tehani's review
3.0
An Australian ebook-first publication from new publisher Xoum, this book sits on the upper end of the middle grade fantasy designation. This is of particular interest to me, as ebooks are still getting off the ground in Australia, particularly for younger readers, so I was pleased to be offered a review copy from the publisher. When I saw the novel on the Children's shortlist for the Aurealis Awards, I bumped it up my reading queue.
The story begins in a very fairytale manner, with the birth of a princess and the prophecy of a wise woman, and continues along some quite traditional fairytale lines, involving the loss of the child who grows up not knowing her heritage, clever animals, evil antagonists and a handsome prince. The author uses the tropes to her advantage, giving a younger reader firm boundaries to read by, while at the same time presenting the story in a new way.
As an older reader, I found Irina the Wolf Queen a little predictable, and as an editor, I was a little disappointed in the structure of the story, which bounced around the narrative point of view a bit randomly for my full enjoyment. There was also a fair amount of info-dumping, which interfered with my engagement with the story and there was one fairly significant continuity error which had me a bit bemused!
Having said that, the story is a modern take on a traditional style, published in a modern format with a potential to attract audience in the age range it is intended for, and the cliffhanger ending will certainly inspire continued reading with the series to follow.
The story begins in a very fairytale manner, with the birth of a princess and the prophecy of a wise woman, and continues along some quite traditional fairytale lines, involving the loss of the child who grows up not knowing her heritage, clever animals, evil antagonists and a handsome prince. The author uses the tropes to her advantage, giving a younger reader firm boundaries to read by, while at the same time presenting the story in a new way.
As an older reader, I found Irina the Wolf Queen a little predictable, and as an editor, I was a little disappointed in the structure of the story, which bounced around the narrative point of view a bit randomly for my full enjoyment. There was also a fair amount of info-dumping, which interfered with my engagement with the story and there was one fairly significant continuity error which had me a bit bemused!
Having said that, the story is a modern take on a traditional style, published in a modern format with a potential to attract audience in the age range it is intended for, and the cliffhanger ending will certainly inspire continued reading with the series to follow.
georginaballantine's review
4.0
I read Irina the Wolf Queen with my 11-yr-old daughter, who still loves me to read aloud to her at bedtime (and fair enough too!)
We both found ourselves gripped by the idea of a princess growing up among wolves. While not an original concept (Romulus & Remus, The Jungle Book, etc.) the communication and bonding between baby Irina and her lupine protectors was intriguing and entertaining.
The villain, Vilmos, is wonderfully malicious and his nature contrasts well with those of the headstrong king and grief-stricken queen. The king's 'traditional' attitudes towards women begin to be challenged in Book 1 (see my reviews of Books 2 and 3 for more on this topic!) and it's interesting to see his reactions to Irina's wild and unseemly ways. Likewise, Irina's stubbornness and feisty outlook are refreshing in the face of the king's obstinacy, though he shows his softer side on occasion.
With a wealth of magical creatures, a world ripe for exploration, plenty of tension and a feisty teenaged heroine, both my daughter and I recommend Irina the Wolf Queen as an enjoyable middle-grade fantasy novel.
We both found ourselves gripped by the idea of a princess growing up among wolves. While not an original concept (Romulus & Remus, The Jungle Book, etc.) the communication and bonding between baby Irina and her lupine protectors was intriguing and entertaining.
The villain, Vilmos, is wonderfully malicious and his nature contrasts well with those of the headstrong king and grief-stricken queen. The king's 'traditional' attitudes towards women begin to be challenged in Book 1 (see my reviews of Books 2 and 3 for more on this topic!) and it's interesting to see his reactions to Irina's wild and unseemly ways. Likewise, Irina's stubbornness and feisty outlook are refreshing in the face of the king's obstinacy, though he shows his softer side on occasion.
With a wealth of magical creatures, a world ripe for exploration, plenty of tension and a feisty teenaged heroine, both my daughter and I recommend Irina the Wolf Queen as an enjoyable middle-grade fantasy novel.
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