Sonderbooks Book Review of The Wolf Hunt

Reviewed August 2001.
A Sonderbooks' Best Book of 2001
Available at Sembach Library.

I’m slightly embarrassed by how much I enjoyed this book, as its plot is somewhat melodramatic. In a note at the end, the author tells us that she took the story from The Lay of the Werewolf, by Marie de France, written in the 12th century, so that explains the medieval plot.

I don’t want to give away the plot, but it does involve werewolves and romance. (An odd combination, I must admit!) I was completely hooked from the start. I was almost late for work because I started reading it in the morning, then I was very late to bed that night because I couldn’t stand to stop until I was finished. (People have asked how I read so many books. I do read fast, but mostly I lack self-control to stop before the book is done! I suppose it helps that we only get German channels on our TV.) I mentioned Gillian Bradshaw in my first issue of Sonderbooks. Her historical research is excellent, or else she’s terribly good at faking it! I like her characters, and am inevitably drawn into her stories. This one is a bit violent, as are many of her books, since those were violent times. (This one’s set in eleventh century France.) I enjoyed this book tremendously.

If you haven’t read any other Gillian Bradshaw books, I almost would rather that you started with The Sand Reckoner or Imperial Purple or The Beacon at Alexandria, simply because this plot, involving werewolves, is a bit wilder than most of her others, and I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea. However, if you like a thrilling and romantic yarn that is also well-written, you’ll enjoy this one. I highly recommend it.

Reviews of other books by Gillian Bradshaw:
Imperial Purple
The Sand-Reckoner
Cleopatra's Heir
Render Unto Caesar
Dangerous Notes
The Wrong Reflection

-top of page-

Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

*****The Wolf Hunt*

by Gillian Bradshaw