Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf (Wolf By Wolf #1) by Ryan Graudin

Rating: 5/5 stars

My Thoughts:

Wow, this book was a sleeper. I had never heard of Wolf by Wolf until I was watching a random booktuber video and they mentioned it. This book took me by surprise by how amazing it turned out to be.

“These were the names she whispered in the dark.
These were the pieces she brought back into place.
These were the wolves she rode to war.”

Mixed with an action-packed plot of a cross Europe motorcycle race mixed with a revolution waiting to happen, it was hard to stop reading. This book not only has the most unique setting and premise I’ve ever read, it was also horrifying to think about. The Axis powers winning World War II and the beyond storm of crap that comes from that. Truly scary but that is one of my favorite things about alternate history- what could have possibly been.

This book really made me think about what-ifs. What if Hitler had won? What if he was allowed to continue his rein of terror? What if the human experiments in concentration camps kept on, creating people with the ability to change their faces? While fascinating to read about, I’m quite glad none of this happened to be reality.

“Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled up her arm. A whole pack of them–made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that ever stayed the same.”

The main character, Yael was amazing. She was strong, brave, but also had a lot of inner struggle of identity and of course remembering those she lost. Imagine if the ability to change your face was forced upon you through pain. Imagine not remember your original face and not knowing yourself. Who would you even be? Her journey through the race, dealing with the other racers and the morality of taking a life and doing what she had to do, was great. Also her every interaction with the fellow racer Luka, was complex and interesting.

“The wolves of war are gathering. They sing a song of rotten bones.”

The ending shocked me and while I might have enjoyed a bit more of the resistance side, I am super excited for the sequel. I just can’t do this book justice in the form of a review but trust me when I say this, this book is worth all the 5 stars I can give it and more.

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