Book review: Wolf by Wolf- Ryan Graudin

Title: Wolf by Wolf
Authors: Ryan Graudin
Publication Date: October 20th 2015
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400
Link to Goodreads: Here
Part of a Series: Book 1 of Wolf by Wolf

Plot: Her story begins on a train.

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?

Reading Period: May 14, 2017 - May 20, 2017

Review

Here's what happens when you don't read the full plot of the book: you are surprised when you find fantasy elements in a book you thought it was going to be only a historical fiction!

So yes, I’ve kind of missed the shapeshifting thing. 

The first few chapters reminded me of the beginning of the first X-Men movie when Magneto is a kid and destroys the gate in concentration camp. So, when the main character, Yael, was experimented on and started developing powers, I got that vibe.

I’ve found the first part a bit too slow, but once the race started and I got a chance to read more pages in one go, it picked up for me. I was glad about it because I had read so many positive reviews and I didn’t want to be disappointed about it. In fact, when the race began it felt a bit like Hunger Games meets Around the world in 80 days.

The book is divided in THEN and NOW. NOW follows the events in 1956, Yael participates in the motorbike race as Adele Wolfe and she must win to have the opportunity to kill Hitler. And THEN which follows Yael life before the mission, from the years in the concentration camp to the years of training. 

I found interesting the idea of an alternative history where Germany won the second world war, in fact I’m also interested in watching the TV series Man in the High Castle.  But this book is not set in the US but in Europe, Africa and Asia. I wonder if we’ll see how things are in the US in the second book. 

Great and well developed characters. Interesting to see how Yael has to stay in character as Adele while racing with Adele’s brother, Felix and Adele’s love interested, Luka; how her personal feelings get mixed up. 

Some actions parts, betrayal and unexpected twists make a must read from young adult’s books lovers. 

RATING