jessica’s review of For the Wolf (Wilderwood, #1) > Likes and Comments
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10000% agree! Also, I felt no real connection to the characters
I thought people were finally bored of Beauty and the Beast retellings but somehow they just keep coming.
haley - i totally get that! so glad im not the only one who had some disconnect with this.
irina - right!? but i think as long as there are people like me who will continue to read it, the trend is here to stay. lol.
Personally I thought the blood magic was way too much. It was super graphic and unnecessary in my opinion
i completely understand that. while i didnt personally find it too graphic, i did find it unnecessary, especially when they are capable of magic without blood. it didnt make sense to me.
I felt the same way. DNFed 50 pages in
oh no. sorry this one didnt work out for you. :( i hope your next read is 5 stars!
I really agree with the sentiment that she didn’t really have a direction for the story. I also really felt like she romanticized self-harm, especially, when the characters were like “let me bleed for you” or some ish like that. Just made me cringe.
you know what, i didnt even think about it like that. i was just confused as to why blood magic is preferable to non-blood magic, as its never really explained, so my main issue was with the lack of world-building. but youre totally right! that kind of romanticising is actually pretty problematic.
Just chiming in for a second, it actually was explained quite vividly (unless I'm misunderstanding you). Using magic took a toll by changing the person who was wielding it, taking the human parts of them and replacing those with however Wilderwood manifested. Using blood didn't have the same effect. It didn't strip one of their human nature as drastically and quickly. Beside, not everyone could use magic, think Lyra and Fife. So they compromised by feeding the forest the only way that didn't quite let the forest consume them.
Hope it makes sense!
Same. Definitely thought it was going to be a Red Riding Hood retelling and was confused and frustrated with the world building. Think I’ll pass on the next in the series.
Agree big time with your point about the world building. It felt lacking, somehow
I have to agree with you on the world building, too many mentions of the same imagery over and over, yet had such potential. I'm biased, but please check out beauty and the beast retelling: Shattered Roses.
Accurate! It’s so confusing and muddled and ominous. Every time Red has a conversation with someone, I think, “Finally, a chance for some clarity!” since it’s her POV and she knows next to nothing about the woods. But no, even the dialogue is obscure! There are no straightforward answers, and I think “eventually, eventually, we will receive some clarity.” I’m 300+ pages in and it’s all just as muddled as it was in the beginning.
Kayla wrote: "Accurate! It’s so confusing and muddled and ominous. Every time Red has a conversation with someone, I think, “Finally, a chance for some clarity!” since it’s her POV and she knows next to nothing ..."
Yes, I am glad I was not the only person to think so. It's muddled and there is no clarity, and that may stem from the author not knowing themselves. And not being guided by any editor to go back and provide and think about a little more detail in places.
I feel so vindicated in my confusion and apathy towards this world!
You nailed it. I just don’t understand any of it. Just a few sentences to explain anything - Wilderwood, the magic, the history, anything would have helped. I want to care, but I’m more than half way through and I’m forcing myself to finish. I so wanted to love this!
Yes!! I struggled because I needed to understand and the understanding never came.
I'm captivated by the story, but also confused by the lack of explanation. When Red first met Fife and Lyra, I thought the first thing she would have said to them was, "where did you come from?" or something along those lines, since there was no mention of them in the stories/myth she was taught. Why did the kings go into the woods 50 years (or whatever the length of time was) after Gaya? I'm only just over 200 pages in, and going there may be more explanation, but from the comments here, I'm guessing not.
Agree. I felt like she had this huge world in her brain she just assumed we could see too... But we couldn't because she didn't explain it.
Hey there! Any recs for a beauty and the beast retelling that you loved?
Wish it was more of a red riding hood retelling rather than a B&B retelling…. There are too many of these retellings rn
You hit the mail on the head for me! I couldn’t help but feel confused. I thought it was OK. The first half was so hard to get through but the end made up for it.
I started reading it and stopped. I just didn’t like it, maybe because I’d assumed it would be LRRH rather than B&B.
I loved this book and I thought she explained everything as the book went on and you understand who the five kings are because it’s their story within the first few pages? The five kings went after Gaya because she was betrothed to solmir but gaya and Ciaran already made their bargain with the wilder wood to give them shelter from the kings to live happily together and their bargain was to bring the wilder wood their blood to keep it alive, so the wilder wood trapped the 5 kings in the shadowlands to protect them. The wolf is bound to the wilder wood because he’s the son of the bargainers so he’s like the next in line to provide for the wilder wood. I don’t think anyone knows what build the wilder wood tho and that’s the mystery of it
I literally understood half and by the end I was forcing myself to finish cause I was soo confused
I’m a couple hundred pages in and forcing myself to read. I hate giving up but the world building is terrible the characters are one dimensional, and there has been zero answers or explanations it’s confusing in a bad way.
This is exactly my opinion, too. The concept was interesting, but wayyy too confusing. The poor execution took away from the magic of the story and, at the end of the book, I was left more puzzled than satisfied.
I 100% agree i thought i was just missing something but truly i was so confused the whole time and the MCs were so boring - like the wolf never said more than 3 words - she barely talked to anyone but then made it seem like she had this great friendship with Lyra 😐 and then next thing you know theyre in love like what?! He saved you twice and all the sudden yall are Obsessed and in love it was so strange and awkward
I’m on page 36 and it’s so hard to read - I’m so tired of the extensive details of how the branches in the woods move and the sounds they make. Like, we get it.
Your answers are in the book.☺️ To be honest, I don't know where you get the comparison with the fairy tale from because I don't have those vibes at all.
I am now reading the second part and there you will also find many answers. The second part is better written than the first.
Thanks Jessica. I DNF after about a half a centimeter thickness of pages. I kept thinking "I've read this before, and it was better written." So many things described as splinters or shards...
I’m not convinced you read the book. Fair enough to say it has hints of a beauty and the beast tale. But all of the questions you have about the world building are definitely answered in the book, very directly too. I even felt it was over explained at times, finding myself feeling like “okay we get it” but there was no point at which I found the story confusing…
I kept thinking that this book reminded me of beauty and the beast but I really thought it was a little red riding retelling throughout the whole book. The fact that the comment section can’t tell either way indicates that the book/plot was a bit confusing. I’d love to hear a clarification from the author as I feel it would be interesting
Oooooh myyyy goshhh!! Nooooo you guys!! It’s such a captivating book! The answers are all in the book itslef, though she uses some uncommon words sometimes, if you take time to understand you’ll see how great she is!! What!!! Am I the only one seeing this?!!!
This is exactly what I thought! Also cause for more than a half of the book nothing happens really, I mean just these two in this wood cutting their veins again and again. I found more interesting the parts with Neve and the Court intrigues, even if many thing weren't clear here either
this is exaaactlyyyyy what i thought! yes there are answers but they’re so repetitive and confusing that im left just as confused even as the “answer” is shoved several times into my face. loved the concept of the book so much but just struggled to enjoy it given the execution. i’m sort of hoping the author will improve writing style and tie things up nicely in the second book but not sure i’ll make it through given how painful this first book has been. (also, i just want to say, the commenters replying to this review saying yes there are answers are so obnoxious and unnecessary 😒)
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Haleyyy
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Sep 06, 2021 07:49PM
10000% agree! Also, I felt no real connection to the characters
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I thought people were finally bored of Beauty and the Beast retellings but somehow they just keep coming.
haley - i totally get that! so glad im not the only one who had some disconnect with this. irina - right!? but i think as long as there are people like me who will continue to read it, the trend is here to stay. lol.
Personally I thought the blood magic was way too much. It was super graphic and unnecessary in my opinion
i completely understand that. while i didnt personally find it too graphic, i did find it unnecessary, especially when they are capable of magic without blood. it didnt make sense to me.
I felt the same way. DNFed 50 pages in
oh no. sorry this one didnt work out for you. :( i hope your next read is 5 stars!
I really agree with the sentiment that she didn’t really have a direction for the story. I also really felt like she romanticized self-harm, especially, when the characters were like “let me bleed for you” or some ish like that. Just made me cringe.
you know what, i didnt even think about it like that. i was just confused as to why blood magic is preferable to non-blood magic, as its never really explained, so my main issue was with the lack of world-building. but youre totally right! that kind of romanticising is actually pretty problematic.
Just chiming in for a second, it actually was explained quite vividly (unless I'm misunderstanding you). Using magic took a toll by changing the person who was wielding it, taking the human parts of them and replacing those with however Wilderwood manifested. Using blood didn't have the same effect. It didn't strip one of their human nature as drastically and quickly. Beside, not everyone could use magic, think Lyra and Fife. So they compromised by feeding the forest the only way that didn't quite let the forest consume them.Hope it makes sense!
Same. Definitely thought it was going to be a Red Riding Hood retelling and was confused and frustrated with the world building. Think I’ll pass on the next in the series.
Agree big time with your point about the world building. It felt lacking, somehow
I have to agree with you on the world building, too many mentions of the same imagery over and over, yet had such potential. I'm biased, but please check out beauty and the beast retelling: Shattered Roses.
Accurate! It’s so confusing and muddled and ominous. Every time Red has a conversation with someone, I think, “Finally, a chance for some clarity!” since it’s her POV and she knows next to nothing about the woods. But no, even the dialogue is obscure! There are no straightforward answers, and I think “eventually, eventually, we will receive some clarity.” I’m 300+ pages in and it’s all just as muddled as it was in the beginning.
Kayla wrote: "Accurate! It’s so confusing and muddled and ominous. Every time Red has a conversation with someone, I think, “Finally, a chance for some clarity!” since it’s her POV and she knows next to nothing ..."Yes, I am glad I was not the only person to think so. It's muddled and there is no clarity, and that may stem from the author not knowing themselves. And not being guided by any editor to go back and provide and think about a little more detail in places.
I feel so vindicated in my confusion and apathy towards this world!
You nailed it. I just don’t understand any of it. Just a few sentences to explain anything - Wilderwood, the magic, the history, anything would have helped. I want to care, but I’m more than half way through and I’m forcing myself to finish. I so wanted to love this!
Yes!! I struggled because I needed to understand and the understanding never came.
I'm captivated by the story, but also confused by the lack of explanation. When Red first met Fife and Lyra, I thought the first thing she would have said to them was, "where did you come from?" or something along those lines, since there was no mention of them in the stories/myth she was taught. Why did the kings go into the woods 50 years (or whatever the length of time was) after Gaya? I'm only just over 200 pages in, and going there may be more explanation, but from the comments here, I'm guessing not.
Agree. I felt like she had this huge world in her brain she just assumed we could see too... But we couldn't because she didn't explain it.
Hey there! Any recs for a beauty and the beast retelling that you loved?
Wish it was more of a red riding hood retelling rather than a B&B retelling…. There are too many of these retellings rn
You hit the mail on the head for me! I couldn’t help but feel confused. I thought it was OK. The first half was so hard to get through but the end made up for it.
I started reading it and stopped. I just didn’t like it, maybe because I’d assumed it would be LRRH rather than B&B.
I loved this book and I thought she explained everything as the book went on and you understand who the five kings are because it’s their story within the first few pages? The five kings went after Gaya because she was betrothed to solmir but gaya and Ciaran already made their bargain with the wilder wood to give them shelter from the kings to live happily together and their bargain was to bring the wilder wood their blood to keep it alive, so the wilder wood trapped the 5 kings in the shadowlands to protect them. The wolf is bound to the wilder wood because he’s the son of the bargainers so he’s like the next in line to provide for the wilder wood. I don’t think anyone knows what build the wilder wood tho and that’s the mystery of it
I literally understood half and by the end I was forcing myself to finish cause I was soo confused
I’m a couple hundred pages in and forcing myself to read. I hate giving up but the world building is terrible the characters are one dimensional, and there has been zero answers or explanations it’s confusing in a bad way.
This is exactly my opinion, too. The concept was interesting, but wayyy too confusing. The poor execution took away from the magic of the story and, at the end of the book, I was left more puzzled than satisfied.
I 100% agree i thought i was just missing something but truly i was so confused the whole time and the MCs were so boring - like the wolf never said more than 3 words - she barely talked to anyone but then made it seem like she had this great friendship with Lyra 😐 and then next thing you know theyre in love like what?! He saved you twice and all the sudden yall are Obsessed and in love it was so strange and awkward
I’m on page 36 and it’s so hard to read - I’m so tired of the extensive details of how the branches in the woods move and the sounds they make. Like, we get it.
Your answers are in the book.☺️ To be honest, I don't know where you get the comparison with the fairy tale from because I don't have those vibes at all. I am now reading the second part and there you will also find many answers. The second part is better written than the first.
Thanks Jessica. I DNF after about a half a centimeter thickness of pages. I kept thinking "I've read this before, and it was better written." So many things described as splinters or shards...
I’m not convinced you read the book. Fair enough to say it has hints of a beauty and the beast tale. But all of the questions you have about the world building are definitely answered in the book, very directly too. I even felt it was over explained at times, finding myself feeling like “okay we get it” but there was no point at which I found the story confusing…
I kept thinking that this book reminded me of beauty and the beast but I really thought it was a little red riding retelling throughout the whole book. The fact that the comment section can’t tell either way indicates that the book/plot was a bit confusing. I’d love to hear a clarification from the author as I feel it would be interesting
Oooooh myyyy goshhh!! Nooooo you guys!! It’s such a captivating book! The answers are all in the book itslef, though she uses some uncommon words sometimes, if you take time to understand you’ll see how great she is!! What!!! Am I the only one seeing this?!!!
This is exactly what I thought! Also cause for more than a half of the book nothing happens really, I mean just these two in this wood cutting their veins again and again. I found more interesting the parts with Neve and the Court intrigues, even if many thing weren't clear here either
this is exaaactlyyyyy what i thought! yes there are answers but they’re so repetitive and confusing that im left just as confused even as the “answer” is shoved several times into my face. loved the concept of the book so much but just struggled to enjoy it given the execution. i’m sort of hoping the author will improve writing style and tie things up nicely in the second book but not sure i’ll make it through given how painful this first book has been. (also, i just want to say, the commenters replying to this review saying yes there are answers are so obnoxious and unnecessary 😒)