  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2016 Gr 4–6—On a small island off the coast of Seattle, Raul attends an alternative boarding school and guards a precious secret. He shape-shifts into a wolf every weekend. His abilities have been unlocked by the magic of the woods, where an abandoned lighthouse serves as the apex of his power. When a threatening cougar shatters the isolated safety of the woods, Raul must hurry to unravel the mystery of his mother's past, the magic of the woods, and the identity of the predator. Told in Raul's voice, the mystery will quickly consume readers as the confused and increasingly anxious narrator navigates the normal social pressures of school while working to uncover the truth without involving untrustworthy teachers and friends. From the cruel gym teacher to the absentminded principal, the adult characters transcend mere cliché as their secrets reveal intense pasts and powers. This is ultimately a story of belonging, and readers will feel for Raul as he tries to find his place among peers and build himself a family. Heartfelt, enigmatic, and ethereal, Evans's excellent debut novel takes readers on a roller coaster of emotion and keeps them guessing the whole way through. Based in part on the 12th-century French work Bisclarvet, this is a modern story with a fairy-tale atmosphere. VERDICT Fans of mystery and fantasy will enjoy this unique yet familiar selection.—Mariah Manley, Salt Lake City Public Library - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2016 Narrator Raul insists this isn’t a werewolf book, because he shifts from human to wolf, not to some hybrid werewolf. When he’s a wolf, he hunts and bonds with a another wolf that he’s fairly certain is his mother trapped in animal form, and when he’s human he tries to fit in at his boarding school and think of ways to hang out with his crush. Unfortunately, there’s a predator stalking the woods, and this cougar is impacting both sides of Raul’s life, putting his human and animal connections in danger. Raul is an intriguing narrator who doesn’t always tell the truth, whether because he doesn’t actually have a clear read on the situation or because he wants to frame things to favor himself. Either way it’s engaging, both because he’s an interesting character and because readers who spot the divergences from the truth will want to see how it plays out. It’s certainly an ambitious choice for a middle-school novel, and when you add in family conflict, boarding school dynamics, and some substantial hints at (but not specific references to) Native American spirituality and mythology, it’s a lot to digest. For the most part, however, Evans pulls it off. The book as a whole is gripping, mysterious, and resolved in a way that leaves room for a sequel but doesn’t leave current readers unsatisfied. An author’s note explains that the book is a retelling of “Bisclavret,” a twelfth-century story about a werewolf knight. AS - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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