Title: The Wolf and the Woodsman
Author: Ava Reid
Rating: ★★★★

ARC provided by Harper Voyager through NetGalley.

The Wolf and the Woodsman has been one of my much anticipated releases for 2021 and I’m so thankful and excited to report it stood up to every expectation–and then some–that I had for it. A dark, woodsy adult fantasy filled to the brim with atmospheric writing, angsty enemies-to-lovers romance, and Jewish folklore.

My hand curls around the hilt of my knife. “Would you let me destroy you, then?”
“It would be just as well,” Gáspár says miserably. “I should be struck dead, for wanting you the way I do.”

The writing in this book is absolutely spectacular. This is Ava Reid’s debut novel and it is very obvious how talented of a writer she is. Vivid descriptions. flesh out characters, and faultless pacing come together to create the perfect story. Her words effortlessly conjure an atmospheric setting and easily captivate the reader’s attention.

“There is another world in which we might have stayed in the cradle of tree roots forever, our words rising in cold whispers but our hands and mouths warm.”

The enemies-to-lovers romance is the stuff of dreams. I could not have asked for the relationship between Évike and Gáspár to be written any better. The angst, the yearning, the tension; all of it was brilliantly constructed.

“What a foolish thing for a prince to do.”
A breath comes out of him. “You’ve made me a fool many times over.”

The Wolf and the Woodsman also focuses on important issues as well. The themes of oppression, ethnic cleansing, and genocide are explored throughout the book. The story borrows heavily from Jewish folklore and Hungarian history. I was compelled by Évike’s journey of survival and identity.

Given the title of the book (I’ll read anything that has the word “wolf” in the title) and the synopsis, there was no much convincing needed to add this to my TBR. The Wolf and the Woodsman bewitched me from beginning to end. The atmospheric setting, phenomenal writing, and angsty slow-burn romance provided a lethal combination that had me flying through the chapters. I highly recommend checking out this dark, woodsy adult fantasy and I look forward to more stories from Ava Reid in the future!