Wolf By Wolf (Wolf BY Wolf #1)
By Ryan Graudin
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Little Brown BFYR
Recommended For: Ages 14+, lovers of YA and historical fiction with a supernatural-ish element.

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?

The Gist:

What would the world be like if Hitler and his allies won World War 2? Wolf By Wolf imagines this to life in the first installment of this duology. This fascinating alternative history takes you on an exciting ride across several continents in a motorcycle race with competing youths. Without getting too heavy, Wolf By Wolf lets the reader imagine what life would be like if Hitler was ruler and what his reign would be like through the eyes of Yael, a young girl who can change her physical appearance to mimic anyone. It’s an intriguing look at a different world and the story is full of rich experiences by strong-willed characters willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

What I Liked:

The characters in general were well thought out and well developed by Ryan. They showed a depth that made them interesting and dynamic and showed that one person isn’t all good or all bad. Ryan managed to capture a wide range of the emotional spectrum in each character and stayed away from cliches. Especially in the main character. My two favorites were Yael and Adele.

Yael was a very believable and relatable character to me. She didn’t have the snarky mega-sarcastic personality like so many heroines do these days. But she did not lack in motivation and drive.  The way Ryan weaves stories from her past in helps emphasize why Yael is doing why she’s doing and why nothing will stop her from succeeding at her mission. But the book also shows the struggles Yael has in coming to terms with the power of her gift, what good it can be used for, and how to not let it change who she really is.

Adele Wolfe was a very intriguing character, even though we don’t get to see her much. Through what we learn from Yael, we see a young woman who is strong and brave and willing to do whatever it takes to prove herself and show she’s just as good as any man.

The thought provoking nature of the story made it an intriguing read without weighing me down.  Flashbacks to the stories of the different “wolves” from Yael’s past really added to making me think about what kind of oppression the world would have if Hitler were in charge.

The ending was phenomenal. It had a twist that completely caught me off guard and left my mouth hanging open. Definitely gotta stick in until the end.

What I Didn’t Like:

There wasn’t much I didn’t like about this book. I thought it was well-paced and built a lot at the end. The characters and plot were well thought out. I think the only thing I wish there would have been more of was a romantic storyline. I don’t want that to take center stage, but it felt like it kind of popped up in full force at the end without much build up. The tension between Yael and Luca was there, but not enough for me. I know it’s hard when the characters are in a race where they spend most of their time alone, but I wish there would have been a few more will-they-kiss scenes sprinkled throughout.

LunasLuckyRating: 4/5 Lunas