Winter of the Wolf Review written by the Ent on 8//2020 This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read
Book: Winter of the Wolf
Author: Martha Hunt Handler
Genre: Mystery Drama
Pages: 264
Published: July 7th 2020
Age Suggestion: 14+
Themes: Grief, Mystery, Spirituality, Inuit culture, Teen relationships
Warnings: Suicide is a pivotal topic throughout this book and may be triggering for anyone who has struggled with or known something you struggled with this topic. There is also some cursing, and looks into non traditional spiritualism (specifically Inuit culture and belief).
Quick Summary:
Bean Hanes wakes up in pain. What happened last night? Then she remembers the Car Accident and everything else that happened that night. Join Bean on a journey of sleuthing, grief, and spirituality
Winter of the Wolf Review: (*Contains Spoilers*)
–Why Read It:
Winter of the Wolf tells an interesting story of grief and spirituality. It is a great introduction to the Inuit culture and their beliefs. The overarching mystery also keeps the reader interested through the end of the book. Although it may not be for everyone, this is an educational, intriguing book for older teens.
-Plot/Story-
The overall story of Winter of the Wolf is very intriguing. It becomes a mystery right off the bat when Bean wakes up and tries to remember the day before. Upon remembering death of her brother Sam, the rest of the book deals with her trying to reconcile his apparent suicide. This leads to a mystery that ultimately gets resolved. Although the ending could be considered a bit underwhelming (see notes below from the author), the answer to the mystery ends up being the secondary topic of the book. The main topic is more about Bean’s spirituality and what she ultimately learns from her brother’s beliefs.
-Characters-
Bean is a very personable and relatable girl who is rattled with grief. Our entire story takes place within her mind, which paints the world in a very interesting way. Through her eyes, we also get introduced to her entire family and how they deal with their grief. Due to this, during the beginning of the book the other family members come off as a bit flat. But throughout the book, you get to understand them and learn more about them on a deeper level.
-What we loved about it-
The Inuit culture plays a big role within this book. It is also one of the most fascinating aspects of the book. Sam, Bean’s brother, was obsessed with this culture. Through his love for this culture, we as readers get to jump into it and see it from his perspective.
Winter of the Wolf Discussion Questions:
- It is shown through Sam that beliefs can directly affect a person’s actions. How is this seen within this book? How do you see this in your own life?
- Bean walks through who tethers her to this world when she is going through a difficult time. Who tethers you when you are having difficult thoughts?
- If you had a spirit animal, what would it be?
- It may be important to have a conversation with your teen about auto erotic asphyxiation. Although this conversation may be difficult, EA is becoming more popular and has many names. It is important for your teen to know the true dangers of such actions. Please see the author’s note below.
A Note and Auto Asphyxiation and Autoerotic Asphyxiation for Teens (From the Author)
“What led me to write this book is the death of my best friend’s son, Brendan Flynn, at the age of 12. Like Sam, his death appeared to be a suicide and it took years for the truth to finally emerge. Practicing Auto Aspyxiation and Auto Erotic Asphyxiation is always life threatening. There is no way to do it safely. Don’t believe your peers if they try to convince you otherwise. If you hear or believe that peers are engaging in this practice, immediately report it to an adult. You could save a life.”
Final Thoughts:
This books was made for a few specific reasons. First, it was made to highlight and support the Inuit culture and mindset. As it says on the author’s website, “All book sales proceeds received by the author will go to the Wolf Conservation Center (nywolf.org).” Lastly, after the death of the author’s friend’s son, she wanted to spread a warning about the dangers of EA. Although this can be awkward to think and talk about, it may just help spread the word and save lives. See the author’s notes for teens regarding Erotic Asphysixiation above.
If you enjoyed our Winter of the Wolf Review, Check out these other posts!
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–7 Life Lessons from Little Women Movie Review
–Kimber by L.K. Hingey (with author interview)
–The Hate U Give Movie and Book Review
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