  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 01/01/2018 Gr 4–7—Drest has just six days to save her father and brothers from the hangman's noose in this adventure tale set in medieval Scotland. As the daughter of the "Mad Wolf of the North," Drest is no stranger to a bit of scrapping, but when a band of knights, under the direction of a vengeful Lord Faintree, take her family's camp by surprise, she alone must save them. Drest is likable and headstrong character, and the composite of various regions in Scotland will appeal to tweens who appreciate atmospheric woodsy settings. Readers will learn, along with Drest, about feudal village life, contemporaneous attitudes toward gender, and the relationship between truth and legend. Drest's thoughts occasionally reflect some internalized misogyny; she is not like the other "frail women and girls" or "weak and feeble like every other lass." These particular statements aren't directly unpacked, but the young protagonist does engage in more illuminating conversations about gender with other characters. An allusion to rape that involves Drest's brothers ("Was it a tribute to drag the weavers' daughters into the woods—") is dismissed as rumor. The running theme of trust and family secrets propels much of the plot, and while most conflicts are rather neatly tied up, Drest's embrace of unlikely friendships and a new code of honor are well done. VERDICT A solid quest story for tweens with an interest in the Picts and medieval Scotland.—Della Farrell, School Library Journal - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 04/01/2018 Drest is the youngest of six and the only girl in her family. She lives on a remote headland in thirteenth-century Scotland with her father and brothers, learning how to fight in preparation for the day she will join them in their ventures. When a band of knights raids the camp and captures the men, Drest sets out to rescue them. She brings along as a hostage an injured knight, Emmerick, who was left for dead, and the pair acquire an assortment of companions during their adventurous journey. Drest often receives advice from her brothers’ voices in her head, although one of the voices points out that everything they say comes from some part of Drest’s experience, not supernatural ability. Drest is a wonderfully fierce and feisty heroine, able and quick of wit, and she is joined by other sympathetic and complex characters. Some of the near misses and escapes might seem incredible, but the story is well worth suspending disbelief. The plot is packed with twists and turns, and the ending leaves enough to suggest a sequel. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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