Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

Red Wolf

by Rachel Vincent

Powerful and compelling, this high-stakes, feminist reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Meagan Spooner.

For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember, the village of Oakvale has been surrounded by the dark wood—a forest filled with terrible monsters. A forest that light itself cannot penetrate.

Unlike her fellow villagers, Adele cannot avoid the dark wood.

Adele is one of a long line of guardians: women who secretly take on the form of a wolf, in order to protect their village.

But when accepting her fate means giving up the boy she loves, abandoning the future she imagined for herself, and breaking her own moral code, she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

5 of 5 stars

Share

Rachel Vincent is about to try her hand at a retelling in Red Wolf! As you can probably guess from the title alone, we're about to dive back into the world of Little Red Riding Hood, but with a twist.

Adele has spent her entire life in one small village. She's never left, as the foreboding woods keep most of the villagers trapped within. For monsters are lurking out in those woods, and each year they seem to grow in number.

However, one night in Adele's sixteenth year, her life was permanently changed. She learned something about herself and her family. Something that will change the way she looks at the woods and her entire village.

“Turn around, Adele...Just turn around and walk in a straight line until you hear the axes. Until you come out of the forest.”

Red Wolf was such an enchanting read (pun not intended, this time!), I found myself sucked in Adele's story, unable to look away. I have always enjoyed Rachel Vincent's writing, and I feel like it truly shined here.

Red Wolf is a thrilling take on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. What I loved the most about this tale, other than the heavy infusion of fantasy elements (more on that in a second), is how much agency Adele's character is given here.

It's refreshing! The magical elements (which I won't detail because it's a spoiler) create a fun twist in the plot, keeping me fully invested in the story. Between those elements, and the fact that Vincent was unafraid to sow room for conversation and discourse along the way, Red Wolf ended up being a surprisingly rich and intense read. One that I would recommend for all fans of fairy tale retellings.

Thanks to Harper Teen and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks>

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Finished reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Reviewed