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Wild (Vargulf)

by Naomi Clark (Goodreads Author)

3.23 of 5 stars 3.23 · rating details · 31 ratings · 14 reviews

Lizzie Creighton ran away from her life a year ago, wanting to escape the pressures of university and just party. And that’s exactly what she did.

But now she's sick of the world she's fallen into – the drink, the drugs, the violence – and she's desperate to start again. The chance to do it comes from the last source she could ever imagine. After her deadbeat boyfriend ste...more

ebook, 236 pages

Published (first published May 31st 2011)

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Jul 31, 2011 Michele Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, urban-fantasy, favorites, reviewed

Lizzie is an addict in an abusive relationship, and if that wasn't enough after being abandoned on the street after a fight and getting attacked, she's a werewolf too. Wild is at heart a tale of redemption and the crippling effect abuse has on a person. But more than that it's also a tale of werewolves on the cusp of exposure fighting not to be defined by the worst and most stereotypical among them.

Lizzie is not the smart ass UF readers have come to expect, and addiction and spousal abuse seem...more

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May 14, 2011 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolves

Reviewed by Rabid Reads: http://rabid-reads.blogspot.com/2011/05/arc-review-wild-by-naomi-clark.html

Wild does a great job of modernizing werewolves while also addressing a difficult topic in today's society: addiction. Naomi Clark's shifters have a few unique characteristics that really make this book stand out in the genre. Although, at times I did find myself getting annoyed with Lizzie, the main protagonist. The ending left me feeling hopeful that the next installment will be one to watch out...more Reviewed by Rabid Reads: http://rabid-reads.blogspot.com/2011/05/arc-review-wild-by-naomi-clark.html

Wild does a great job of modernizing werewolves while also addressing a difficult topic in today's society: addiction. Naomi Clark's shifters have a few unique characteristics that really make this book stand out in the genre. Although, at times I did find myself getting annoyed with Lizzie, the main protagonist. The ending left me feeling hopeful that the next installment will be one to watch out for.

I enjoyed the way that the werewolves are divided into two categories. The Kurtadam are werewolf royalty, born into the life and raised with the motto "Human first, werewolf second". While the Vargulf are made and because of that distinction the two groups don't mix. Something different happens to the Vargulf's victims when they get carried away and kill. It's a fun surprise that really takes this book to the next level. I particularly enjoyed the parts where Lizzie is internally battling with her wolf. Her emotions are so palpable and I felt like I had my own furry side. It gave me shivers!

I developed a love/hate relationship with Lizzie. Admittedly, her life hasn't been a walk in the park but I found it hard to feel sorry for her because most of her problems are a result of bad choices on her part. I found it impossible to sympathize with her because she dug the hole herself. At first I enjoyed the addiction aspect of the storyline; it presented me with a POV that I don't often come across in my reading. But, after a while I found that it took over and that the rest of the tale fell to the sidelines. I wanted to slap Lizzie for being so weak and unable to take care of herself. She keeps jumping from guy to guy as though she's incapable of being alone. That kind of weakness in women really irks me. Maybe I just don't understand where she's coming from.

I'm curious to see what Clark will do next in this trilogy. After the way that this book ended, I expect Lizzie to be on the straight and narrow in book 2. If that turns out to be the case, I'm anxious to read the next installment; if not, I might have to pass. I loved the werewolves in Wild but Lizzie's drug addiction was too all consuming in my opinion. Still a great read and the start of a promising trilogy.(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lizzie Creighton is your average everyday twenty-something--if you consider a hardcore drug addict and sufferer of a non stop abusive relationship 'average' or 'everyday'.

Lizzy dropped out of university when she met Mathis. A bad boy with a nasty habit for drugs, a lifestyle that Lizzie gets involved in for over a year. Despite repeated efforts to get out of the life that she sometimes loves, but is mostly starting to hate, she can't break the habit.

Who would have thought that the cure to her pr...more Lizzie Creighton is your average everyday twenty-something--if you consider a hardcore drug addict and sufferer of a non stop abusive relationship 'average' or 'everyday'.

Lizzy dropped out of university when she met Mathis. A bad boy with a nasty habit for drugs, a lifestyle that Lizzie gets involved in for over a year. Despite repeated efforts to get out of the life that she sometimes loves, but is mostly starting to hate, she can't break the habit.

Who would have thought that the cure to her problems would be getting transformed into a Werewolf?

Is Wild an Urban Fantasy? Yes. Could it even be considered a paranormal romance? Yes. But at its heart, it's really a story about addiction, regret, and finding the strength to pick yourself up off the ground, improve your life and move on.

The addiction aspects of the novel are very well told. They're dark and they're bleak but they're in no way glamorous. You get pulled into Lizzie's character and how she's at odds with doing the easy thing--just staying in an abusive relationship because it's familiar, using drugs as a coping mechanism for life's troubles--or the hard thing--deciding to clean up, deciding that you DESERVE better and picking up the pieces.

The paranormal aspects (lycanthropy) are also well done. As with the addiction themes, the story is told in such a way that the reader gets vivid images of what Lizzy's going through in becoming a werewolf. From the first time she changes with nobody to help her to dealing with others of her kind. Her feelings of revulsion at what she's become as well as the unbridled freedom she feels when she does change are descriptive, deep, and just engaging to read.

Trust and the ability to give up a harsh lifestyle, no matter how easy it is to stick with the status quo, are two big themes in the book and they're portrayed excellently.

Naomi Clark has a very clean and fluid style with a very good grasp of pacing. As a result, I flew through the book very quickly. The dialogue feels natural, the descriptions of the places and events are colorful and vivid, lending a great sense of place to the whole story. I really got a feel for where the characters were and what their world is like.

This genre is crowded these days, but Wild shouldn't go overlooked by fans of Urban Fantasy. It's amazing that there are only ten (now eleven!) reviews of this book on Amazon. It's a good redemption story, told very well, with three dimensional characters.

Give this one a shot! You won't be disappointed. (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 ☺~Tina~☺ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-free-read, werewolves, drug-addict-s, domestic-abuse, ghouls-s

A good read with a hodgepodge of topics discussed. Lizzie comes from a well to do family but when she meets Harris she rebels and her life spirals out of control. The book really doesn't go into her background much; it picks up with her and her best friend waiting for Harris to get them more drugs. You can't help but feel sorry for her because like a lot of addicts, before they are to far gone, their mind is telling them all the right things to do but they just can't override their body's need f...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Gary Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lizzie, the protagonist of Naomi Clark's Wild, is not unlikeable, but starts in a place where she seems that way. Addicted to hard drugs, trying to maintain in an abusive relationship on the verge of bottoming out, living for the next party--she inspires sympathy, and pity, but did not strike me as someone I'd want to get to know. But there are sides to Lizzie that have, it turns out, not seen air in a long time, and after a werewolf attack changes her body and her life, they come out. Along the...more

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Aug 09, 2011 aobibliophile™ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Werewolves are much more common animals than you might think. - Daniel Pinkwater

Lizzie Creighton left university to pursue a different interest - partying and drugs. her new diversions leave her physically gaunt and emotionally distressed. as her addiction escalates, she finds it more difficult to quit and ran away from her abusive boyfriend. bitten by a wolf one night, Lizzie survives the attack and notices something different about herself while recovering. when her boyfriend is accidentally t...more Werewolves are much more common animals than you might think. - Daniel Pinkwater

Lizzie Creighton left university to pursue a different interest - partying and drugs. her new diversions leave her physically gaunt and emotionally distressed. as her addiction escalates, she finds it more difficult to quit and ran away from her abusive boyfriend. bitten by a wolf one night, Lizzie survives the attack and notices something different about herself while recovering. when her boyfriend is accidentally transformed into a ghoul, she runs to Nick Doyle who saves her again. Nick reveals to Lizze later that she has turned into a werewolf and he should know because he is one too. Lizzie's world becomes darker as she is caught between two different werewolf factions - the Vargulf and the Kurtadam.
honestly, i prefer vampires and i have only recently been open to reading about therianthropes. this book piqued my interest more. author Naomi Clark's tale of werewolves on drugs is impressive and caught me by surprise. i was not expecting such a unique and brilliant take on my newly-found lupine friends. i was so engrossed in this paranormal horror urban fantasy that i had to stay up late again just to see to its end.
Lizzie's downward spiral into illegal and recreational drugs and booze was well written. it was both scary and sad in its realism. when she decides to turn her back on her crazed and aimless life and slowly gets back on her feet, i was cheering for her.
i was also impressed with the names of the two werewolf groups and their etymologies. some research yielded that a Vargulf (old English Warg is a type of wolf which delights in slaughtering many members of a flock or herd it preys upon yet it eats little of the kill. in other words, Vargulfs are rogue beasts. on the other hand, the Kurtadam or wolfman comes from ancient Turkish legends of shapeshifting shamans. East versus West. rogue against elite. it was pretty clever for the author to choose such names, stick to their inherent characteristics and add her own creative touch.
Lizzie's story, though, is far from over as there are two more to follow and i look forward to reading them as well. this is a book i recommend to those who want to start reading about werewolves and a must-read for those who already love them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: a copy was provided by the author. i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.(less)

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Jun 24, 2011 Donna (BLHmistress) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit the beginning of the book it was hard for me to like Lizzie at first, I understand the partying but the drugs or the amount of drugs used it was hard for me to swallow at first. This book was harsher and darker than I have read in a long time.

The story-line was a tough one for me to read, I have only read a few books divulging into the deep dark world of drugs and the repercussions of drug abuse. Lizzie though after a bit I did feel sorry for her but at first it was hard until sh...more

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Jun 12, 2011 J.H. Sked rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've now read this book twice. The first time was faster than I normally read, since I just had to see what happened next. The second time was to pick up on the detail - which I won't share too much of here in case of spoilers.

Lizzy is a surprisingly sympathetic main character, and had me rooting for her pretty early in the book.
She makes some bad choices, and it can get a bit frustrating watching them happen - but they are also totally understandable in the context of her character. And here'...more

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May 18, 2011 Chibineko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cool, thriller, werewolves, urban-fantasy, drug-addict

The premise of this book is rather unique. While I'm sure I'd find books about werewolves & drug addictions if I looked hard, this is new territory that makes a lot of sense when you think about it. How many times have various different authors described their hero(ine) reacting to their lupine urges in a way you'd expect a drug addict to react to their body clamoring for drugs? Mixing the two together makes a lot of sense, to be honest.

As shown above, I obviously loved the idea of a drug ad...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Jodie (Books for Company) rated it 3 of 5 stars

www.booksforcompany.com
‘Wild’ mixes drugs, difficult relationships and werewolves’ altogether that is most definitely something new and unique that l think Naomi was very right to try out! Being honest, this book didn't live up to my expectations in a few ways but l still found this a good read with potential.
One of the main reasons this book didn't live up to my expectations is the main character, Lizzie, who l failed to have a lot of sympathy for at parts l most definitely should have. I hate...more www.booksforcompany.com
‘Wild’ mixes drugs, difficult relationships and werewolves’ altogether that is most definitely something new and unique that l think Naomi was very right to try out! Being honest, this book didn't live up to my expectations in a few ways but l still found this a good read with potential.
One of the main reasons this book didn't live up to my expectations is the main character, Lizzie, who l failed to have a lot of sympathy for at parts l most definitely should have. I hate drugs, like l am sure you do, but l find it hard to feel sorry for people who do this to their body. I just see it like they are the ones doing it to themselves and although l am sure it is VERY hard, almost impossible, to get off drugs there is a lot of places that can help and Lizzie actually have a family who is ready to support her. Sadly l also found some parts in Lizzie's journey with drugs unrealistic, especially when she’s trying to get off the drugs. I think l would have liked Lizzie more if less of the book was about when she’s into drugs and more about the werewolf side of her as l found that much more unique and refreshing.
Aside from Lizzie l found this book kind of slow paced and like it was dragging along until the werewolf side of things came into it.
Ok, putting aside my negative feelings, this book does have good qualities too and they definitely shouldn’t be took away from this book. Naomi definitely added unique aspects to this book which made for an interesting read, including the different ‘statuses’ of the werewolves. Lizzie also isn’t all bad with how she is trying to be strong and can imagine it must be hard for her to know who to trust and l think that’s why at some points she seemed strong and at others she seemed weak.
I am still undecided about the mix of drugs and werewolves but l think Naomi did a good job of it and really shown the fact of how bad taking drugs just once can be!
Overall this is a good book but l would strongly recommend that people under 16 shouldn’t read this. There is a lot of swearing (A LOT!), abuse and drugs.
Wild ends in a great way which could lead to a great new series with a second book which is faster paced than ‘Wild’. Give this a go because it may just be your favourite werewolf book!(less)

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Jun 12, 2011 Alisha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: UF fans that can handle a darker subject matter and more realism.

Quick Take: With a very different and unique sort of approach for its genre, this book breaks up the routine in a fascinating and engaging way. Recommended for those UF fans that can handle a darker subject matter and a touch more realism with their fantasy.

Review
So, lemme just get down to it. This book is tough to nail down. ^_^ And I really, really dig that. It's not your typical...well, anything. From the protagonist and the premise to the plot progression and romantic elements, Wild certainl...more Quick Take: With a very different and unique sort of approach for its genre, this book breaks up the routine in a fascinating and engaging way. Recommended for those UF fans that can handle a darker subject matter and a touch more realism with their fantasy.

Review
So, lemme just get down to it. This book is tough to nail down. ^_^ And I really, really dig that. It's not your typical...well, anything. From the protagonist and the premise to the plot progression and romantic elements, Wild certainly doesn't follow genre formulas. In fact, for a piece of genre fiction, this tale has quite a few elements closer to literary fiction than anything else. The pacing and narrative focus in particular were slower, less action-driven (of the high-octane sort, at least) and more introspective of the main character. The story presents many possible directions: as I was reading, I honestly didn't know what to expect next.

This is not a particularly happy tale...but it's certainly engaging. Protagonist Lizzie Creighton isn't fooling anyone, including herself--she's addicted. To drugs, to a cycle of self-destructive behavior, to poor judgement and no-good relationships. What she goes through is tough, not sugar-coated. It doesn't seem to be written as overtly shocking or cautionary, either, something I appreciated. For much of the book (the first half at the very least), this is really an observation of the very human struggles of a young woman, with supernatural flavoring slowly added in.

Moving through the book, I was never quite sure if things would be okay for Lizzie...even with her best of intentions. How refreshing it was to not have that forgone conclusion of an HEA being served on a silver platter! Now, don't get me wrong...I love m'self an HEA. But this story progresses in such a way that there is no easy fix right around the corner. It really will take the whole trilogy to figure out what's what! :o)

The supernatural elements were intriguing, as well. In this world, there are Kurtadam (born werewolves), and Vargulf (made werewolves). Through the lenses of Lizzie's experience, the reader is brought into a whole new realm of behavior and existence. I rather liked how it was built upon throughout the book. As mentioned previously, this book doesn't start out an urban fantasy, but does a good job of transitioning into one.

If this first installment is any indication, its sequel (and the book after that) will be awesome. It'll be dark, it will challenge, it will be full of action and excitement. I can't wait to find out what comes next!(less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Linda D. rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Initially, I had a hard time with this book. Although I have to give Clark an enormous amount of credit for portraying drug addiction quite accurately (at least in my limited personal and professional experience). The selfishness, the self-destruction, the excuses, the desire to stop but unable to control oneself in the end--perfect execution. Lizzie is in a very bad place at the beginning of this novel, to the point where it's almost hard to read. You will feel sympathy for her, you will get an...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Dena rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-gave-up-on

Sorry just to complicated to read.

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Jul 28, 2012 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars

It would take a significant effort to make me like a character like Lizzie - I found myself shaking my head and rolling my eyes and "oh, Lizzie"-ing quite a few times - but Naomi Clark pulls it off quite nicely. I loved the world building in this one, with the werewolf castes and the ghouls and everything else, and I look forward to reading more.

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About Naomi Clark

Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once.

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Wild (Vargulf)

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