Review by Booklist Review
It's 1876, and the American West is as wild as it gets. In infamous gunslinger Bill Hickok's Wild Bill's Wild West theatrical traveling show, a no-nonsense girl called Calamity Jane and a smooth-talking boy called Frank Butler travel around, entertaining audiences with tales of their adventures and performing sharpshooter and rodeo tricks. There's one other thing Wild Bill's crew does on the side, and that's hunt werewolves, or garou; in this version of the Wild West, they're all over. When a girl named Annie, bursting with confidence and the sharpshooting talent to back it up, shows up looking for a job in the show, Frank's pretty sure he's met the love of his life--though she may have some prejudices she needs to examine. Then a bite during a garou hunt sends Jane off on what might be a fruitless hunt for a cure, and everyone else on a hunt for Jane. In this third volume in their thematic trilogy (My Lady Jane, 2016; My Plain Jane, 2018), the trio of author-narrators lose absolutely none of their infectious energy. Real historical characters blend seamlessly with fantasy elements, anachronistic pop-culture references (you can thank Annie Oakley for those musical theater nods!), and plenty of narrative asides. Witty and winsome, this rollicking tall tale makes its own rules (naturally), and series readers new and old will be happier for it.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up--The Wild West just got a little wilder. In 1876 America, gunslingers, outlaws, and garou, also known as werewolves, are everywhere. Using their Wild West Traveling Show to fund their garou hunting, Wild Bill, Annie Oakley, and Frank "The Pistol Prince" Butler spend their night tracking down corrupt garou. When a garou hunt goes south, Jane joins the traveling band, but notices a suspicious bite on her arm. Soon she starts exhibiting werewolf symptoms. Meanwhile, the garou known as the Alpha is going around changing people and controlling their minds. Can the traveling band stop the Alpha? Could Jane really be a garou? Narrators Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows do a great job of portraying the well-developed characters. Their narrative styles mix well and bring the story to life. The nuanced plot is an action-packed blend of paranormal and historical fiction. VERDICT Fans of paranormal, historical fiction, and adventure stories will enjoy listening to this book.--Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Lib. Svcs.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A posse of werewolf hunters disguised as a traveling troupe of sharpshooters roam the Old West in search of a particularly vicious werewolf known as the Alpha. Under the watchful eyes of the paternal Wild Bill Hickok, protagonists Calamity Jane, Frank Butler, and Annie Oakley track the Alpha, all while navigating budding romances and family quarrels. While each teen is dedicated to the collective, they are each driven by their own motivations. Frank, for example, hopes to one day give up werewolf hunting and be a full-time entertainer. Annie--who must convince the group to hire her as a sharpshooter in the show--flees a family that wants to force her into marriage. All Jane wants is to settle down on a plot of land somewhere, far away from prying eyes. As the plot unfolds, readers learn each of the characters' origin stories--including their deepest secrets. The book's thrilling plot is driven by a brilliantly clever, collective narratorial voice that frequently intercedes with historical tidbits, witty asides, and political statements ranging from critiquing America's lack of gun control laws to the shameful genocide and violent displacement of Native Americans. While most of the characters are white, the story does include two Lakota characters and a protagonist who comes out as queer. Full of twists, turns, and laugh-out-loud humor, this tongue-in-cheek feminist alternative history is impossible to put down. A thrilling alternative history that sparkles with wit and charm. (further reading) (Fantasy. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
