0
Morally complex and purposeful, Lauren Wolks first young adult novel, Wolf Hollow, wastes no time (or words) on trivial matters. Indeed, everything matters to its twelve-year-old protagonist, Annabelle, as she grows up on a farm in western Pennsylvania in the middle of the Second World War. She is passionate about her life and family and remains steadfastly protective of the strange WWI veteran, Toby, who wanders the local countryside, avoiding most everyone. The sudden arrival of a new student named Betty Glengarry to the one-room schoolhouse in Wolf Hollow transforms Annabelle's quiet life completely. However, from the outset, Betty is fixated on Annabelle and a perception of privilege she has about the younger girl. Though Annabelle is far from spoiled, she is loved by her family, and Bettys cruel impulses are a stark reminder of how variable life and experience can be. Before long, Bettys casually sadistic bullying gives way to an event that will take the rest of the novel to a darker and deeper place. Lauren Wolks story demands your attention and easily shoulders its burden of authenticity regarding the time and place. This is a novel that lingers long in the imagination and seems destined to be a book that classrooms can study alongside classics like Lord of the Flies and To Kill A Mockingbird.
HPB Staff Review