Into the Woods

A Walk in Wolf Wood

By Mary Stewart

Genre: Fantasy

Wonderful time-travel shenanigans in the fourteenth century, told by one of the best Arthurian fantasy writers. A quick read for an afternoon or savoured over a week, this book is light and fun.

John and Margaret are eating a picnic with their parents on a lazy, hot summer's day when they see an unusually dressed figure stumble into the woods. They follow and are transported back in time. It is their mission to cure the cursed unusual man, who is the wolf of Wolf Wood, and save the king from an imposter.

Part of my friend reading challenge, A Walk in Wolf Wood was a delight. One can still enjoy books aimed for youth when they are in their adulthood. If I had found this book as a child, I would have worshipped it and probably would have tried to travel back in time through the woods in our own backyard.

I loved the world and the magical curse of the strange man. It's a story of strong friendship and not being afraid to seek help.

I only wish that John and Margaret's characters had been less cardboard. They felt stiff and boring. I know Stewart is more than capable of enchanting characters. The secondary characters, the king, the evil sorcerer, and the werewolf, were infinitely more interesting.

3.5 STARS

Classroom: This would be a great tie-in story for a Medieval topic. However, be cautious about using books with magic in them. 10+