Astrid Hawk
This really isn't the fairy tale retelling that many summaries and blurbs say it is. It's really an atmospheric story with some paranormal elements based on folklore. It draws from and combines several northern cultures' stories about Bigfoot, werebears, and other forest man/monster blends. It tries to ask and answer questions about being true to yourself, finding your own way in life, and whether love and our relationships with others can override our own natures. The forest imagery in here was delightful - the smells of the tundra, the tastes of the berries, the feel of cold water and stone. But I found the characters hard to relate to, and the ending was unsatisfying. The last paragraph in particular felt bolted-on.
This really isn't the fairy tale retelling that many summaries and blurbs say it is. It's really an atmospheric story with some paranormal elements based on folklore. It draws from and combines several northern cultures' stories about Bigfoot, werebears, and other forest man/monster blends. It tries to ask and answer questions about being true to yourself, finding your own way in life, and whether love and our relationships with others can override our own natures. The forest imagery in here was delightful - the smells of the tundra, the tastes of the berries, the feel of cold water and stone. But I found the characters hard to relate to, and the ending was unsatisfying. The last paragraph in particular felt bolted-on.