Wolf by Wolf #1 Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin 3,75/5 Award: Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2017) Français: Je suis Adèle Wolf Summary The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? – Goodreads My review Just when I thought my love for teenage dystopia had vanished, I stumble upon a book that makes me fall in love with it all over again. Wolf by Wolf is the first novel in the duology of the same name which asks the famous question: “what if the Nazis had won the war?” While I don’t like asking “what if's” in an academic context, for a creative literary exercise I think it was perfect and definitely entertaining. I almost missed my train stop twice because I was so entranced, flipping through the pages like a madwoman. In general, there are few genres that make me forget where I am like Young Adult (YA) dystopia. There is just something about the drama and the accessibility of the writing style that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the final page, especially if the novel is nicely constructed. However, Wolf by Wolf was not perfect. I found the writing style immature which is surprising considering Graudin is an experienced writer. Young Adult literature does not equal bad or superficial writing, it just means that the audience is not receptive to grand and pompous phrasing. That does not mean that it is easier, on the contrary writing in an easy-to-digest way is much harder than putting metaphors and symbolism every sentences. Graudin’s style was, however, just too naked. I did not feel much artistry, and when I saw glimpses of it, it felt forced and unoriginal. By no means was it awful, but with a story that has the potential to carry such a strong message with the topic choice, it felt very underwhelming. Nonetheless, Wolf by Wolf was so much fun. It was fast and well-paced. The plot was nicely crafted, it all felt really logical. There were clear separations between beginning, middle, and ending which was nice but felt a bit too methodical. As a result, I predicted some of the twist and turns. Actually, there are few YA novels that surprise me with their plots in general. Still, the story is incredibly addictive, and it will not let you go until you close the last page plus a few more because the author’s note is frankly one of the best ones I’ve ever read. If you liked Wolf by Wolf, you will love… The Lunar Chronicles #1 Cinder by Marissa Meyer Shatter Me #1 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Villains #1 Vicious by V.E. Schwab
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