The Wolf

by Amanda Grihm

Sarissa travels back through time in order to understand and identify the one event that devastated and changed the course of her life. In Sarissa’s universe, an axis world is a fusing point, or the gateway, between human and animal species. It is a place where animal and human are independent and interdependent. They are equal and one with nature. Sarissa wakes up in an axis world where she is comfortable, powerful, confident, and completely in control, unlike her existence in this world where she is weak, easily intimidated and scared most of the time. Sarissa’s first challenge comes from a strange human who emerges from the woods and appears to threaten her existence. Sarissa embraces her animal instincts and transforms into a forbidding, gigantic snake that matches and surpasses the power of the stranger. With her first taste of blood, Sarissa evolves from the snake into a power wolf. As a wolf, Sarissa experiences power with every step and she runs, swiftly toward her new life. Sarissa is ready to meet the challenges of life, powerful enough to live as she pleases, and anxious to get home. In this world, Sarissa’s home is anywhere she chooses. With a cheating husband who plots to kill her, a greedy professor who wants to fire her because she dismisses his advances, and two lunatics recently released from a mental hospital trying to join her modeling troupe at the urging of her husband's mistress, Sarissa has more than enough challenges to keep her on her toes. Anaghia, Sarissa's Alfa wolf and ancestor comes to her rescue and introduces her to her wolf. Without the wolf, Sarissa would have lost her soul and her mind…both would have been unrecoverable. The impinging dangers that besieged Sarissa could have created a tear in Sarissa’s mind.

349 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Grihm is a superb storyteller. She drew me into this tale from the first page and kept my attention until the very end. Grihm has entered into a new arena for the literary world as she blends truth with fiction. The characters are revealing such emotional detail, you either fall deeply in love or hate them immensely. The story includes time travel, human to animal transformation, personal emotional devastation, and much more. Let me step back and give you a synopsis of the storyline.

Sarissa first encounters the wolf in a dream. The wolf protects her from an approaching man whom she senses will do her harm. A series of strange events link the past to the present and Sarissa realizes that she is not content with how she is living. Her passion is directing a modeling troupe called, the Panche Models. During one of the weekly auditions, Anaghia her ancestor and spiritual interpreter, physically joins Sarissa in this mystical voyage. After Sarissa's first transformation into the Wolf, her senses are enhanced and creativity sparked. Sarissa realizes that her husband is unfaithful, her co-worker is mentally unstable, and friends are out to end her life. Then Anaghia takes Sarissa back in time to interpret an recurring dream that will uncover the purpose of why things are they way they are.

Grihm writes in a genre of her own. She connects romance to science fiction, touches on various cultures, and adds in the strength and depth of feminism. While reading The Wolf, I kept asking myself is this truth or fiction, because of the vivid pictures the words painted in my head. I guess it is what Grihm meant when she noted, "this is a work of fiction based on truth." If you are looking for a read out of the ordinary, this jewel is for you. Grihm, I'm ready for the sequel.