Raised by Wolves

June 21, 2010
The paranormal craze has given readers several interpretations of the werewolf myth, but with a gift for thoughtful detail, Barnes (Fate) presents a fresh and fully realized world in which werewolves and humans coexist. Narrator Bryn, 15, has straddled the line between wolf and human for nearly her whole life, marked as a member of the pack at age four when her parents were murdered by a rogue Were—a Rabid. Callum, the pack's alpha, has been Bryn's hero and father figure ever since, but it's becoming clear that he has also been keeping secrets. When Bryn discovers Chase locked in Callum's basement—a human who's been turned Were, not born one like the other wolves she knows—a cascade of revelations follow, upending Bryn's secure world ("Books and movies would have me believing that any little scratch or bite could turn someone into a werewolf, but thousands of years of werewolf history said they were wrong"). Bryn's voice is sarcastic, exasperated, frightened, insightful, and tender by turns, and Barnes rarely lets her take easy outs, making for an exceptionally taut read. Ages 12–up.

November 1, 2010

Gr 9 Up-For 15-year-old Bryn Clare, life has been anything but normal. At the age of four she witnesses her parents' gruesome murder by a rogue werewolf. Taken in and marked by the alpha male, Callum, she and her foster mother, Ali, are the only two humans accepted and protected by them. Even though she enjoys the connection to the pack, Bryn's human need to set herself apart and be independent has labeled her a rebel-something unheard of in the strict hierarchy of werewolf society. Her loyalty to Callum and the pack is put to the test with the discovery of newly turned werewolf named Chase. Bryn can not deny the bond she feels with him and begins to uncover information that sets off a chain reaction of events, changing her life forever. Barnes weaves a fantastic story line full of great plot twists and turns with a little romance sprinkled in. Revealing key pieces of the plot in bits and pieces allows the story to move quickly and effortlessly. Readers will definitely respond to gutsy Bryn, who, in being true to herself, must fight for her place in the world. A great read and a must-have for libraries with fans of the supernatural.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

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