The Wolf Hour

September 4, 2017
The story of Little Red Riding Hood intersects with that of the Three Little Pigs in this complex fantasy, set in and around an alluring but treacherous Polish forest known as the Puszcza. In this folktale world, readers meet a woodcutter’s daughter named Magia, who is enticed by a powerful red cape offered to her by a carefully disguised witch; a young wolf named Martin who has no sense of tracking but adores books; and three pigs who long for their absent mother. As these narrative strands intersect, the retellings illustrate the power of story (Martin’s mother has taught him to believe that “stories can kill you”) while blending humorous details, such as Martin’s photographic memory of his books, with an abundance of magic. Holmes (Operation Yes) offers additional ruminations on the nature of story in occasional notes directed at readers. But although elements of these interwoven tales are individually compelling, such as Magia’s desire to ease her mother’s depression, the machinations and intersections become excessively complicated, causing the storytelling to bog down. Ages 8–12. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM.

The narration of this audiobook is spectacular. Th�r�se Plummer brings power, venom, and precision, and David de Vries demonstrates equal power, along with warmth and humor. They transport listeners into the Polish Puszcza--a forest cold, dark, and full of magic. And wolves. And stories. Young Magia desperately wants to follow the footsteps of her woodcutter father into the Puszcza, but how can she without becoming part of the forest's magical web? Plummer and de Vries alternate the narration. Plummer delivers the narrative as well as portraying Magia and Miss Grand, a manipulative witch. De Vries crafts intriguing vocal personalities for the wolf and the three pigs. While the story has many magical threads and altered folktales to keep in mind, the vivid narration will make following the characters a joy. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine