Master
writer Anne Rice returns to the supernatural realm with her newest release, The Wolf
Gift. Reuben Golding was a nice, normal young man who loved to write and
was working as a journalist for the San Francisco Observer. While on assignment
one day in Mendocino County, California, Reuben stumbles upon the house of his
dreams. It’s for sale, and after spending the day with the owner of the estate,
Reuben has made up his mind to buy it. That night, he wakes to the sound of
screaming and finds himself face-to-face with the dead body of the woman of the
house, her murderous brothers, and a creature he has only heard of in fairy tales – a giant man wolf. For reasons unknown to him, the man wolf does
not kill him but leaves him bitten and wounded on the kitchen floor of the
home. Reuben is taken to the hospital, where his recovery is unusually fast and
he experiences some unnatural changes. Reuben had been infected by the man wolf
and is now a creature of the night himself. He must face the challenges, moral
ramifications, and danger that comes with accepting the Wolf Gift. How will he
become accustomed to his new strength, the enhanced senses, and the unrelenting
voices of the helpless calling to him in the night for vengeance?
The
Wolf Gift is eloquently written with a wonderful mix of the supernatural
and scientific possibilities. The characters are all very well-rounded. They
show a full range of emotion, dilemmas, and vulnerability. Reuben is endearing
and his struggles and general outlook on life make it impossible for the reader
to not root for him. With beautiful and entrancing descriptions of Nideck Point
and the surrounding landscape, Rice lures readers into Reuben’s world and will
not let them go. Along with her wonderful storytelling, Rice raises deeper
questions of God, morals, ethics, and responsibility within the novel, as well
as bringing new theories and suggestions regarding werewolf lore to the table. The Wolf Gift is a must-read for fans of
Anne Rice, as well as fans of werewolf fiction. Readers and fans alike will not
be disappointed with the fresh voice that one of the greatest literary figures
of our time brings to the genre of werewolf fiction.
Disclosure:
I received my copy of this book free from the publisher. This had no impact on
my opinion of the book or my review.
I so want to read this book.
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