The Mad Wolf's Daughter

January 1, 2018

Gr 4-7-Drest has just six days to save her father and brothers from the hangman's noose in this adventure tale set in medieval Scotland. As the daughter of the "Mad Wolf of the North," Drest is no stranger to a bit of scrapping, but when a band of knights, under the direction of a vengeful Lord Faintree, take her family's camp by surprise, she alone must save them. Drest is likable and headstrong character, and the composite of various regions in Scotland will appeal to tweens who appreciate atmospheric woodsy settings. Readers will learn, along with Drest, about feudal village life, contemporaneous attitudes toward gender, and the relationship between truth and legend. Drest's thoughts occasionally reflect some internalized misogyny; she is not like the other "frail women and girls" or "weak and feeble like every other lass." These particular statements aren't directly unpacked, but the young protagonist does engage in more illuminating conversations about gender with other characters. An allusion to rape that involves Drest's brothers ("Was it a tribute to drag the weavers' daughters into the woods-") is dismissed as rumor. The running theme of trust and family secrets propels much of the plot, and while most conflicts are rather neatly tied up, Drest's embrace of unlikely friendships and a new code of honor are well done. VERDICT A solid quest story for tweens with an interest in the Picts and medieval Scotland.-Della Farrell, School Library Journal

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
In this fresh take on the chivalric romance, it's wee lass Drest who becomes a legend as she journeys across 13th-century Scotland's remote coastal headlands to rescue her da and brothers, the Mad Wolf and his band, from Faintree Castle. As a bargaining chip, she brings a kind knight traitorously wounded and left for dead by his own men during the raid that took her family. During her six-day quest, Drest rushes headlong to right wrongs wherever she finds them, acquiring a faithful friend and the aid of a powerful witch, both of whom she saves from savage packs of ignorant townspeople. Drest also earns the respect of her captive. Her feats are marked with colorful insults, bruising fights, crashing swords, and daring escapes. Throughout, Drest is heartened by the imaginary presence of her brothers, whose voices she hears in her head, offering battle tips and a code of conduct. But she also learns hard truths about her family's exploits which make her doubt them and question who she is at her core. Choosing her own code allows her to correct past mistakes and reveal a larger plot that hints at a sequel. While Drest's literary antecedents are both many and clear, Magras develops her carefully, her ethical arc emerging naturally and believably. An author's note orients readers to medieval Scotland and its mores. Action-packed at every turn, the story leaves enough unresolved to leave readers hungry for the continuation of the epic adventure. (glossary) (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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Starred review from January 8, 2018
Set in a rugged Scottish landscape in the early 13th century, debut author Magras’s tale of courage and heroism centers on Drest, the youngest child and only daughter of Grimbol, the dreaded Mad Wolf of the North. As fierce Drest becomes a legend in her own right, she must confront difficult truths about her family’s storied past. Always protected by her father and five brothers, Drest has never ventured far from the headlands she calls home, but when her family is captured by knights from Faintree Castle, she must rely on her warrior training and intellect to save them. Traveling with a wounded knight abandoned by the enemy contingent, Drest has five days to reach the castle and trade the knight for her family’s freedom. Drest’s drive to help those in need wins her devoted allies, including a canny boy named Tig and his raven companion. Empathetic, bold, and entirely herself at a time when women were dismissed as weak, Drest shines in this fast-paced adventure. Ages 9–12. Agent: Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Foundry Literary + Media.

July 1, 2018
Twelve-year-old Drest sees her father and brothers captured and dragged away from their rough camp on a Scottish headland, but the invaders leave one of their own behind--wounded knight Emerick, whom Drest saw attacked by one of his own men. In exchange for helping him get back to the lord's castle, Emerick promises Drest that he will allow her to exchange him for one of her brothers, who are sure to hang. Drest agrees, but secretly plans to rescue all five brothers and her father, too. Over the course of their journey, Drest drives a gang of bullies away from a boy, Tig, who then joins them on their quest; she also saves a witch from being burned at the stake, and faces down a bandit. While her exploits win her some degree of renown, the tales she hears of her own family's past leave her shaken and dismayed. Did her father poison a well and decimate an entire village? Could he really have slain Emerick's best friend, the Lady Celestria? Magras touches only lightly on thirteenth-century feudal Scottish life, saving her emphasis for action sequences and emotional conflicts. She dodges a predictable outcome and lands on a satisfying conclusion that, without being overly rose-hued, will gratify those rooting for idealism over gritty reality. anita l. burkam

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2018
Twelve-year-old Drest sees her father and brothers captured from their camp on a Scottish headland in the feudal thirteenth century and travels with wounded knight Emerick to exchange him for one of her brothers, secretly planning to rescue her whole family. Magras emphasizes action sequences and emotional conflicts. She dodges a predictable outcome and lands on a satisfying conclusion that will gratify those rooting for idealism.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)