Review by Booklist Review
Whitten's latest picks up where For the Wolf (2021) left off, as Queen Neve wakes up inside a glass coffin in the Shadowlands, having drawn the surrounding dark magic into herself to prevent releasing the Five Kings. She discovers an unlikely ally in Solmir, the youngest of the Five Kings, who had worked with the evil priestess Kiri to unleash that magic. His surprising goal is to kill the other kings, and to accomplish that, they must destroy at least two of the three surviving Old Ones--creatures who were gods before the Five Kings promoted themselves to godhood. Meanwhile, in the Wilderwood, Red and Eammon the Wolf, having balanced the magic of the woods by absorbing it between them, search for a way to retrieve Neve, leading them to Rylt to retrieve information from Kiri, and back again as earthquakes signal the impending destruction of the Shadowlands and the release of the kings. Whitten's masterful reinterpretation of classic fairy tales is delightful, keeping readers on edge throughout the story.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The fairy tale world of Whitten's Wilderwood duology hangs in the balance in the thrilling sequel to For the Wolf. Book one left twins Red and Neve Valedren separated and determined to find each other. Neve is trapped in the Shadowlands below, a land of old gods, old kings, and old bones, while above, Red and her love, Eammon, have become something like demigods and set free all those who were previously bound to the Wilderwood forest. Whitten sets up the sisters' personalities and circumstances as mirrors as they fight their way back to each other. But the longer Neve remains in the Shadowlands in the company of Solmir, one of the legendary Five Kings, the more she realizes that her focus must be on more than just getting back to Red. The Shadowlands are crumbling as the old gods die, their power siphoned to the nefarious Five Kings, who are just as desperate to return to the world above as Neve is. Now Neve must find a way to stop the kings while keeping the magic of the Shadowlands from overwhelming her soul. Whitten packs this one with action, twists, and betrayals, and weaves in familiar fairy tale imagery with a light, sure hand. This proves a worthy finale. Agent: Whitney Ross, Irene Goodman Literary. (June)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In this epic-fantasy sequel to For the Wolf, Queen Neve of Valleyda is trapped in the Shadowlands and forced to rely on Solmir, the rogue king who tricked her and nearly killed her sister. Even knowing Solmir's quest to kill the immortal Old Kings trapped in the Shadowlands with them, Neve finds herself drawn to him, and also to the dark power she feels growing inside her. Back in Valleyda, Neve's other sister Red, Red's husband, and her friends try to find ways to free Neve from the Shadowlands. With subversive forces on both sides fighting for their share of power, these siblings will make a choice that will either save their home and loved ones--or completely destroy them. Whitten's prose is captivating, and the sisters' stories take center stage even as other characters take their turns in chapter perspectives. VERDICT This lush feminist world may draw inspiration from European fairy tales, but the magic, politics, and relationships are firmly rooted in adult reading. Fans of Naomi Novik and Alix Harrow will enjoy this duology.--Kristi Chadwick
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