I think what I liked most about this book was the unexpected romance embedded in the historical fiction. It was subtle, but oh-so-wonderful, and I found myself rooting for these two - outspoken Martha and taciturn Thomas - as they came up against some pretty fierce odds. Wonderful characters - they turned out to be more complex than I had anticipated. This was told mostly through Martha's point of view, although occasionally we were allowed into Thomas's head, and in fact a fairly large segment was actually given over to his voice via the pages of Martha's diary, as she relayed the story of his youth, as told to her. (Which seems a bit convoluted, I know, but it worked well.) I love history, but will be the first to admit that I need some brushing-up in this area. If 'Wolves' fell short in any way, it would be in filling in the blanks of that time era. But I'm blaming me for this, and giving a huge thumbs up for a great story, well told. I listened to this book on audio. The narrator was excellent, but I missed some of Kathleen Kent's lyrical wordsmithing that so drew me into The Heretic's Daughter. I'd recommend reading instead of listening if you want the full experience of Kent's skill as a writer. This book puts to shame other authors who try to write historical novels but haven't done their homework. I can feel the hardscrabble life, the never-ending chores, the back-breaking effort to tame a new world. I chafe in a society that claims independence but mimics its former English culture and the implicit social structure. Imagine being considered old, unwanted and undeserving as an unmarried woman of 25! Kent brings to life not only the wonder of the time but also the difficulties. My only complaint about the book, its decline to 4 stars from 5, was that it felt a bit slow and plodding. Maybe because this was a prequel of sorts and I knew what the ending had to be (more or less), there wasn't the tension that might have otherwise drawn me along. I did find myself rooting for Thomas and Martha--and wishing someone would tell Patience to get a grip! She was annoying. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
Do You like book The Traitors' Wife (2011)?
I enjoyed this book more than her first novel (and companion piece), "The Heretic's Daughter."
—Bubb
Boring and boring. Took me forever to finish because I kept falling asleep.
—kat
Sooo boring. How could you write such a great book and ruin the prequel?
—kirsten
