Hear the Wolves

by Victoria Scott

[bookishzelda]

Hear the Wolves is another captivating tale told by Victoria Scott. I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading. The characters, the wolves and the fight for survival are all addictive elements in this story.

The main character Sloan is struggling with anxiety of being alone. After her mother left her alone to run off and Sloan got lost in the woods chasing her. She has trouble not keeping someone in her sights. In order for her to get over her fear, her father and sister leave her behind. Unaware of the events that are put into motion by the blizzard that ransacks their small town. After finding other people who stayed/were left behind, they have to make the journey to the town of Vernon in order to find a doctor for someone severely injured. I really loved Sloan, she is strong but also has lots of insecurities. It’s not just her anxiety that holds her back but the fact that she is missing a certain pizazz. She learns along the way that being “smart” and “brave” are actually broad terms that can be interrupted in many ways.

I loved the misfit crew that forms on the way to Vernon. Each character had their own part to play in the story. There are definitely some heartbreaking moments and I’m not just talking about the loss. Each character exposes a piece of themselves as they are going along. I think each character has to face themselves in the mirror of the others.

You can really tell that Victoria researched the habits of wolves. I liked how information about them was spread out throughout the book. One character would mention something they know here another there. So it wasn’t info dumping about wolves but interesting to get the next tidbit. I like the emphasise that wolves are not dogs. Of course I also like to emphasize dogs are still animals (I’ve had my face bitten off by one, literally). I think people sometimes have the misconception that they can be tamed. At the zoo where I live they have a sensory room. My son was really interested in wolves because of Twilight Princess (Hey Zelda can teach you many things) so we went into the room. They make it pitch black and then all you hear is the wolves howling all around you. It’s pretty freaky. I thought about it many times while reading this.

I absolutely loved Hear the Wolves. I felt like the characters, writing, pacing and everything was spot on. The minute you pick it up you can’t put it down.