If you’re looking for a heart-warming fantasy that explores deep themes, you can find it in The Wolf Warden by Kathryn Jordan. This book releases on November 15th, and here’s the blurb from Goodreads for reference:
Varda Glipwood has trained nearly her entire existence for one thing: to destroy life. When her beloved sister is brutally murdered, an opportunity arises for Varda to prove herself capable. She must find her sister’s killer and destroy him, and in doing so she hopes to gain the acceptance and approval she so desperately needs. But a task like that is never easy, and Varda quickly learns that everything she thought she knew must change if she is to unlock the key to saving the world.
Ratings for The Wolf Warden
Story: 5/5
Worldview: 4/5
Story
From the first page, I was sucked into a new, unfamiliar world with characters that felt so real. Varda Glipwood is very relatable, and her arc and growth is beautiful to see. Rhyll is a great counterpart, and I really loved the family dynamic between Varda and her friends. The story picks up quickly, to the point where I was checking how far along I was to see if I was nearing the halfway point but I was only at 20%! I loved that I felt like I went on a journey with Varda, and many elements that were introduced at the beginning came up again at the end. There was one moment towards the end that a few details and events felt a bit rushed, but the resolution was perfect!
Worldview
Worldview was also great! This book is fantasy, and it includes magic, but it’s all under the authority of the Creator (God). People, like Rhyll, have gifts from the Creator, like making things grow or sensing thoughts. I really loved that Kathryn explored how a person’s value is not tied to their gift or what they look like but to who they are–and that they were created by God. Everyone has value, and everyone can be forgiven and redeemed by the Creator. I loved forgiveness was stressed as important, but that even after forgiveness is given, that doesn’t mean you have to put yourself back in the position to get hurt. I loved seeing the characters pray and ask God for help, guidance, and deliverance.
Worldview did drop a bit for me, however, with the mention of soulmates/marks. This is the concept in the story where two people are “marked” for each other. That means that the people made for each other and they should not marry/be with anyone else. But soulmates are not biblical, so I didn’t like that point.
Content Notes
There is an older character in the book that was mentioned as having groomed young girls to fall in love with him to manipulate them (emphasis on the emotional manipulation). This was painted in a very negative light (unacceptable). Another character at one point tries to take their own life, but it is discussed and they are given hope. In terms of language, there is one mention of whore. The romance was super sweet, just a few mild kisses with affection, but a very clear line for marriage.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed The Wolf Warden! The themes were stunning, and I loved getting to know Varda and the other characters! I’ve had Kathryn’s other books on my TBR for a while, and I can’t wait to dig into them to learn more about this world!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the author but all opinions expressed are my own!
If you’re looking for some other upper YA Christian fantasy, I highly recommend Where Darkness Dwells or To Bind Fire!
