DNF. I don't remember which page since I already returned it to the library. Honestly, I just got bored with it and it just wasn't that interesting.

Literary Merit: Excellent
Characterization: Excellent
Recommended: Yes
Level: High School

I committed the cardinal sin of readers everywhere: I picked this book based solely on the cool cover. As luck would have it, however, it turned out to be a fantastic book, delving into Polish folklore and asking profound questions about what makes one human and what makes one monstrous. While I'll admit I know very little about Polish folklore, and therefore can't attest to its accuracy, this book took me on a fantastic journey that I won't soon forget.

Don't Call the Wolf follows the stories of two pivotal characters. Lucasz Smokowi is the last of a long line of monster hunters known as Wolf-Lords, all of whom have died in their attempts to slay the mighty Golden Dragon that plagues their world. Ren, on the other hand, has known nothing but the wilds of the forest her entire life. Raised by lynxes, Ren has the ability to become a lynx herself, and has become the self-appointed queen of the forest. When their paths cross unexpectedly by a river one night, the two make a bargain: Ren will lead Lucasz back to his long-lost brother Franciszek if he will kill the Golden Dragon once and for all. Joined by both humans and creatures of the forest, Lucasz and Ren embark on an epic journey that will change their lives forever.

As I said before, I know very little about Polish folklore, though I definitely recognized Baba Jaga and her hut on chicken legs. At first, I thought all of the names and references were Russian, until looking in the back of the book to find Polish pronunciations for all of the words. While there wasn't a map to help me orient myself, I definitely appreciated the pronunciation guide, as many of these words and names were extremely difficult to pronounce. I wouldn't have minded a guide to which creature was which either, but there were thankfully enough context clues within the book that I made do without one.

First and foremost, my favorite part of this book was the romance. Unlike the last book I read, where the romance felt very forced, this one was well-paced and believable. This surprised me, as the last romance I read was realistic fiction, while this one is decidedly based heavily in fantasy and folklore. Despite this, the chemistry between Lucasz and Ren felt very real, and I found myself rooting for them and hoping they'd work out their differences in the end. Both Lucasz and Ren have struggled in the past to find somewhere they belong, and both have been referred to as either animals or monsters in some sense of the word. Because of this, they already have a great deal in common as the novel begins, and they slowly begin to learn more and more about one another as the story progresses. Their relationship develops very naturally, with stumbling blocks and setbacks along the way to make things feel more authentic. I always appreciate a good love story in my YA, and I think this one was very well done.

Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the commentary on humanity. Ren begins the novel hating all humans for their cruelty and wanton destruction of nature and themselves, but slowly realizes as the story progresses that things aren't so black and white. I'll admit that, while I'm a human myself, I've often felt the same way about humanity as Ren. As she meets kind souls like Felka (who is one of my favorite characters, by the way) and Jakub, Ren's perception begins to change. In the end, when Lucasz and Ren stumble across Baba Jaga's hut, Ren finds herself pleading for the humans she has come to love, insisting that they are just as capable of love as they are of cruelty. This is an important message, especially for those who (like me) might have become jaded by seeing the absolute worst humanity has to offer in the past. I also just liked the nuance, as there really isn't one particular villain or antagonist in this story; the reality of the situation is much more gray.

My only real complaint with this book is how quickly things are resolved at the end. The pacing seems great as the story progresses, but in the last few chapters a LOT of plot happens in not many pages. Once Lucasz and Ren reach the mountain, all hell breaks loose, and a lot of exposition has to be shared extremely quickly. Weirdly, the last few chapters change the story from a group of misfits on a quest to a lost kingdom full of snobbish nobles. [SPOILERS AHEAD] Once the king and queen are introduced and the Golden Dragon is revealed to be an ally, things move at a lightning speed, and it suddenly becomes more about where the characters are going to get married and who is going to rule what. While it doesn't change my opinion of the book overall, it was a little jarring transitioning from this fierce queen of the forest and her band of interesting characters to a princess fighting her parents over where she's going to get married. It took me out of the plot a little bit, but not enough to hinder my review.

Lastly, I'd like to praise Ross for actually adding stakes and consequences to the novel, as it's extremely easy to wrap things up in a neat little bow with no real deaths or sacrifices. Not only does Ren lose her brother Rys, but two other characters die throughout the course of the novel. While Ren somehow lives after being shot (I'm still not quite sure how, as the book didn't explain it well), the book builds suspense by showing the reader that nobody is entirely safe. While it's heartbreaking to see good characters die, I think this is important for setting the reader on edge, as we have no idea who is going to make it out in the end. As a retold fairy tale, this could have easily devolved into "and they all lived happily ever after," but I appreciate the author for taking a darker route.

Overall, I'd have to say this was a really fun read. The tone is very dark and gritty, and feels very much like an old Grimms fairy tale written for the modern world. The characters are layered and complex, the story is suspenseful, and the book is full of references to Eastern European mythology. I would highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy, especially those who enjoy traditional folklore and fairy tale retellings. I've seen my fair share of fairy tale YA, but this one stood out to me as being both dark and unique. In this case, at least, choosing a book by its cover proved to be a successful gamble, and I can't wait to see what this author does next. ( )

This is not only a labor of love (read the acknowledgements in the back), but an incredibly rich and complex story. It is perfect for readers who love their fantasy a bit dark, aren't bothered by violence and who like unusual protagonists. This has all of that and much more, including a nice twist near the end and varied types of redemption for survivors. A nice look at the different sides of humanity and what constitutes redemption, with a bit of magic thrown in. Definitely worth adding to any library. ( )

What happens when you combine Polish folklore with a story about a monster hunter, a princess who may or may not be a monster herself, and an entire forest filled with monsters? You get Don't Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross. I call it awesome.

Ms. Ross's world is rich and vibrant with fabulous characters and even better monsters. Lukasz is your typical moody monster hunter, but he has a good reason to be moody given that he is the last of his line and has to deal with the emotional fallout of losing his nine brothers. Ren is such a complex character, innocent but fierce, and tormented by her past as well as her ideas of what constitutes a monster. Together, they make fabulous foils, learning hard truths from one another that gives them great depths of character and makes them more human in the process.

All of Don't Call the Wolf is an exercise in exploring certain ideas. For example, what makes something evil versus good? Ms. Ross also explores innocence versus experience, definitions of home and family, and betrayal versus forgiveness. Combine that into a novel set into a forest where pretty much every step sees our cast of characters encounter yet another deadly myth, and it makes for some pretty compelling reading.

Don't Call the Wolf is a dark story, bloody and sometimes a bit more philosophical than one would expect in a young adult novel. As Ms. Ross heavily utilizes her Polish heritage throughout the story, such foreboding matter makes sense, as does the sense of hope that suffuses the story. After all, when your culture spends centuries being conquered by others, sometimes all you have is hope to get you through the terrible times. ( )