover is gorgeous and so is the beautiful story!What I Did Not Like:I can't think of anything I did not like! Perhaps that the story pacing dragged a little in the middle, but I also read this book over several days, so keep that in mind. The pacing overall is very engaging, but I hit a snag in the middle. But things pick up quickly in the capital! You'll have to read the book to know what I mean. Would I Recommend It:I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy novels. This is NOT a fairy tale retelling - don't be fooled. This IS an adult fiction novel though, so don't confuse this book with Young Adult (YA) novels. The book can be read by YA readers, but the content of the book is certainly meant for adults. (Graphic violence, sexual content, etc.) Rating:5 stars. Thank you so much to the publishing team for letting me read this book ahead of the publication. I have been lending my early copy to friends and family and screaming about this book on social media. I have been struggling to read anything in the last year (oh, pandemic), but this book was exactly what I needed - immersive, intriguing, and thought-provoking. I can't wait to read more by Ava Reid!

"I won't believe you, unless you kneel."Such a good debut, not perfect by any means but I was glued to the book from the very first page.The atmosphere was fantastic, the woods and the city felt like real places and Ava accomplished that without writing the typical boring descriptions that are long just for the sake of being long.The entire storyline revolving around Évike and her father? Amazing. I could actually feel how much our protagonist was yearning for that bond and seeing her father embracing her instead of turning her away was so good to read.The romance - which isn't the main focus of the book, the title and the summary are kinda misleading - was a full of angst enemies to lovers (= my all time favorite trope). Take a look at that quote on the top and swoon with me. I enjoyed it so much, my only complaint is that the problems between Évike and Gáspár were resolved a bit too quickly in their 'main scene' and I don't get why the ending was kinda open.Another thing that I didn't like was how rushed the ending was. The final battle was good - a bit confusing but good - but when I turned the page and read 'epilogue' I immediately felt like there was something missing there... the entire book was so well paced but the last 10% was meh.I also think that the book would have been better with a dual pov, in some parts Gáspár's pov would have helped us understand him way better. It would have also been interesting seeing him interact with his family.

The cover of this book is gorgeous. But I think it does the book a disservice. From the colorful and playful cover, you might assume (like I did) that this book is YA. That this book is going to be Fun over anything else. That when you read the blurb, it means that this is going to be a heart-racing enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance. And it isn't quite any of those things. So you may join the many unsatisfied customers that have read this book and left wanting. It does, in fact, have an enemies-to-lovers romance. But, like everything else in the novel, the pacing is sometimes maddeningly circuitous. It's always two steps forward and one step back. This book is about communities and prejudice. This book is about religion and power and philosophy. This book is about accepting other viewpoints and peoples, while finding something to fight for in your own. It's about the power of folktales. I loved it. But, I was already interested in the concepts of religious cultures and philosophies. This book may not work for the people who think that sounds boring.

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/I loved this book! Every once in a while you stumble upon a special kind of story that completely transports you to a different world. I almost felt like I was living in the book with the characters while I read this amazing story. I cared about the characters and wanted to see things work out for them. I found the book impossible to set aside once I started reading and thoroughly enjoyed the entire reading experience.Évike lives in a pagan village where the women all have some kind of power, all of the women except for Évike. The Woodsmen come every few years to claim a girl for the king’s sacrifice and the village sends Évike despite her lack of power. She has already lost her mother to the Woodsmen and feels very betrayed to be sent to her death by her village. Things don’t go well on the journey to the capital and Évike is alone with only a one-eyed Woodsman who is so much more than he seems. Gáspár is the rightful heir to the throne and is facing his own set of challenges.I loved the way that this story is told. It was a dark fantasy filled with vivid imagery. Évike and Gáspár get to know each other and learn about each other’s world through the stories that they share. Évike has a lifetime of stories that she has heard time and time again growing up in her pagan village. I loved experiencing the lore of her community through these stories and it was great how they were relevant to the things they were experiencing. Gáspár had his own stories to tell. I loved the connection that these two form during the time that they spend together.Once they make it to the capital, things heat up and there were quite a few surprises. I loved getting the chance to see how some people lived within the city. I also thought that the politics of the city added a lot to the story and there were some pretty big surprises along the way. I had no idea how Évike and Gáspár would successfully navigate all of the obstacles being placed in their path.I would highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy. I should probably note that this is an adult fantasy with a fair amount of violence and sexual content. I found this book to be incredibly well-written and filled with plenty of excitement and even a bit of romance. I will be first in line to read more of Ava Reid’s work in the future.I received an advance review copy of this book from Harper Voyager.Initial ThoughtsThis was incredible!

INJECT THIS BOOK INTO MY VEINS SO I CAN BASK IN ITS GLORY 24/7.