ARC Review: The Wolf Gift

Title: The Wolf Gift
Author: Anne Rice
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Release Date: February 14th

A daring new departure from the inspired creator of The Vampire Chronicles (“unrelentingly erotic. . . unforgettable.”), the Lives of the Mayfair Witches (“Anne Rice will live on through the ages of literature”), and the angels of The Songs of the Seraphim (“remarkable.”). A whole new world—modern, sleek, high-tech, and at its center, a story as old and compelling as history—the making of a werewolf, re-imagined and re-invented as only Anne Rice, teller of mesmerizing tales, conjurer extraordinaire of other realms, could create it.

The time is the present.

The place, the rugged coast of northern California. A bluff high above the Pacific. A grand mansion full of beauty and tantalizing history set against a towering redwood forest.

A young reporter on assignment from the San Francisco Observer. . . an older woman, welcoming him into her magnificent, historic family home that he has been sent to write about and that she must sell with some urgency . . . A chance encounter between two unlikely people . . . an idyllic night—shattered by horrific unimaginable violence. . .The young man inexplicably attacked—bitten—by a beast he cannot see in the rural darkness . . . A violent episode that sets in motion a terrifying yet seductive transformation as the young man, caught between ecstasy and horror, between embracing who he is evolving into and fearing who—what—he will become, soon experiences the thrill of the wolf gift.

As he resists the paradoxical pleasure and enthrallment of his wolfen savagery and delights in the power and (surprising) capacity for good, he is caught up in a strange and dangerous rescue and is desperately hunted as “the Man Wolf,” by authorities, the media and scientists (evidence of DNA threaten to reveal his dual existence). . . As a new and profound love enfolds him, questions emerge that propel him deeper into his mysterious new world: questions of why and how he has been given this gift; of its true nature and the curious but satisfying pull towards goodness; of the profound realization that there are others like him who may be watching—guardian creatures who have existed throughout time and may possess ancient secrets and alchemical knowledge and throughout it all, the search for salvation for a soul tormented by a new realm of temptations, and the fraught, exhilarating journey, still to come, of being and becoming, fully, both wolf and man.
--Goodreads

Let me start by saying Anne Rice was one of the first “adult” authors I began reading as a preteen, around the age of eleven or so, along with Stephen King. It was then I found my love of paranormal and horror reading and never stopped from there.
But I’m not a religious person. Of course, I respect everyone’s beliefs as long as mine are respected. So, when Ms. Rice seemed to have left the genre I loved and went to Christian fiction, I stopped reading her material. It wasn’t an outcry or protest. It wasn’t me saying that I hated her writing. It was just simply the fact that I don’t read that genre and I couldn’t bring myself to read her new material. I wasn't interested. I was more sad than anything and afraid I’d never see her paranormal side again I guess.


You would not even believe the excitement that filled me when I heard about The Wolf Gift coming out. I craved for a copy as soon as possible just to see if she was “back”, and boy am I glad to say that she is.
It does get a bit preachy at times, but I found myself easily overcoming that with the beautiful detailed writing that Ms. Rice has always been known for. It has slow, melodic, poetic pacing that moves you along through the story smoothly-- however, let it be noted that I don’t think it’s a fast read. It wasn’t for myself, and in my opinion, I believe it’s meant to be savored. Yes, savor it. Her words flow like fine classical music.


I’ve never been a big fan of the werewolf creature/myth. I have a hard time enjoying them in a lot of books really. It dragged sometimes for me here, but I learned to appreciate the creature a bit more--and maybe I’ll read more werewolf-themed books now.


With all this said, I still think it wasn’t up to par as her earlier works (most notably Interview with a Vampire). There was a certain… finesse… lacking at times. I missed the tortured hero. And the detail and religious preachiness did get to be a bit toooo much during moments that I felt unnecessary.


Ms. Rice is an excellent storyteller though. I really hope to see more work again in the near future.


4 stars!