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thecaptainsquarters 's review for:
When the Wolf Comes Home
by Nat Cassidy
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ahoy there me mateys! I first tried the author's nestlings and didn't finish it but I wanted to give his work another chance. This new book sounded so interesting. A young woman named Jess finds a five-year old boy near her apartment. He is terrified of his father finding him. Soon the father arrives to take back the boy. Then a wolf creature ends up slaughtering the entire apartment complex. Jess and the boy go on the run trying to keep ahead of the father. Jess is also trying to figure out why the FBI is involved and what is the true nature of creature is. Why is it determined to get the boy?
This was a very evocative read. I was sympathetic to Jess who didn't ask for her life to go insane, to be on the run, and to deal with a five-year old and his mysteries. She wants to do the right thing but it is hard and scary and Jess continuously wants the boy to be someone else's problem. I loved Jess's mom Cookie and their loving if irregular relationship. I appreciated Jess's negative relationship with her own father, her conflicted opinions, and how they influenced the story.
As for the boy, everything about him was fascinating and sad. His attachment to a book he got from a Little Free Library was heart wrenching. He has grown up isolated and terrified of his father. I thought how his situation was introduced was completely effective and sobering. I was rooting for him. He is such a sympathetic character.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It is bloody and gory. There are some seemingly silly moments involving Who Framed Roger Rabbit or merchandise at Target that quickly becomes horrifying. There is a feel of Dean Koontz's themes of young scared boy, special powers of a child, and monsters early on in the book which continue throughout. The excellent author's note expands on these influences and other themes.
The only real negative for me was the ending. At the 85% mark, I was a little less interested in how the plot was unfolding. I didn't mind the unhappy ending as the foreword warned. It made perfect sense given the context of the novel. I was, however, not impressed by Jess's ending. Personal preference as most of the crew loved it.
I am glad I gave the author's work another chance and will read more of his work. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very evocative read. I was sympathetic to Jess who didn't ask for her life to go insane, to be on the run, and to deal with a five-year old and his mysteries. She wants to do the right thing but it is hard and scary and Jess continuously wants the boy to be someone else's problem. I loved Jess's mom Cookie and their loving if irregular relationship. I appreciated Jess's negative relationship with her own father, her conflicted opinions, and how they influenced the story.
As for the boy, everything about him was fascinating and sad. His attachment to a book he got from a Little Free Library was heart wrenching. He has grown up isolated and terrified of his father. I thought how his situation was introduced was completely effective and sobering. I was rooting for him. He is such a sympathetic character.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It is bloody and gory. There are some seemingly silly moments involving Who Framed Roger Rabbit or merchandise at Target that quickly becomes horrifying. There is a feel of Dean Koontz's themes of young scared boy, special powers of a child, and monsters early on in the book which continue throughout. The excellent author's note expands on these influences and other themes.
The only real negative for me was the ending. At the 85% mark, I was a little less interested in how the plot was unfolding. I didn't mind the unhappy ending as the foreword warned. It made perfect sense given the context of the novel. I was, however, not impressed by Jess's ending. Personal preference as most of the crew loved it.
I am glad I gave the author's work another chance and will read more of his work. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.