Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult fantasy
Year Release: 2019
Source: Library physical copy
| Starting with the wolf attack that left her scarred from age seven, Echo Alkaev’s life has the makings of a fairy tale: magic, strange curses, a selfish stepmother. When she meets the same wolf almost ten years later while searching for her missing father, Echo must house sit for a year with the wolf or else her father dies. But there is far more to this promise.
This story is steeped in folklore and fairy tale. From the Wolf Queen to the boy trapped in stories to the settings, it all seems so familiar. Atmosphere and magic sustain every page. I find it interesting how there was a micro-trend of library magic, but in this story, books are mirrors and you can inhabit as if they were movies in VR. These had been created by one of the characters, but that’s spoiler territory and it’s an unnecessary detail for most of the narrative. Because the world-building was otherwise so light, it was easy to follow along with internal character struggles of Echo and especially Echo’s perspective of Hal. If you’re looking for something Beauty and the Beast (1999), this book captures the same magic, right down to a wonderful library and enchanted ball. |
Jo Writes Fantasy 
I’m honestly pretty burnt out on Beauty and the Beast retellings, but bring to inhabit books is such a cool plot device. I think I might check this one out. It sounds like there are some fresh elements.
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Being able to*
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I think it’s because the retelling aspect of it was more figurative than a beat-by-beat reimagining, if that helps. Let me know what you make of it.
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