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When Dealing with Wolves
The Isle of Ys is wild and untamed, a place where forgotten gods slumber and hope is sparse. Humankind dwell at its southernmost tip in the town of Erdansten, ruled by fear of the world beyond their walls. The Wolvenkind roam the north, guarding the ancient forest of Deothwicc. All that prevents war between the kinds is the vast landscape that separates them, but with new dangers rising from old secrets, even that may no longer be enough.
Estene, mother of the Deothwicc pack, knows a reckoning is coming. She can also see what few want to believe: if either side wants peace, they must find a way to co-exist. Her youngest child, Grae, despises this notion. He craves revenge for the pain humans have caused him. And he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
As Dannaskeld of Erdansten, Rostfar is supposed to protect her people from magic; as a wyrdsaer, someone who is able to commune with magic, she is the very thing they fear. For years she has kept a delicate balance between her duty and her secret, but her daughter Arketh’s growing magical affinity has tipped the scales. Aethren is a trainee under Rostfar. They have spent their whole life striving to be strong enough to protect the town. But as wolves attack from outside and power struggles threaten the town from within, Aethren starts to wonder if Erdansten is worth it. At least if they walked away, they would no longer have to worry about the strange power growing inside them.
Change is inevitable. And only the humans and wolves can decide if it will end in a better future – or annihilation.
Estene, mother of the Deothwicc pack, knows a reckoning is coming. She can also see what few want to believe: if either side wants peace, they must find a way to co-exist. Her youngest child, Grae, despises this notion. He craves revenge for the pain humans have caused him. And he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
As Dannaskeld of Erdansten, Rostfar is supposed to protect her people from magic; as a wyrdsaer, someone who is able to commune with magic, she is the very thing they fear. For years she has kept a delicate balance between her duty and her secret, but her daughter Arketh’s growing magical affinity has tipped the scales. Aethren is a trainee under Rostfar. They have spent their whole life striving to be strong enough to protect the town. But as wolves attack from outside and power struggles threaten the town from within, Aethren starts to wonder if Erdansten is worth it. At least if they walked away, they would no longer have to worry about the strange power growing inside them.
Change is inevitable. And only the humans and wolves can decide if it will end in a better future – or annihilation.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2021
2 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 31, 2021
This is one of the most immersive fantasy books I’ve read in years. The worldbuilding gives you all that wonder and awe of exploring a magic world, the characters seem to come alive from the first page they appear, their problems are compelling, and the suspense is so wonderfully thick and ominous. It kept pulling me further and further into the story, and I couldn’t get out.
There isn’t much war and action in When Dealing with Wolves, compared with most high-fantasy books, but I never found it slow or boring. I felt engaged from the beginning, with Rostfar’s worry about her daughter, Ket, whose wyrdness is awakening, and their joint foreboding about the sudden arrival of a relative, half-dead in the middle of the night and clearly bringing trouble at his heels. Then, there was also something going on outside Erdansten’s walls, something to do with magic and wolves—a mystery I had to figure out—and the book proved to be packed with some of the best character-based conflict I’ve seen in a fantasy novel, so I was completely invested in it.
I loved the wyrdness, the world and its creatures; every new detail about them seemed more wonderful than the last, and the lore read like real folklore and mythology, which made the book come alive even more for me. But my favorite part was how interrelated the worldbuilding was with the characters and the plot. The worldbuilding isn’t just a background for the story. It makes the characters who they are and, in turn, it’s affected by them—and the plot is a cause of all these characters living in this world with which they have a complicated relationship.
For the humans in this setting, there is a cultural fear of “otherness” attached to the wyrdness. Erdansten feels like a realistic small town, with a close-knit community of people relying on each other to survive the harsh climate of Ys. Not everyone there thinks the same way, and on the surface, people are mostly friendly towards each other, but there’s a tension corroding it from within, because on the whole, it’s also a place that’s extremely prejudiced and fearful about magic. This forces the characters that have some sort of connection to the wyrdness—like the main characters, Rostfar and Aethren, besides Rostfar’s daughter Ket—not only to hide part of who they are for fear of being ostracized or killed, but also to live feeling like they are monsters or sick because of their wyrdness. They’re seen as dangerous, pitiful, and something to be hunted down, all at once; anyway, they’re an “outsider” hiding among their own people.
And if their magic is ever discovered? They’ll have to face the danger to their lives and the damage especially to their closest relationships with family and friends, not to talk of their community as a whole. I loved the inner and interpersonal conflict created by this—it was compelling and touching.
It was also amazing that everything that happened to one character had a ripple effect, both on the people around them and on the plot itself, making the situation they had to face even more complicated and interesting than before. Since each of their stories also explores different but related aspects of the setting, it’s like you have to put all the characters together to gain a better understanding of their world and what is happening in it. The story is also very well interconnected in this sense. When Dealing with Wolves reads a bit like a fantasy mystery, but it’s one you piece together by following a web of people (not all of them human) living in the same world, breaking apart, drawing together, or just interacting with one another.
About the characters, I particularly loved Rostfar. She had so many sides and depth, and her feelings came across so strongly through the narration that I felt like they were my own. I also found her a unique protagonist for a high-fantasy novel, since she’s an adult woman, a mother, who had figured out a (somewhat) stable life for herself, before the plot comes crashing down on her. She’s at the center of most of what happens in the book—her daughter, her meeting with the wolves—and her character arc is intrinsically related to the humans’ relationship to the wyrdness, so I was really interested in her story.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t like Aethren or the other characters, though. Aethren’s and Rostfar’s perspectives complement and balance each other so well! They’re both connected to the wyrdness and they’re both thrown in the middle of a chaos while they’re already facing personal problems, but the age gap between them means Aethren is just figuring out who they are, while Rostfar has to reconsider her future, and the differences in their situations makes each of them cover one of the most important sides of the plot. Erdansten and the wolves. The mystery of their past and the mystery of what’s happening in their present. Though I truly felt like all the characters were real people I knew and loved, maybe even from before the story started, and all of them had a role only they could fill in the story.
I found the climax of When Dealing with Wolves confusing: I couldn’t quite understand what was happening in those chapters or how.
Even so, I liked the ending. I found it both hopeful and realistic.
There isn’t much war and action in When Dealing with Wolves, compared with most high-fantasy books, but I never found it slow or boring. I felt engaged from the beginning, with Rostfar’s worry about her daughter, Ket, whose wyrdness is awakening, and their joint foreboding about the sudden arrival of a relative, half-dead in the middle of the night and clearly bringing trouble at his heels. Then, there was also something going on outside Erdansten’s walls, something to do with magic and wolves—a mystery I had to figure out—and the book proved to be packed with some of the best character-based conflict I’ve seen in a fantasy novel, so I was completely invested in it.
I loved the wyrdness, the world and its creatures; every new detail about them seemed more wonderful than the last, and the lore read like real folklore and mythology, which made the book come alive even more for me. But my favorite part was how interrelated the worldbuilding was with the characters and the plot. The worldbuilding isn’t just a background for the story. It makes the characters who they are and, in turn, it’s affected by them—and the plot is a cause of all these characters living in this world with which they have a complicated relationship.
For the humans in this setting, there is a cultural fear of “otherness” attached to the wyrdness. Erdansten feels like a realistic small town, with a close-knit community of people relying on each other to survive the harsh climate of Ys. Not everyone there thinks the same way, and on the surface, people are mostly friendly towards each other, but there’s a tension corroding it from within, because on the whole, it’s also a place that’s extremely prejudiced and fearful about magic. This forces the characters that have some sort of connection to the wyrdness—like the main characters, Rostfar and Aethren, besides Rostfar’s daughter Ket—not only to hide part of who they are for fear of being ostracized or killed, but also to live feeling like they are monsters or sick because of their wyrdness. They’re seen as dangerous, pitiful, and something to be hunted down, all at once; anyway, they’re an “outsider” hiding among their own people.
And if their magic is ever discovered? They’ll have to face the danger to their lives and the damage especially to their closest relationships with family and friends, not to talk of their community as a whole. I loved the inner and interpersonal conflict created by this—it was compelling and touching.
It was also amazing that everything that happened to one character had a ripple effect, both on the people around them and on the plot itself, making the situation they had to face even more complicated and interesting than before. Since each of their stories also explores different but related aspects of the setting, it’s like you have to put all the characters together to gain a better understanding of their world and what is happening in it. The story is also very well interconnected in this sense. When Dealing with Wolves reads a bit like a fantasy mystery, but it’s one you piece together by following a web of people (not all of them human) living in the same world, breaking apart, drawing together, or just interacting with one another.
About the characters, I particularly loved Rostfar. She had so many sides and depth, and her feelings came across so strongly through the narration that I felt like they were my own. I also found her a unique protagonist for a high-fantasy novel, since she’s an adult woman, a mother, who had figured out a (somewhat) stable life for herself, before the plot comes crashing down on her. She’s at the center of most of what happens in the book—her daughter, her meeting with the wolves—and her character arc is intrinsically related to the humans’ relationship to the wyrdness, so I was really interested in her story.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t like Aethren or the other characters, though. Aethren’s and Rostfar’s perspectives complement and balance each other so well! They’re both connected to the wyrdness and they’re both thrown in the middle of a chaos while they’re already facing personal problems, but the age gap between them means Aethren is just figuring out who they are, while Rostfar has to reconsider her future, and the differences in their situations makes each of them cover one of the most important sides of the plot. Erdansten and the wolves. The mystery of their past and the mystery of what’s happening in their present. Though I truly felt like all the characters were real people I knew and loved, maybe even from before the story started, and all of them had a role only they could fill in the story.
I found the climax of When Dealing with Wolves confusing: I couldn’t quite understand what was happening in those chapters or how.
Even so, I liked the ending. I found it both hopeful and realistic.
August 18, 2025
In a society reminiscent of the Viking era, magic is feared and forbidden and those who possess it, like respected leader Rostfar, must hide the fact. Just as Rostfar’s young daughter is showing signs of also having magical abilities, she disappears, presumed killed by the giant, talking wolves that roam the land. But is she really dead? And are the wolves really the ferocious monsters Rostfar has been led to believe?
Whilst the wolves are a fantasy species, I still disliked some of their unrealistic behaviour – for example, using their claws as if they were cats. They are supposedly almost the size of ponies, yet seem to subsist mainly on small prey like hares and squirrels, and have difficulty killing a caribou, something even a single normal wolf can do.
There are a few spelling errors, such as “eery” instead of “eerie”, “change tact” instead of “change tack”, and “planes” used when “plains” is meant. There’s also some incorrect punctuation and the odd missing word. Having finished the book, I’m still not sure if “boundmate” was on purpose (as in, they’re bound to each other) or if it was supposed to be “bondmate” (as in, they’re bonded for life).
This wasn’t a bad read, but it was pretty standard fantasy fare, with nothing particularly stand-out about it.
Whilst the wolves are a fantasy species, I still disliked some of their unrealistic behaviour – for example, using their claws as if they were cats. They are supposedly almost the size of ponies, yet seem to subsist mainly on small prey like hares and squirrels, and have difficulty killing a caribou, something even a single normal wolf can do.
There are a few spelling errors, such as “eery” instead of “eerie”, “change tact” instead of “change tack”, and “planes” used when “plains” is meant. There’s also some incorrect punctuation and the odd missing word. Having finished the book, I’m still not sure if “boundmate” was on purpose (as in, they’re bound to each other) or if it was supposed to be “bondmate” (as in, they’re bonded for life).
This wasn’t a bad read, but it was pretty standard fantasy fare, with nothing particularly stand-out about it.
July 12, 2021
When Dealing with Wolves is a well-constructed mystery with hopeful, human themes, despite half the characters being wolves. The author's style of dropping hints through myth and connecting every part of the world to the story made it an exciting read as I speculated throughout the story about what was happening with different characters, or how seemingly unconnected elements linked together. The underlying mythology and magic system is well-made and thoughtful, and the fact that you're not sure exactly what the limits are makes for an interesting component of the story. There are times when it feels a little bit too much like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but generally the story doesn't suffer for it, and it doesn't rely on the characters' capacity for magic.
July 19, 2021
This review is spoiler-free, in that no events past chapter 3 are tied to any specific name(s).
Actual rating: 4.5
Review Summary:
Although it's been two weeks since I finished this novel, I could still vividly remember the characters. Most of the cast was well-developed. The intrigue, both internal and external, blended perfectly with the core themes of trauma and healing to make a truly wholesome story. While there are a few parts I think could be better, this story is one I won't easily forget.
Full Review:
First of all, I can’t thank A.R. Thompson enough for sending me the ARC in return for an honest review.
Right from the beginning, the preview of first three chapters have immediately hooked me in. This is despite how the events build up rather slowly. Certain points in the blurb do not occur until the second quarter of the book, but the characterisation and worldbuilding more than makes up for it. What is the wyrdness? Who are the forgotten gods? The answers are teased out through Rostfar’s fears and hopes as she clings onto both her duty and secret, and that’s just the beginning. It’s not always fully explained though. Much of it are little hints, and sometimes the subtlety can get in the way (resulting in a 'wait, what just happened?' moment), but most of the time it adds to the mystery.
Another shining point was the diverse cast. I’m not autistic so I can’t say much about the autistic representation other than it’s #OwnVoice, but it is pleasant to read about polyamorous family and the non-prominence of gender roles, which happens to be a norm and part of life, as well as a disabled character with his own arc.
Even if some characters weren’t “good”, the author had dedicated fulfilling arcs for them while preserving their distinctive essence (ie. not good ≠ bad). I also appreciate how the non-human characters have equally well-developed personalities, and that the scenes are more focused on the events at hand rather than romance.
The strong characterisation (especially protagonists), however, does put some of the antagonists in contrast, whom I felt were too easy to hate. It would have been interesting to see more dimensions to the antagonists and how that play out with the intrigue. I’m also somewhat thrown off by the capabilities of wyrdness/magic in the climax(?). It’s not something that bothers me too much because it’s epic, EPIC! But if the underlying cause-and-effect was clearer at that point, it would have made a more powerful impact. Also, there’s a character death that could have been handled better. It felt like the character was being stuffed in the fridge, mostly because I really identified with the character, but the circumstance seemed oddly contrived.
Nonetheless, the ending was generally satisfying and realistic and I enjoyed the story, sometimes with happy-sad tears. And you know what? It’s a duology! I’m definitely looking forward to the second book!
Actual rating: 4.5
Review Summary:
Although it's been two weeks since I finished this novel, I could still vividly remember the characters. Most of the cast was well-developed. The intrigue, both internal and external, blended perfectly with the core themes of trauma and healing to make a truly wholesome story. While there are a few parts I think could be better, this story is one I won't easily forget.
Full Review:
First of all, I can’t thank A.R. Thompson enough for sending me the ARC in return for an honest review.
Right from the beginning, the preview of first three chapters have immediately hooked me in. This is despite how the events build up rather slowly. Certain points in the blurb do not occur until the second quarter of the book, but the characterisation and worldbuilding more than makes up for it. What is the wyrdness? Who are the forgotten gods? The answers are teased out through Rostfar’s fears and hopes as she clings onto both her duty and secret, and that’s just the beginning. It’s not always fully explained though. Much of it are little hints, and sometimes the subtlety can get in the way (resulting in a 'wait, what just happened?' moment), but most of the time it adds to the mystery.
Another shining point was the diverse cast. I’m not autistic so I can’t say much about the autistic representation other than it’s #OwnVoice, but it is pleasant to read about polyamorous family and the non-prominence of gender roles, which happens to be a norm and part of life, as well as a disabled character with his own arc.
Even if some characters weren’t “good”, the author had dedicated fulfilling arcs for them while preserving their distinctive essence (ie. not good ≠ bad). I also appreciate how the non-human characters have equally well-developed personalities, and that the scenes are more focused on the events at hand rather than romance.
The strong characterisation (especially protagonists), however, does put some of the antagonists in contrast, whom I felt were too easy to hate. It would have been interesting to see more dimensions to the antagonists and how that play out with the intrigue. I’m also somewhat thrown off by the capabilities of wyrdness/magic in the climax(?). It’s not something that bothers me too much because it’s epic, EPIC! But if the underlying cause-and-effect was clearer at that point, it would have made a more powerful impact. Also, there’s a character death that could have been handled better. It felt like the character was being stuffed in the fridge, mostly because I really identified with the character, but the circumstance seemed oddly contrived.
Nonetheless, the ending was generally satisfying and realistic and I enjoyed the story, sometimes with happy-sad tears. And you know what? It’s a duology! I’m definitely looking forward to the second book!
September 4, 2025
I really really loved this book.
Though it took me like 4 months to complete it, but I tried to hold onto it as long as I possibly could before reaching the ending, because I didn't want to finish it just yet. Although I truly wanted to know everything that would happen next.
I love how this book is about family and friends. This is the message that I am constantly seeking out in the books I pick up, and I just love this trope. I can't never get enough of it. There's something so beautiful and tender about it.
The last 100 pages were very wonderfully crafted, and I kept finding myself at the edge of the seat every time I reached the end of each chapter.
And also just a thought on the ending (excuse my rambling):
I am glad that I gave this book a chance, and now I am so excited for the day the sequel comes out! You did so well!
Though it took me like 4 months to complete it, but I tried to hold onto it as long as I possibly could before reaching the ending, because I didn't want to finish it just yet. Although I truly wanted to know everything that would happen next.
I love how this book is about family and friends. This is the message that I am constantly seeking out in the books I pick up, and I just love this trope. I can't never get enough of it. There's something so beautiful and tender about it.
The last 100 pages were very wonderfully crafted, and I kept finding myself at the edge of the seat every time I reached the end of each chapter.
And also just a thought on the ending (excuse my rambling):
I am glad that I gave this book a chance, and now I am so excited for the day the sequel comes out! You did so well!
October 1, 2025
This book feels like it’s trying way too hard. A large number of characters and a substantial amount of unnecessary lore are thrown at the reader early on, and the attempt at diversity seems over-the-top. I’m all for diversity in books, but rather than feeling inclusive this felt like the author was just ticking boxes – the disabled character, the non-binary character, the polyamorous relationship, etc.
The writing and plot make the book feel like it’s aimed at young teenagers, but there’s some strong language that suggests adults are the target market. Some things, like the village politics, are over-explained, whilst others, like the strange beings encountered by the characters, aren’t explained enough. There are also some spelling and grammatical mistakes.
The wolves were, of course, the most interesting part of the book for me. They’re an invented species, so some factual errors can be excused, but some things still irritated me. Wolves do not use their claws to attack, for one thing, and for another we’re supposed to believe two horse-sized wolves can share one hare and be satisfied? That a whole pack of them can get by on such food for most of the year? Not likely.
The writing and plot make the book feel like it’s aimed at young teenagers, but there’s some strong language that suggests adults are the target market. Some things, like the village politics, are over-explained, whilst others, like the strange beings encountered by the characters, aren’t explained enough. There are also some spelling and grammatical mistakes.
The wolves were, of course, the most interesting part of the book for me. They’re an invented species, so some factual errors can be excused, but some things still irritated me. Wolves do not use their claws to attack, for one thing, and for another we’re supposed to believe two horse-sized wolves can share one hare and be satisfied? That a whole pack of them can get by on such food for most of the year? Not likely.
December 20, 2023
I was a little slow to warm up to this book, but once I gave it a chance I fell in love. This is a story about love, fear, family and self. The characters came wonderfully alive, and I look forward to seeing them again in the next book!
June 30, 2021
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
A good book about wolves and magic!
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
A good book about wolves and magic!
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
October 22, 2021
is at no point bad, but you really start to get invested when the individual arcs begin. i quite enjoyed it
March 20, 2024
I love the worldbuilding and character dyanmic shifts the most. Still, there were narrative moments that left a sour taste in my mouth, while there were parts that I found fantastic.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews