Thank you for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This review will be posted on my blog pagesandprose.net on May 14. The link will be shared on Twitter, and the review will be copied over to Goodreads. I have also discussed this book during a vlog (https://youtu.be/QlebqlxfIHQ) and it will be discussed in my April Wrap-Up video, which will be posted May 4 (link to my general YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJNlMVN7vvA75iTmiiswXKQ). I will be emailing the links to Danielle Bartlett once I have the wrap-up video link ready.

The Wolf and the Woodsman is a historical fantasy that centers around religion and the inter- and intra-personal conflicts that stem from it. From the characters to the story itself, this book is breathtakingly fierce, raw, and brutal. I was immediately sucked in and consistently impressed with the writing and the depth of this debut novel.

Ava Reid pulls from Hungarian history and Jewish folklore to create of The Wolf and the Woodsman, giving us a richly developed world that has an underlying current of familiarity. The foundation of this world is religion, with three main denominations in conflict with one another: those that follow the Patrifaith, the Yehuli, and the pagans. The history and details of the world then blossom through the stories and practices of the different religious groups. I found this to be really interesting and I think it provided a bit more of an intimate feel to the world compared to a world structured primarily around politics.

The Wolf and the Woodsman is a very well-rounded novel, but I think it’s strongest aspect is Reid’s writing style. It’s important to note that this is very flowery writing, and while there were a few moments where I felt as though the purple prose could have been reigned in a bit, I do think that it plays a huge part in creating the atmosphere and emotion of this book. I was utterly entranced with the writing of this book, and I found myself completely lost in the story because of how vivid and constant the imagery was. I had a few moments where I would go to put the book down and had to take a second to remind myself where I was. Keep in mind, the imagery spanned the entire spectrum, from gorgeous to grotesque. There are a few scenes that actually elicited a physical reaction from me, whether cringing or gaging, with how intense some of the gore was.

I wouldn’t consider the pacing of this book to be either fast or slow, just a steady middle-ground that allowed for Reid to explore several different themes and perspectives. So much of this book focuses around how humans use religion as an excuse for their cruelty and how religion can be warped for personal gain, as well as what happens when religious righteousness gets out of control. But Reid also looks at how people prefer to lump themselves and others into neat groups or categories. We like to have a solid sense of identification and classification, but what happens when someone fits in more than one group? There are several moments where The Wolf and the Woodsman looks at both the inner and outer conflict of someone who belongs to more than one group of people, and how for some that means that they don’t belong to any group. It was impressive to watch Reid explore these ideas both subtly and not as the story unfolded.

This is one of those very rare stories that I found myself to be overall indifferent towards the main characters, yet that didn’t impact my ability to enjoy the book at all. I definitely wouldn’t say that the characters were poorly written, I just didn’t find myself as invested in them as I normally am with a book that I feel this positively about. I am a very character-focused reader and I prefer character-driven over plot-driven stories. While the plot was definitely progressed through the characters’ decisions instead of just their reactions, the story felt bigger than the characters and like it was using the characters just as a means to move the plot. Normally I wouldn’t like this, but I actually think that it worked really well for this book.

Take the relationship dynamic of Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows, add in the folklore vibes of The Bear and the Nightingale, the gritty political turmoil of The Poppy War, and a splash of The Witcher and you’ll get the general idea of The Wolf and the Woodsman. This is a fantasy that will sweep you away, but it’s so much more than that. Reid is already a stunning storyteller, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the future.

Read this book. Read this book. Read this book.

It’s beautiful, a testament to the good and the bad and the things that just are. This book makes me miss being religious. It makes me miss being young and listening to stories. It makes me thankful for people like Ava Reid who throw themselves into the sword and bare themself open to tell us this story. Thank you, Ava.

I will read any Central or Eastern European historical fantasy, and so far the highly specific genre hasn't steered me wrong yet. I was utterly drawn into the world. Very good world building, I loved the characters, the magic. I enjoyed the first and third acts better than the middle portion, which I found to drag a little bit. But not enough to curb my overall enjoyment of the book. I think the romance and the female side characters could have been developed a little better, as the book truly shone when it was in its magical and action/adventurous scenes versus the more overtly political scenes in the city with the king and counts, etc. I absolutely loved the stuff in the city with the Yehuli though.

so, so appreciate the strife of nation building and horrors of religious persecution, etc. which was woven very cleverly into the story. the fantasy elements and the allegorical elements were nicely balanced.

In general (and especially with fantasy books), it takes me a substantial amount of time to actually get into books (20%+) but The Wolf and The Woodsman had me hooked right away.

Plot: So interesting! I wasn’t exactly sure how the story would develop based off of the synopsis but I really enjoyed it.

The Writing: amazing world building! Nothing felt overly info-dumpy and the descriptions blended well with the actual plot. Overall the pacing was also good, I just wish the ending (last 5-10%) wasn’t as rushed.

The Romance: not the main focus, but definitely a [helpful, good, welcomed] addition to the story. It was a slowwwwwburn enemies to lovers romance that played out very well and naturally, their chemistry wasn’t forced and their connection was not abrupt.

It's easy to understand why this book has been likened to those by Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik.
Similar to those novels, The Wolf and the Woodsman is immersive. Transportive. Comprised of lush atmospheric mythology and dark mature themes that are tinged with magic and folklore, that explore real human pangs, sufferings, failures, and longings through its fantasy constructs, the story itself is one of brambles. It pinches then prickles. It cuts you open in places you didn't know existed. Its beauty is to be found in the darkest recesses, from beneath the deepest layers.

The book itself features two main characters, Évike and Gáspar, who, despite being reared at the center of a violent nation-building society where they've been imbued with conflicting beliefs, with pronounced prejudices, are thrust together in odyssey.

It all starts when she's taken from her village. The Woodsmen have come to collect, looking for a seer for the king, and she is offered up as sacrifice despite having no magic of her own, which is only revealed after the fact. Though the two start off as enemies, as nothing more than wolf-girl and Woodsman respectively, they soon grow to depend on each other for survival, saving each other not only from nature's elements but from monsters that live in the woods. Little pieces of themselves start to fall away to reveal something softer, kinder, and more tender behind their ideological differences.

Once they arrive to face the king, though, their evolving feelings are truly put to the test. That's also when the enthnoreligious horrors and their individual searches for identity start to tick up.

The prose of this book tugs readers along with its rich brutality. Each brushstroke is laden with sensuous metaphor, imagery; every new location in the plot is carved out with exquisite precision and care; and the characters themselves all shimmer with recognizable, yet mystical, qualities. I shivered at certain turns of phrase throughout because they hammered at the reality of what it must feel like to be persecuted for religion. Or ethnicity. Or culture. Or anything. I thought Reid did a good job of making that believable in the fantasy world she crafted.

With descriptions that sparkle and ambiance that engages all five senses, The Wolf and the Woodsman evokes a keen sense of awareness in the reader that had me paying attention to every fleck of detail. There was a real feeling of being swept up. Submerged. Lost to everything except the unforgiving setting, the blue-black emotion, whenever I was reading.

I liked maneuvering through the gory underbelly of this tale overall. It was beautiful in a tragically-scarred-yet-resilient way that felt genuine, if a bit painful and heartwrenching, in message. Perfect for fans of dark folklore!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Voyager for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

How do you form coherent words and not tears after finishing one of the best books you’ve ever read? I am sitting here, staring at the wall, pondering this exact question. From the first page to the very last, this book had me enthralled. I can’t explain it other than I am absolutely in love with this book. I am absolutely mind blown that this is a debut. This is in the top 5 books I’ve ever read, easily and that list hasn’t been touched in a long time. Ava, take a bow. This book is sheer perfection.

It has been a long time since I’ve been so enamored by the plot of the book while simultaneously being surprised by the plot on a regular basis. This gave me everything I love in a book- a strong MC growing even stronger and believing in herself, bucking the patriarchal society rules, questioning religion, enemies to lovers where the LI is actually a cinnamon roll, and a vague ending that is both satisfying but leaves me craving more. Even though I know the story is wrapped up, and done so well- I would happily read another 5 books about Evike and Gaspar. Honestly. It could just be them doing random things and I’d read it. I’d devour it and fall in love with it.

Ava’s ability to craft a story with a voice that is compelling, yet gentle is.. I can’t even put it in to words how beautiful it is. This book is so well crafted and so fantastically written that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully come to terms with the fact it’s over. Everyone always asks “what’s the one book you wish you could read for the first time over again” and for the longest time (in the fantasy category) I’ve never really had an answer. I wouldn’t mind Strange the Dreamer or the Crave series. But now without a doubt I would say The Wolf and The Woodsman. I cried when this book ended just for the sheer fact it was over. The complexities of the characters were so well fleshed out, even when they were learning and growing, their actions stayed true to their fundamentals. Katalin, in particular, had one of the most satisfying arcs I’ve ever read. To learn her thoughts and feelings from the beginning to the end was everything. I could continue on forever about how well done this book is, but if there’s one thing that I could leave you with it’d be this:

This book will suck you in from the first page and take you on a journey full of resilience, heartache, heartbreak, persistence, growth, love, tests, and coming to terms with who you are built in a beautiful world that’s so well crafted you will stay there long after you’ve left the pages behind.

If this isn’t on your TBR- why? Please add it, pre-order it and read this on June 8th. You will not regret it.

A more in-depth blog will be posted closer to release date!

So I finished this last night right before I had to go to sleep, so I took some time to compose my thoughts into something more coherent than screaming because that’s truthfully how I’m feeling, but here goes:

Wow. This book.
Do you want a fantasy novel that has:
Lush, folkloric settings?
A blood soaked magic system that’ll leave you gasping?
Angsty Princes and snarky girls who refuse to give them an inch?
ENEMIES TO LOVERSSSSS?
An actual, brutal look at painfully bigotry, religious discrimination and antisemitism from a Jewish author that does try to handwave those things away with “it’s a fantasy novel!!” ?
Worldbuilding that feels so complete, so lived in, so lovingly crafted that I felt like I was only seeing a silver and wanted more, making me look differently at a number of fantasy novels I’ve read over the past few years?
Jewish people being strong as shit?
A very large bear?
Then I’ve got the book for you. Please, //please// mind the trigger warnings and if you can, read this when it comes out in June because it’s an amazingly crafted piece of fantasy, and should be a standard to which more fantasy novels are held because oh my god, this one’s gonna be living rent free in my head for a very long time.

Since I’ve liked books by both authors mentioned in the blurb on Goodreads (Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik) I decided I wanted to give this book a try. The blurb for it also sounded promising as well.

There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this book. The use of mythology was refreshing from others I have read as I can’t recall ever reading a book about Jewish Mythology. It was also interesting from a historical perspective as the author blended in Hungarian History. Both of these topics I know nothing of so I can’t comment on them besides from a readers perspective.

In the beginning of the book we are introduced to Évike who is 25 years-old and known as a wolf-girl. She is a pagan to those who don’t share the same beliefs as those in her village and ever year the Woodsmen who work for the king come and take one wolf-girl away. Her mother was taken ten years before and so Évike was raised by the village táltos. Not only has she struggled with that and not knowing her father, she also is barren when it comes to the magic of their gods. I can’t say that I connected with Évike but I did admire her determination and forgiveness. She also remained calm in a lot of situations I wouldn’t have been.

The plot is filled with religion, politics, and can be on the darker side at times. There is a hint of romance but it is very minor and it didn’t really add anything to the story for me. I felt that their progression was quick and then it just died off for angst and inner turmoil from the characters.

The pacing at times can be a bit off and this is probably why I lost interest at times to read.

Overall, this was good. I had my issues with it but I can see many readers liking this one especially if they are a fan of lyrical prose writing.

I fell in love with this story very quickly. My only two complaints is I wish we had gotten more of the Yehuli culture/vibes/loveliness, and that we had more detail on the tribe's gods and legends. I just loved the stories, but I also wish we had a smidge more on Isten and Ogdon.

As a whole, I found this story super enjoyable. I've never read anything before that felt so close to home. My family was kicked out of Russia by Lenin and his people, so this was a little surreal to be reading in a lot of ways.

I loved Evike as a character. I found her super flawed and interesting while also having a good heart. Gaspar was a freaking mess, but I love him and I loved his development through the story. It was really well done.

The plot is relatively slow. There's a lot of traveling that takes up time, but is also super slow, allowing more internal discussion and growth between characters to occur more than anything else. The ending felt super fast after this because everything came crashing together, but it didn't feel off-beat in any way. It fit the way the story was headed.

The magic system was interesting, and I do wish we had had more explanation on it because I'll admit I'm still pretty confused regarding the magic and all the deities. I'm not really sure if the author was trying to say all of the gods existed and gave power to their followers or that only one groups' deity/deities existed but everyone worshipped them in their own way. I would have liked more clarification on what was going on and how exactly everyone had magic because it still feels a little unexplained. <spoiler>I really got the vibe that the woodsmen got their magic somehow from the wolf girls, but yet it's never clearly explained? Like obviously the king gets magic from the wolf girls, but do the rest? Everyone's magic was so similar, except the Yehuli magic, for it to be a coincidence. Also damn was the Yehuli magic super OP. I wish we could have seen more and had that explained some more too.</spoiler>

A few of the big questions from the beginning of the book never really got answered which was frustrating. <spoiler> What happened to all the wolf girls? Gaspar said he would tell her, but unless it happened off page, I never saw it happen at all. Also, the whole thing with the war going on was really glossed over and I wish we could have had a tidbit more to really flesh out the fact that the country was at war on top of all the internal conflict. Instead it felt like an after thought.</spoiler>

In regards to the villains, I found them complex enough to make them interesting, and evil enough to make me hate them. <spoiler>Another thing I wish that was fleshed out was Nandor. Why was he able to heal so quickly? I kept waiting for some big reveal that Ogdon was somehow giving him magic since he had accidentally sacrificed his life, but it was never explained other than wow Nandor is strong and powerful. Also there was that super unsubtle mention of the tribe's hero's sword that was missing, and I kept waiting for it to be revealed somehow, but it never was. Felt a little like a red herring or at least a dropped plot point.</spoiler>

I really do recommend this book for fantasy lovers. It was fun, had a lot of stuff that made you stop and think, and the world and people were very, very cool.

I decided to request an eARC of The Wolf and the Woodsman recently after conversations in the online bookish sphere occurred that brought to my attention the sometimes harmful depiction, sometimes straight up erasure of Jewish people from eastern European inspired fantasies, a subsect of fiction I only in the last few years discovered a love for. To be completely honest, it had never occurred to me. I could try to deflect the blame and say that the erasure was so total and effective, that’s why I’d never thought about it, but that wouldn’t be right. Ultimately I, as a reader and as a person, am responsible for the representation, or lack thereof, I consume regarding experiences outside of my own. I can’t change the harmful books I’ve read and supported in the past, but I can make an intentional effort to seek out better books in the future. As I was already interested in this book, and had seen the author being vocal about the Jewish representation online, I decide to request it, not actually expecting I would be approved. I was so excited to receive the arc, and that excitement was completely deserved. This book was wonderful. When I mentioned my love for eastern European inspired fantasy, I didn’t mention that those books also had the specific trope of enemies or rivals or hate or whatever you want to call it to love, as does this book, and it’s executed wonderfully. I loved the atmosphere this book created, I loved the exploration of the monsters and magic our main characters encountered on their journey, and I loved Évike’s personal journey of discovering where she belonged. My minor critiques of this novel are small, and not enough to ruin my enjoyment of an otherwise wonderful book. There were certain phrases that were repeated in different variations often and a little excessively in my opinion, the first being some variation on Gáspsár being flushed, the second containing a spoiler so I won’t mention it here. Also, maybe having them pointed out to you would only make you notice them more, so maybe I shouldn’t even have included the first one but hey, what are reviews for? Other than these two phrases, the prose was absolutely stunning, lyrical and angsty in a way that is just my cup of tea. My other critique comes by way of that compliment in that, I did find the dialogue a bit underwhelming compared to the narration. But again, the narration was stunning, which was an especial surprise for me considering I usually prefer third person perspective as opposed to first, but this is definitely an instance where hearing the main character’s inner monologue helped me feel more connected to her and her relationships. I would also be remiss if i didn’t mention my love for the developing dynamic between Évike and her father. It was beautifully done, heartwarming and lovely. Overall, the lush atmosphere, fascinating world building, and beautifully rendered character dynamics make for a can’t miss debut from Ava Reid.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The magic and mythology in this book were amazing. Definitely not like anything Ive read before. Evike is a strong and independant, she has had to be to survive in her village after her mother was taken. Gaspar is a man who deeply believes in his cause.. His job is to take Evike to the king and after that its up to the king what happens to her.. It was really fun watching them both learn to deal with each other, their pasts, and how they both view magic.. It was definitely a fun adventure and I can't wait to read more books by this author!

Evike lives in a small village in the forest full of girls that have magic.. Some can make things out of nothing, some can heal and one can see the future.. However Evike doens't have any magic and that makes her an easy target for the other girls.. They are preparing for the woodsman, and which girl will be taken as a sacrifice. This year when the Woodsman come, Evike is given up in place of the girl they really want.

This story is definitely slow paced especially in the beginning. We get alot of world building, and learning about the magic systems and how it all works.

The romance is a hate to love, which is my favorite kind.. Evike and Gaspar both hate each other in the beginning then move to hating themselves for how they are starting to feel for each other.. They grow closer and closer as they travel to the king, but once they arrive their feelings are put to the test.

When the action starts the pace really picks up and I needed to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Evike really starts to grow into who she is as a person, and figure out what it she is willing to do to save her people.

This book. I have no words. This book is brutal and full of raw emotion. This book is violent and unforgiving. The folklore that is woven throughout the main story is incredible. The story feels super personal for the author, and I felt honored to have had the chance to read it early. The story is atmospheric, the characters are tense and full of various ideological and emotional struggles. The only issue that I had was that I felt that the overall ending was a little rushed. All the building of these characters and the antagonist, and the ending happened a bit too quickly for me. This book reminded me of The Bear and the Nightingale, and is one of my top reads for 2021.

I can't believe this is a debut! I am a sucker for any fantasy-in-the-woods story and this was near perfect. It was suitably horrifying in parts (and unexpectedly very gross, in a good way), the weaving of Jewish folklore and storytelling was lovely, Evike was a badass heroine, Gaspar was swoonworthy, and the slow burn romance was *chef's kiss*. I'm going to need Ava Reid to write another book and fast, because I cannot wait to read more from her.

I'm so sad to be typing this, but The Wolf and the Woodsman was a DNF for me. I wanted to love this book so much, but ultimately I just didn't connect with the story or the characters in a way that made me excited to keep reading. I think I was expecting the book to be a bit more romance-heavy and angsty and that's where I was let down. I also found it really hard to stay engaged with the story because of how slow-moving the plot is (at least for the first 40%). With all that being said though, I think if I had picked this up literally any other time than the last month of my college semester and wasn't feeling so burnt out, I think I would've been able to finish the rest of the novel and probably would have enjoyed it more. I did really appreciate how atmospheric this was and the beautiful writing, as well as the rich mythology/folklore/historical influences. Ultimately, I think I was in the mood for a faster-paced read and this book wasn't hitting the mark for me. I'm giving it three stars though because I don't think there's anything wrong with the book objectively, I just didn't personally mesh with it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free e-arc of The Wolf and the Woodsman, through Netgalley. This did not influence my rating/review.

I was SUPER excited to be approved for this title, because it's one of my most anticipated books of Summer 2021. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it, although it didn't quite make 5 stars. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there were a few scenes when I had a hard time picturing exactly what was happening, but I was able to pick it up after a few sentences. It just pulled me out of the story a bit, but I was never completely lost.

This story is heavily influenced by Jewish folklore and history. If you, like me, are not Jewish, I STRONGLY recommend doing some research into the history of antisemitism as well as Jewish folklore before starting this book. I don't think it's mandatory to enjoy the book, but I do think it will enrich your understanding of the story and its themes. I'm sure there were themes I missed, and upon further research will hopefully fill in when I reflect on the book in the weeks/months to come!

Why you should read it:
1. It's an atmospheric very dark fairy tale(ish) story based on Jewish folklore and history
2. The main character is ridiculously resilient
3. There's a bit of a romance, but it's not overwhelming if you're not into that.
4. You will sink into the story. I don't classify this as a fast read (it took me a week to read but I was also dealing with a nasty tension headache for 3 of the days). You are able to really envelop yourself in the story, and take your time with it!

TW: attempted genocide, graphic battle scenes (beheading, disembowling, etc.), persecution of religious and ethnic groups (specifically antisemitism), maiming of people (not only during battle scenes), torture, death of animals (wildlife creatures) this can be relatively graphic and pervasive throughout the story.

The Wolf and the Woodsman is nothing short of mesmerizing. I am completely in awe with the way this book is written and delivered. Ava Reid did such an amazing job in weaving an intricate magic world with such complex factors within it.

The book started out slow like most fantasy book and it felt like going into the story blindfolded because I had no idea what was going on one third in but once I got the gist of the story, it made reading this book worth it. Évike and Gáspár Bárány are both complicated character that one can not help but want to unfold each crevices within them. Both are fleshed out in such a real way, I anticipated all the action and magic they had to show. I also applaud the author. Reid did not hold back when she wrote such grotesque scenarios portraying the cruelties of corrupted people. The plot twists appeared during unexpected times, I had trouble holding in my shock.

This is truly an exemplary debut, giving this 4 stars. I am excited to what Ava Reid has to offer in the near future!

5 stars. A million stars if I could.

I kind of want to weep with happiness. What an absolute triumph of a novel. This is a lush, almost perfectly crafted story that feels like a particularly dark modern fairytale. The worldbuilding is extensive and the world itself almost leaps off of the page.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about this book. My one small complaint is the romance - while I enjoyed it, I wasn't the biggest fan of it. My favorite chapters are by far the ones where they're separated, where we get to follow our protagonist as she embarks on a journey to find out more about her heritage. These scenes feel intimate, and in a novel filled with death and despair, they're like a moment to breathe.

That said, this book is dark. It deals with ethnoreligious prosecution and the horrors (and complications) of nation-building. There's quite a bit of gore from early on, but the book is written is such a poetic manner that it's almost tragically beautiful. There's just so much love thrown into every aspect of these pages, it's incredible. You can feel Ava Reid's passion as you read, and while it took me a while to get through just because it is so dark, I'm glad I did. Definitely one of the best fantasies I've read this year.

TW: gore, genocide, abuse & torture, antisemitism

Such a beautiful, heart-rendering book.

It goes without saying, I truly loved The Wolf and the Woodsman, and I'll try to convey why in my brief review (with my health these days, it's difficult to write anything long and analytical, so I hope this will suffice). But the most important aspect is the representation, including Jewish representation, survival of abuse, and the honest depictions of persecution, oppression, and ethnic cleansing--all of which is integral to the world building. To miss that, I think, is to miss the point of the entire story.

Aside from that, however, there's even more to love, particularly the hate to love romance, the atmospheric and lyrical writing, and the haunting / lovely / gory settings.

I'll pause at the romance, because goodness me, it had me weak to the knees (if you've read that, you'll see what I did there hah). Our resident solemn prince and wolf girl are stuck together on a dangerous journey, are forced not only to share body heat, but to depend on and rescue each other more than once despite the difference in their beliefs and the very minor fact that she was supposed to be his captive. So. What isn't to swoon over?

All of that combined with a riveting end, one I suspect will stick with you forever, and you have a new absolute must-read for 2021. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an early copy!

(Do keep in mind that this is very much an adult book.)

Such a unique twist on a story we thought we knew. It was a perfect mash-up of the tales we grew up loving. I hope there will be further titles and have a list of kiddos to recommend this book to as soon as we receive it!

This book held very interesting magic concepts. I loved all of the action, though it felt muddled at some parts. The hardships the main character goes through is refreshing to read and I loved having a love interest that blushed.