Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

This week, I’m going to be reviewing a book by the amazing author, T.J. Klune. I’ve read other books by him, mainly The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, and I loved those novels. So when I learned he had another series out, I immediately started reading.

Here’s the blurb:

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

I just realized this while writing this review, but I’ve never read the blurb. It explains so many things. I could have avoided so much unexpected heartbreak ya’ll. Wolfsong had me suspicious from the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, I love happy stories, and love it when the adorable characters, that you want to protect from everything bad in the world, are happy. But, because little old me did not read the blurb (still can’t believe I did this), I was left blissfully happy, albeit very suspicious of this happiness. Of course, this book ripped my heart out and shredded it, because that was bound to happen. I regret nothing, though! Absolutely nothing! I would go back and do it again if given the option.

T.J. Klune welcomes the reader into the quaint world of Green Creek, Oregon, and introduces a cast of characters that are impossible not to get emotionally involved in. Then comes the conflicts, and I can’t go too much into them, or I fear nothing will stop my ranting. Klune did an amazing job of weaving themes of family, loyalty, and love into the plot. If you like found family, read this book! I also recall crying at various points throughout this book, so if you are looking for a book that will make you feel something, I recommend this to you as well. Klune’s writing style added to the eerie, whimsy tone of the book, with his unique portrayal of the character's thoughts, and the constant skipping between past and present. This element of storytelling was a bit confusing at first, but once I got into the flow of the book, it added to the hook and allure of the book for me. This book turned out to be an enjoyable, heartwarming, and heartwrenching read. I would recommend Wolfsong to anyone looking for a whimsy and slightly eerie book that will rip your heart out whilst also making you swoon.

Happy Reading!

Renee