I enjoyed this author's previous book, Kings of the Yukon, about his travels in northern Canada and Alaska following the salmon migration. I therefore was eager to read this one, and I am not disappointed.

Once again, he embarks on a challenging journey, this time on foot, and discovers true wilderness in the heart of Europe. And again, an animal inspired his route, though now it's not a species, but a particular individual: a wolf named Slavc. By following in his footsteps, the author tries to truly understand this wild creature, as well as the connection and conflict between nature and people.

As I love long-distance walking, many of the author's reflections on the topic deeply resonated with me. Like this quote:

“It is a long time since I have gone for a long walk but already it’s coming back. How after a few days it feels as though your body was meant for this. My legs feel stronger, my back stops aching. I develop the encrusted grin and slightly wild eyes that come from several nights outside”.

Beautifully written, this book is full of fascinating stories and observations. It is also very timely — the EU weakened legal protections for wolves just this spring. The future looks bleak for these magnificent animals.

Thanks to the publisher, Crown, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.