Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekback

Posted by Anonymous


Reviewed by: Laurie Boone

What I ReadWolf Winter by Cecilia Ekback

Find It @YCLD: Here!


What It's About: In 1717, a Finnish family takes advantage of free land to homestead in a remote forest in Lapland, called Blackasen. Soon after they arrive, the oldest daughter, Frederika, discovers the body of a murdered man. Frederika’s mother, Maija, will not accept the other settlers’ belief that he was killed by wolves. As she investigates the murder, dark and deadly secrets are revealed. There is something or someone deeply malevolent at work in Blackasen. Maija and her family struggle to survive the months long darkness of the harshest “Wolf Winter” as well as battle an evil that may not be entirely of man’s creation.

What I Thought: The ending of this book is unforgettably creepy (in a good way!) In the year 1717 Sweden found itself on the cusp of massive change. After 150 years of war the villages were depleted. Add to this several years of crop failure and a plague and the times were very dark. As a part of Sweden’s goal to build itself up as a nation, Sweden gave away indigenous land to colonists. Maija’s family arrives in Lapland at this time of transition from the old animist religion of the Lapps (Sami people) to Christianity. I liked how the author pitted the settlers against the evil that men do and the forces of Nature and the Old Spirits.


Readalikes: Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg; Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney.

Or look this book up on NoveList!

0 comments: