The Mad Wolf's Daughter Hardcover – Deckle Edge, March 6, 2018

I finished this book a few days ago and have been ruminating on how to describe it. To start, the writing is beautiful. It didn’t take long for me to feel like I was right there with Drest. What struck me after reading it is that I thought all along that it was a fantasy, but it wasn’t until I finished it that I realized it wasn’t. Not really. It reads like high fantasy, and perhaps there will be more fantasy elements in the next installment (I won’t spoil the end except to say that it’s clearly NOT the end!), but truly it is more like historical fiction, and that became clear as I read the author’s historical notes at the end. Or perhaps a fusion of the two, with some magical realism? Whatever the genres, I enjoyed the story immensely! Diane Magras has taken a familiar trope (the medieval quest), but with unexpected twists. Who is “good” and who is “bad” in this story? It can be hard to tell, and even Drest has to face some uncomfortable truths. I’m looking forward to unraveling more of the mysteries that were presented in this book, and experiencing Drest’s next adventure with her! I also enjoyed learning more about actual Scottish history in the end notes!

A fun read-aloud with my 8 year old son. We enjoyed the trip back to Medieval Scottland and following a fierce, sword-yielding Drest on a harrowing journey with her sidekicks Emerick (a reluctant captive) and Tig (a jovial tag-a-long) to save her family from certain doom. As others mentioned, the story felt repetitive or formulaic about halfway in and we began to lose interest. We would have liked to see a stronger voice for Drest, we found we didn't quite connect with her the way we hoped. The name-calling back and forth between the friends made us snicker out loud. All in all, we enjoyed the read and we would recommend it to anyone that likes historical fiction, sword-fighting, and going on quests.

I pre-ordered this book from the description, something I rarely do unless I know the author or it's a series. I was not disappointed in the least. I'll be even happier if I find she'll write more

We are a family with two young boys ages 7 & 9. I originally picked this book up at our local library and loved it so much I needed to own a copy. I knew that my oldest would be a good fit for this book but I had no idea how much he would love this book as well. We would read a chapter and at the end he would be begging for "just one more"! This is not a kid who begs for more chapters. I cannot thank this author enough for writing such a wonderful, engaging book. The theme of doing what is right even when it's hard is something that appears over and over and is something that my son and I have talked about at length. I can't recommend this book enough...!!!

A fully immersive, utterly riveting adventure, told in beautifully crisp, clean sentences, about a young girl discovering the power within herself and, what’s more, thinking about and deciding just how she’ll choose to use it.

This book is INTENSE and SO GOOD! The adventures are fast paced and non stop, the characters are excellently crafted and engaging, the story is well thought out, the character growth is so well done that you are learning and growing alongside them as you read! I can’t wait for the next book! Highly recommend!

I could not put it down. After much discussion, many of my students have decided they prefer books with lots of external conflict. This book definitely works for what they have been asking me for. This will get book talked a lot in my middle school classroom!

Drest is the youngest child of a medieval war lord. When the band is captured by the local Lord, it is up to Drest to rescue her father and brothers before they are hung. The quest is exciting, and the author stays true to history in this imaginative and enjoyable coming of age tale.

I could not put this story down. Drest’s courage & boldness make it exciting, but her desire to do what is right even when faced with conflicting ideas makes it rich. I can’t wait to share it with others!