Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
"The Bennett family has a
They're not just a family, they're a pack.
Wolfsong is Ox Matheson's story.
Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left.
Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty, and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known, but he finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy.
Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack, and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – charming, handsome, but haunted – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them."
Wolfsong is the first novel in Green Creek, a fantasy/romance novel by TJ Klune.
First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Books for giving me the opportunity to review this in advance. Please note that this in no way affects my opinions. Also note that what I read was an ARC, and things may be subject to change for the official release.
I've had this book on my TBR for a while now, and when I requested this ARC I didn't even realize this was a re-release. I've had mixed luck with TJ Klune thus far, but am always open to reading more from him, and I am happy that I did because I ended up loving this book. In fact, I was debating giving this 5 stars if wasn't for some things that happened at the end of the book.
I think what worked for me was the fact that this book read like fanfiction, and I mean that in the best way. Fanfiction, in terms of the format and themes, isn't for everyone, but it is for me, and the way the book was written allowed me to become really engrossed in the story. It was just more than the overall story though that worked, as I loved Ox and Joe right from their first interaction. Granted, it was odd at first reading it in the context of knowing that they would end up together even though Joe was only 10 when they met, but the relationship was platonic until way later on so it was fine.
Now, I know I just said I liked the way the story was written, but it wasn't perfect. The narrative was disjointed at times and the book itself was rather long and felt dragged out at points. By the time I was halfway through the book, it felt like the story should have ended. Was still enjoying myself though so it wasn't all that big of a deal. The text was also very repetitive at times, particularly when it came to Ox's trauma from his father. I understand why it was repeated, but after a while it got annoying.
One other concept I wished was more clear was the dynamics of the pack. Ox ends up becoming part of the pack, but as a human, I don't understand how he gains some supernatural abilities just because of that. In my mind, he is still a human and therefore should be able to hear their thoughts or see their auras. At the least, an explanation would have been nice for context.
Overall though, despite the ending which I didn't like, this was fantastic, and I can see myself re-reading this over and over again.