The Wolf of Cape Fen

First Frost has touched Cape Fen, and that means Baron Dire has returned. For as long as anyone can remember, Baron Dire has haunted the town come winter, striking magical bargains and demanding unjust payment in return. The Serling sisters know better than to bargain, lest they find themselves hunted by the Baron’s companion, the Wolf.

Then the Wolf attacks Eliza's sister Winnie. They manage to escape, but they know the Wolf will be back, because the Wolf only attacks those who owe the Baron Dire. Winnie would never bargain, so that must mean that someone has struck a deal with Winnie as the price.

Eliza embarks on a journey to save her sister, but as she untangles the links between Baron Dire, the Wolf, and her family, she discovers a complicated web of bargains that cross all of Cape Fen. If Eliza can learn the truth, she might be able to protect her sister, but the truth behind the bargain could put her own life in danger.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for Young Readers for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

Not gonna lie, that cover totally got me. And then the blurb, because who doesn’t love stories about siblings trying to save siblings? You won’t find any complaints from me!

The Wolf of Cape Fen is a heartwarming story of sibling bonds, the power of dreams, and the nature of curses with a sweeping mystery that led to growth in all the characters.

While I did love the main characters (what’s not to love about two spunky girls who are doing their best), it was really the mystery that stole my attention. Especially since things aren’t quite what they seem, and there’s something bigger and deeper happening at Cape Fen.

It’s so easy to love these characters. Eliza really just stole my heart, because she’s such a little character having to face big emotions and not quite sure how to parse them.

See, Eliza’s mother made a bargain with Baron Dire and left the island, leaving Eliza to take care of her younger sister, Winnie. Sure, her father’s there, but he’s not as attentive as he should be, which is yet another source of frustration for her. Despite her age, she’s carrying the world on her shoulders, and she doesn’t know any other way.

Eliza’s arc was absolutely beautiful and one I could really connect with, because she has to learn how to not shoulder everyone else’s problems and actually ask for help.

And wow is this still something I struggle with, despite being much older than Eliza. Asking for help is hard. Admitting that you can’t do it all, all the time is also hard. Letting go of anger and resentment you’ve carried for years? Yup, you got it: the hardest of all the hard things. This was a character journey that I not only enjoyed, but felt at my core.

Winnie is the perfect balance for Eliza. Where her sister is all business and responsibility, Winnie is more whimsy and understanding.

Or as much understanding as a kid her age can do, I suppose. She somehow manages to be both wise (in that unintentional kid way) and adorably naive. It was a brilliant contrast to her sister, but made her character entirely her own in a way that made it hard not to like her. She deserves all the hugs and attention.

Bonus points: if you pay attention to what Winnie says, it kind of makes sense. In a sort of nonsensical way. She’s funny and adorable and so very much a little kid and a little sister, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bit of truth to what she says sometimes.

There’s a heavy theme of dreaming throughout this book, and each chapter starts with what one of the characters is dreaming, and I just absolutely LOVED this.

At first, this won’t make much sense, because it starts very generic, with the moon and the Wolf. Once you get into the story, though, these dreams start to have so much meaning to them. They’re gorgeous and eerie and offer a deeper, albeit brief, look into the characters. Slowly, things start to piece together and make sense the more you learn about what the island residents dream, because here, dreams have power.

All I can say here is: pay attention. Don’t skip these sections. They have so much meaning.

If you’re like me and inclined to sometimes skip the epigraphs before a chapter … don’t! Your reading of this book will be so much richer with this information and the revelations that come once you realize what all the dreams mean and how they affect each resident.

The name of the game here is secrets: everyone’s got them, and no one wants to share them.

The residents of Cape Fen are super extra good at keeping secrets. Sure, the gossip mill spins as quickly as one might expect in a small, close-knit community, but that’s all it is: meaningless gossip. The real nitty-gritty, important things are hidden away, which made this book all the more thrilling to read.

Part of the fun of this book is trying to piece together and discover what all the characters don’t want to say.

It’s middle grade, so eventually, most things are spelled out, but if you’re careful reading and pay attention to the hints, you’ll take away so much more from this book. I don’t actually want to give any of it away, but it’s one of those books with hidden meanings, and it’s so easy, at first, to blame everyone for being foolish … but by the end, it’s hard not to at least empathize with some of them.