the wolves of willoughby chase book review

One can only hope that there are brighter boys and girls out there willing to give a dark little title like this one a fair shake. Clearly I would have adored this book back in the day.

Ridiculously so, to the point where I looked at the image of the slathering Edward Gorey hellhounds on the cover of this book and honestly thought to myself “wolves = girly = bad.” I never said I was a bright child. Me? I avoided such books like the plague. When I was young, girls were constantly falling for animal books. What could be better than a fast-paced Dickensian adventure? – Kate CoombsĪs a child I avoided The Wolves of Willoughby Chase for precisely the wrong reasons. Simon the gooseboy with his little donkey makes a terrific ally, until at last the dastardly governess gets her comeuppance. The wolves in the snow only add to the terror, and then we reach the workhouse where Bonnie and Sylvia manage to survive and deal with bullies, but only just. Miss Slighcarp gave me the shivers! You just knew she was plotting something horrible as Bonnie’s cheerful parents left the children in her custody, and sure enough, she was. This was one of my favorite books as a child. I left this off my last list and have been kicking myself ever since. Long before there was Lemony Snicket! – Amy Sears #57 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (1962)

The wolves of willoughby chase book review