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Deluge #1
The Wolf and The Water
Some secrets are worth killing for
The ancient city of Kepos sits in an isolated valley, cut off from the outside world by a towering wall. Behind it, the souls of the dead clamour for release. Or so the priesthood says.
Kala has never had any reason to doubt their word - until her father dies in suspicious circumstances that implicate the city's high priest. She's determined to investigate, but she has a more immediate problem: the laws of the city require her mother to remarry straight away.
Kala's new stepfather is a monster, but his son Leon is something altogether more dangerous: kind.
With her family fractured and the investigation putting her life in danger, the last thing Kala needs is romance. She would rather ignore Leon entirely, however difficult he makes it. But when she learns the truth of what really clamours behind the wall at the end of the valley, she faces a choice: share what she knows and jeopardise her escape, or abandon him to his fate along with the rest of the city.
If she doesn't move fast, then no one will make it out of the valley alive.
The ancient city of Kepos sits in an isolated valley, cut off from the outside world by a towering wall. Behind it, the souls of the dead clamour for release. Or so the priesthood says.
Kala has never had any reason to doubt their word - until her father dies in suspicious circumstances that implicate the city's high priest. She's determined to investigate, but she has a more immediate problem: the laws of the city require her mother to remarry straight away.
Kala's new stepfather is a monster, but his son Leon is something altogether more dangerous: kind.
With her family fractured and the investigation putting her life in danger, the last thing Kala needs is romance. She would rather ignore Leon entirely, however difficult he makes it. But when she learns the truth of what really clamours behind the wall at the end of the valley, she faces a choice: share what she knows and jeopardise her escape, or abandon him to his fate along with the rest of the city.
If she doesn't move fast, then no one will make it out of the valley alive.
282 pages, Paperback
Published October 8, 2020
About the author
Josie Jaffrey
40 books162 followersI have always written stories, but it wasn't until I started the first book in the Solis Invicti series in 2014 that I really became obsessed with writing. I love to read, particularly where the escapism of the story is enhanced with an element of fantasy or science fiction. For me, writing is simply an extension of that journey, but I get to decide what happens next (though it's amazing how often the characters seem to decide for themselves what I'm going to write!).
I love to hear from readers, so please do get in touch through my website or via Twitter.
Thank you for reading!
I love to hear from readers, so please do get in touch through my website or via Twitter.
Thank you for reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 24, 2021
3.5 - 4 stars
The Wolf and the Water was a complex and fresh historical fantasy told from a Greek mythological context. The characters were YA in age but the themes felt older and I appreciated the story not holding any barrs.
Kala, the protagonist was the newly bereaved and unwanted daughter with a physical disability. Kala was not unused to derision and rejection from her community but with the loss of a loved one, she’d lost protection. Kala was a strong young woman with courage and her tale was compelling.
This was an intricate story, some re-envisaging of elements of Greek mythology tales influenced by Atlantis. Misogyny, slavery and power was on the menu and in reference to my earlier comment about themes, some elements were brutally told. I did lose my stride with a bit of confusion at one point, but I was able to pick up the story again and what was happening.
The story felt unpredictable, the friendships, relationships and allegiences were interesting and the eventual story direction left me wanting to know more. This was the first time I’ve read Josie Jaffrey but I’ll definitely read her work again and follow this series further.
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
The Wolf and the Water was a complex and fresh historical fantasy told from a Greek mythological context. The characters were YA in age but the themes felt older and I appreciated the story not holding any barrs.
Kala, the protagonist was the newly bereaved and unwanted daughter with a physical disability. Kala was not unused to derision and rejection from her community but with the loss of a loved one, she’d lost protection. Kala was a strong young woman with courage and her tale was compelling.
This was an intricate story, some re-envisaging of elements of Greek mythology tales influenced by Atlantis. Misogyny, slavery and power was on the menu and in reference to my earlier comment about themes, some elements were brutally told. I did lose my stride with a bit of confusion at one point, but I was able to pick up the story again and what was happening.
The story felt unpredictable, the friendships, relationships and allegiences were interesting and the eventual story direction left me wanting to know more. This was the first time I’ve read Josie Jaffrey but I’ll definitely read her work again and follow this series further.
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Read
August 7, 2022
That was the point, of course: the people of Kepos didn’t understand that there was anywhere else to go. They were hemmed in by the cliffs, the wall and the sea. For as far as they could sail in their little fishing boats, there were only more cliffs and more sea.
Josie Jaffrey's The Wolf and the Water takes place in a valleyed city inspired by Plato's account of the island of Atlantis and has a lot of similarities to Ancient Greece. I'm used to reading Jaffrey's vampires stories, so it was awesome to delve into another of her universes! In terms of genre, TWTW really reminded me of The Winner's Curse in the sense of it being a fictional historical setting with a focus on the politics, engagements and troubles of city folk and the drama and machinations of those who want to rise higher and higher. Think Spartacus or Agora, with a new adult twist.
In Kepos, the story’s setting, our MC Kala is less than delighted by her mother’s remarriage after her father dies under questionable – at best – circumstances. Her new stepfather is abusive, murderous and disgusting. With the help of her life long friend, confidant and lover Melissa, Kala starts to delve into the mystery of her father and Kepos as a whole.
I adored Kala and Melissa, but Leon was a gem and a half. I just adored his characterisation. Can’t wait to get more of his banter in the next book ♡_♡
I also really appreciated the depth of the world-building in this tale and the detail Jaffrey put into developing the society and mythology. I did have a bit of a hard time keeping track of the names, titles and families, but there's a helpful diagram at the start with all the family names and lineages.
Overall, I can't wait to see where it all goes from here! Another Josie Jaffrey must read for sure!
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
Josie Jaffrey's The Wolf and the Water takes place in a valleyed city inspired by Plato's account of the island of Atlantis and has a lot of similarities to Ancient Greece. I'm used to reading Jaffrey's vampires stories, so it was awesome to delve into another of her universes! In terms of genre, TWTW really reminded me of The Winner's Curse in the sense of it being a fictional historical setting with a focus on the politics, engagements and troubles of city folk and the drama and machinations of those who want to rise higher and higher. Think Spartacus or Agora, with a new adult twist.
In Kepos, the story’s setting, our MC Kala is less than delighted by her mother’s remarriage after her father dies under questionable – at best – circumstances. Her new stepfather is abusive, murderous and disgusting. With the help of her life long friend, confidant and lover Melissa, Kala starts to delve into the mystery of her father and Kepos as a whole.
I adored Kala and Melissa, but Leon was a gem and a half. I just adored his characterisation. Can’t wait to get more of his banter in the next book ♡_♡
I also really appreciated the depth of the world-building in this tale and the detail Jaffrey put into developing the society and mythology. I did have a bit of a hard time keeping track of the names, titles and families, but there's a helpful diagram at the start with all the family names and lineages.
Overall, I can't wait to see where it all goes from here! Another Josie Jaffrey must read for sure!
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
September 22, 2020
Full review on my blog: https://sophsbookworld.wordpress.com/...
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The book tells a story of a girl named Kala who lives in the ancient city of Kepos. After her father’s mysterious death she realizes the big secret that was kept from everyone in Kepos: there is a whole other world beyond the walls of the city and the water is coming. So in order to protect her life from her new evil stepfather and everyone else around her she must betray everyone and escape the city. Only it’s not as easy as it sounds.
The book is based on Kepos mythology. There are 10 families in Kepos and they are basically the aristocracy (some on higher levels than the others). And each chapter starts with the myth of Kepos formation which to me is like a mixture between Roman mythology and The Book of Genesis. I personally love mythology and I loved how that aspect was delivered to us.
The author herself said this was based off of the ancient island of Atlantis that was also destroyed and wiped out from the face of Earth. I’ve never read books about Atlantis (or similar to it) so this was a breath of fresh air and definitely something I want to read more of.
I would put this in a historical fiction genre with a bit of romance. Personally, romance was cute and everything but I was more into drama and history aspect of it. I love Kala and how her character developed from this weak girl to a strong person who fights for herself and everyone she loves.
I like how diverse this author is because in all her books there are characters of every shape, size, color, sexuality and class. The main character is bi (even though the city laws don’t allow it), and is in a relationship with her maid who already has a child of her own. That is the type of quality content and diversity I want in books by other authors as well.
I liked the main character Kala, but I just adore her new stepbrother Leon. Although he was raised by a cruel father he is so sweet and kind. Their relationship was so cute, and even though both of them have issues they are so good for each other.
If you like historical romance, amazing historical world settings and intrigue this is just the book for you.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The book tells a story of a girl named Kala who lives in the ancient city of Kepos. After her father’s mysterious death she realizes the big secret that was kept from everyone in Kepos: there is a whole other world beyond the walls of the city and the water is coming. So in order to protect her life from her new evil stepfather and everyone else around her she must betray everyone and escape the city. Only it’s not as easy as it sounds.
The book is based on Kepos mythology. There are 10 families in Kepos and they are basically the aristocracy (some on higher levels than the others). And each chapter starts with the myth of Kepos formation which to me is like a mixture between Roman mythology and The Book of Genesis. I personally love mythology and I loved how that aspect was delivered to us.
The author herself said this was based off of the ancient island of Atlantis that was also destroyed and wiped out from the face of Earth. I’ve never read books about Atlantis (or similar to it) so this was a breath of fresh air and definitely something I want to read more of.
I would put this in a historical fiction genre with a bit of romance. Personally, romance was cute and everything but I was more into drama and history aspect of it. I love Kala and how her character developed from this weak girl to a strong person who fights for herself and everyone she loves.
I like how diverse this author is because in all her books there are characters of every shape, size, color, sexuality and class. The main character is bi (even though the city laws don’t allow it), and is in a relationship with her maid who already has a child of her own. That is the type of quality content and diversity I want in books by other authors as well.
I liked the main character Kala, but I just adore her new stepbrother Leon. Although he was raised by a cruel father he is so sweet and kind. Their relationship was so cute, and even though both of them have issues they are so good for each other.
If you like historical romance, amazing historical world settings and intrigue this is just the book for you.
September 10, 2020
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jaffrey’s upcoming book The Wolf and the Water is set in Kepos, an ancient Greece-inspired city at the base of a valley. Cliff faces hem in Kepos to the North and South, while the sea sits to the East, and a great wall stands in the West. The city is overseen by ten Houses, each with a patron god, and a priesthood responsible for maintaining the wall that keeps the unknown threat beyond it at bay.
The setting is unique, and I enjoyed reading about Kepos’ cultural and religious practices. There is a complex social structure that involves the ten houses, an aristocracy, tenants and slaves. The book comes complete with a dramatis personae, making it easier to navigate the named characters. Fantasy elements are more or less absent, but this book would undoubtedly appeal to fans of ancient Greece and Rome.
I loved the relationship between Kala and Melissa. Coming to understand what it means to each woman was touching. Interestingly, May Day also contained a sapphic romance but not necessarily lesbian representation.
I didn’t quite understand why the priesthood’s big secret had to be a secret and thought that the mystery could have been dealt with more engagingly. Similarly, I wasn’t sure about the motivation behind the various plots for power. Jaffrey does acknowledge that status doesn’t mean anything outside of Kepos but doesn’t delve deeply into house politics, trade or economy, other than pointing out a divine hierarchy, and the fact that some of the house leaders are greedy or violent.
Overall, this book is an exciting set-up for Jaffrey’s new Deluge series and contains some unexpected twists. According to her website, the series will follow a number of characters as they uncover secrets buried in ancient landscapes.
As a further note, the focus of Kala’s story is how her limp disadvantages her both socially and physically. While this makes sense in the context of Kepos, I wouldn’t recommend this book on the basis of disability representation.
Check out the full review on jakeisreading.com
Trigger warning: Physical and emotional abuse, the threat of rape, ableism
Jaffrey’s upcoming book The Wolf and the Water is set in Kepos, an ancient Greece-inspired city at the base of a valley. Cliff faces hem in Kepos to the North and South, while the sea sits to the East, and a great wall stands in the West. The city is overseen by ten Houses, each with a patron god, and a priesthood responsible for maintaining the wall that keeps the unknown threat beyond it at bay.
The setting is unique, and I enjoyed reading about Kepos’ cultural and religious practices. There is a complex social structure that involves the ten houses, an aristocracy, tenants and slaves. The book comes complete with a dramatis personae, making it easier to navigate the named characters. Fantasy elements are more or less absent, but this book would undoubtedly appeal to fans of ancient Greece and Rome.
I loved the relationship between Kala and Melissa. Coming to understand what it means to each woman was touching. Interestingly, May Day also contained a sapphic romance but not necessarily lesbian representation.
I didn’t quite understand why the priesthood’s big secret had to be a secret and thought that the mystery could have been dealt with more engagingly. Similarly, I wasn’t sure about the motivation behind the various plots for power. Jaffrey does acknowledge that status doesn’t mean anything outside of Kepos but doesn’t delve deeply into house politics, trade or economy, other than pointing out a divine hierarchy, and the fact that some of the house leaders are greedy or violent.
Overall, this book is an exciting set-up for Jaffrey’s new Deluge series and contains some unexpected twists. According to her website, the series will follow a number of characters as they uncover secrets buried in ancient landscapes.
As a further note, the focus of Kala’s story is how her limp disadvantages her both socially and physically. While this makes sense in the context of Kepos, I wouldn’t recommend this book on the basis of disability representation.
Check out the full review on jakeisreading.com
Trigger warning: Physical and emotional abuse, the threat of rape, ableism
October 27, 2020
First of all, I expected a lot from this book because of the title and cover. Clearly, both were deceiving. That was a huge put off. There are no real wolves; unless of course you think of it metaphorically. The cover was an instant hit. And I was thoroughly disappointed that it did not deliver what it promised.
The mystery of Kala's father's murder was the only thing that kept me hooked, and that too wasn't satisfying in the end. I expected more meat around the what and why and how. Because I really enjoy a good 'whodunnit' novel and those parts lacked the prominence they deserved. Another put down was the love triangle between two of the main characters. Love triangles don't work for me; especially if romance isn't one of the main themes of the book. So that really felt forced.
The setting was another aspect that felt good, since it was rooted in Greek mythology although none of the known gods and goddesses had a mention. I guess bringing in some of those familiar names from ancient greek mythology would have sustained the interest better.
The plot felt too dense, and overly narrated; at least the initial 70 odd pages. The build up went on for far too long, and the actual story too forever to start. That, IMO, is enough to have anyone DNF the book. There were too many awkward terms introduced all at once, and I couldn't even remember what was what. That certainly marred my reading experience.
The characters, some of them were strong. The protagonist, Kala, seemed determined to unearth her father's murder plot and scheming. Charis, Kala's mother, felt like a side-character with hardly any role to play. Kala's friend, Melissa, was sweet and friendly. Leon felt like a loveable character. I'm sure he'll have a yet better role to play in the future books in this series. In totality, the characters felt devoid of emotions, considering the tragedies they are introduced to right at the start.
Overall, I am not sure if I would have read this book if not for that one hook of mystery the plot cast on me.
The Wolf and The Water is a historical young-adult fiction with undertones of mystery, queer romance, politics, etc. There are other serious themes in focus here such as sexual assault, parental abuse, slavery, violence, racism, etc.; much like Game of Thrones. So if you love those kind of stories, this is the book for you. I would not recommend it to someone looking for a light yet thrilling fantasy read, because this is dystopian in all sense.
.
.
I received an ARC for The Write Reads blog tour.
The mystery of Kala's father's murder was the only thing that kept me hooked, and that too wasn't satisfying in the end. I expected more meat around the what and why and how. Because I really enjoy a good 'whodunnit' novel and those parts lacked the prominence they deserved. Another put down was the love triangle between two of the main characters. Love triangles don't work for me; especially if romance isn't one of the main themes of the book. So that really felt forced.
The setting was another aspect that felt good, since it was rooted in Greek mythology although none of the known gods and goddesses had a mention. I guess bringing in some of those familiar names from ancient greek mythology would have sustained the interest better.
The plot felt too dense, and overly narrated; at least the initial 70 odd pages. The build up went on for far too long, and the actual story too forever to start. That, IMO, is enough to have anyone DNF the book. There were too many awkward terms introduced all at once, and I couldn't even remember what was what. That certainly marred my reading experience.
The characters, some of them were strong. The protagonist, Kala, seemed determined to unearth her father's murder plot and scheming. Charis, Kala's mother, felt like a side-character with hardly any role to play. Kala's friend, Melissa, was sweet and friendly. Leon felt like a loveable character. I'm sure he'll have a yet better role to play in the future books in this series. In totality, the characters felt devoid of emotions, considering the tragedies they are introduced to right at the start.
Overall, I am not sure if I would have read this book if not for that one hook of mystery the plot cast on me.
The Wolf and The Water is a historical young-adult fiction with undertones of mystery, queer romance, politics, etc. There are other serious themes in focus here such as sexual assault, parental abuse, slavery, violence, racism, etc.; much like Game of Thrones. So if you love those kind of stories, this is the book for you. I would not recommend it to someone looking for a light yet thrilling fantasy read, because this is dystopian in all sense.
.
.
I received an ARC for The Write Reads blog tour.
February 11, 2021
Atlantis has always had a big place in my heart. When I saw that this book was inspired by it, I knew I had to read it.
Kala was such an inspiring main character. She was fierce and unique ahead of her time, and I loved how she couldn’t care less about what others thought about her. She knew when to lower her walls with those she loved, and she welcomed them with open arms.
There are slower moments in the book, but I didn’t care because it was always punctuated by a new turn or twist in the story. The action is building up slowly, and when it unfurls…. It’s like a tsunami. I couldn’t put the book down!
TW for violent deaths, ableism, slavery, misogny, parental abuse, attempted sexual assault
Many thanks to Josie Jaffrey for the ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Kala was such an inspiring main character. She was fierce and unique ahead of her time, and I loved how she couldn’t care less about what others thought about her. She knew when to lower her walls with those she loved, and she welcomed them with open arms.
There are slower moments in the book, but I didn’t care because it was always punctuated by a new turn or twist in the story. The action is building up slowly, and when it unfurls…. It’s like a tsunami. I couldn’t put the book down!
TW for violent deaths, ableism, slavery, misogny, parental abuse, attempted sexual assault
Many thanks to Josie Jaffrey for the ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 13, 2020
Book source ~ Tour
Kepos is an ancient city in a valley protected from the souls of the dead by a huge wall. Ten families rule their lands with the high priest Archon guiding them all. Kala is from the least powerful family, the Glauks. When her father mysteriously dies her mother has to remarry according to law so there is always a man ruling the house. Kala, as the only surviving child, could marry and her husband would be in charge except she is deformed after a sickness and they are sure no one will want to marry a cripple. In fact, according to the law her parents should have had her killed. Nice place, right? Anyway, Kala thinks her father was murdered and when an attempt is made on her own life she knows something dark is afoot in the shadows, trying to claim her land. But Kala finds out there is a bigger worry and now she has to choose: fight for her land and people while someone is trying to kill her or flee.
If you’re looking for a young adult, historical, fantasy filled with intrigue, some romance, and nail-biting tension then look no further. Kala is a wonderful character who overcomes odds that would break others. Melissa, the slave who sticks by her side, is also a wonderful character. Others in the story don’t seem to have as much depth. While they aren’t as well-fleshed most are still decent characters. I wasn’t too impressed with Leon for nearly all of the book. It isn’t until near the end that he starts showing he’s worthy of as strong woman as Kala.
I love the plot of this story. The Water behind the Wall that no one in Kepos is supposed to know about except the acolytes is quite the whopper of a secret. A secret that is so huge that people are killed to keep from telling about it. All the while, the Wall is failing and the people in Kepos are ignorant as to their danger. Wow. Tension! I am a little fuzzy as to Kala’s dad’s part in all of this, Soraya’s part, Archon’s part, and the pirates. I don’t get it. Plus, the ending, while being quick thinking on Kala’s part, also doesn’t feel right. A lie is still a lie. Maybe book two will clear this up. Lastly, I felt Kala waited entirely too long to act. I know it was probably to build tension, but I think the time could have been shortened. I mean, who sticks around for weeks when someone is trying to kill you and you have a secret that has killed others? I know I wouldn’t wait. In any case, this is still a fantastic story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Especially that ending! Don’t pass it by.
Kepos is an ancient city in a valley protected from the souls of the dead by a huge wall. Ten families rule their lands with the high priest Archon guiding them all. Kala is from the least powerful family, the Glauks. When her father mysteriously dies her mother has to remarry according to law so there is always a man ruling the house. Kala, as the only surviving child, could marry and her husband would be in charge except she is deformed after a sickness and they are sure no one will want to marry a cripple. In fact, according to the law her parents should have had her killed. Nice place, right? Anyway, Kala thinks her father was murdered and when an attempt is made on her own life she knows something dark is afoot in the shadows, trying to claim her land. But Kala finds out there is a bigger worry and now she has to choose: fight for her land and people while someone is trying to kill her or flee.
If you’re looking for a young adult, historical, fantasy filled with intrigue, some romance, and nail-biting tension then look no further. Kala is a wonderful character who overcomes odds that would break others. Melissa, the slave who sticks by her side, is also a wonderful character. Others in the story don’t seem to have as much depth. While they aren’t as well-fleshed most are still decent characters. I wasn’t too impressed with Leon for nearly all of the book. It isn’t until near the end that he starts showing he’s worthy of as strong woman as Kala.
I love the plot of this story. The Water behind the Wall that no one in Kepos is supposed to know about except the acolytes is quite the whopper of a secret. A secret that is so huge that people are killed to keep from telling about it. All the while, the Wall is failing and the people in Kepos are ignorant as to their danger. Wow. Tension! I am a little fuzzy as to Kala’s dad’s part in all of this, Soraya’s part, Archon’s part, and the pirates. I don’t get it. Plus, the ending, while being quick thinking on Kala’s part, also doesn’t feel right. A lie is still a lie. Maybe book two will clear this up. Lastly, I felt Kala waited entirely too long to act. I know it was probably to build tension, but I think the time could have been shortened. I mean, who sticks around for weeks when someone is trying to kill you and you have a secret that has killed others? I know I wouldn’t wait. In any case, this is still a fantastic story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Especially that ending! Don’t pass it by.
November 28, 2020
Thank you to Josie Jaffrey for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
TW/CW: Slavery | Ableism | Sexual Assault | Mentioned Physical Abuse by Parent
I actually read this book closer to release date than this review would suggest but I was hit by a big review writing slump in that time. Adding onto a some conflicting thoughts about this book and it results in this review being written a little later.
The Wolf and the Water is inspired by Ancient Greece and was sold to me as a kind of Atlantis book. That with the cover created very high expectations that the book in the end couldn't quite meet. There are a lot of ideas about Atlantis and this book is more inspired by real Ancient Greece than the fantastical ideas we have of Atlantis. That is good to know when going into this book.
As a whole the book tries to be as historically accurate while still creating its own world (as its not actual set in Ancient Greece). It does create less room for creative license while it is its own created world. And as fellow reviewer Esmee pointed out, there was no real need to add in slavery to this story.
I struggled throughout this story with wanting more of the actual plot and appreciating the set up of this world in moments. There were moments where I totally understood why others had so much trouble believing Kala. I never really felt the big need or the specifics of this danger anywhere. Maybe that had to do with me not always being able to picture the city.
On the other hand I appreciated the different families or rather factions in the city that all wanted to be ahead of the game. There was one in particular that I liked for it gave more of a family feeling than some of the others.
All in all I think if you go into this book with a better expectation of the historical inspired aspects (as the book is only fantasy for it being a different world) one could really like this book.
TW/CW: Slavery | Ableism | Sexual Assault | Mentioned Physical Abuse by Parent
I actually read this book closer to release date than this review would suggest but I was hit by a big review writing slump in that time. Adding onto a some conflicting thoughts about this book and it results in this review being written a little later.
The Wolf and the Water is inspired by Ancient Greece and was sold to me as a kind of Atlantis book. That with the cover created very high expectations that the book in the end couldn't quite meet. There are a lot of ideas about Atlantis and this book is more inspired by real Ancient Greece than the fantastical ideas we have of Atlantis. That is good to know when going into this book.
As a whole the book tries to be as historically accurate while still creating its own world (as its not actual set in Ancient Greece). It does create less room for creative license while it is its own created world. And as fellow reviewer Esmee pointed out, there was no real need to add in slavery to this story.
I struggled throughout this story with wanting more of the actual plot and appreciating the set up of this world in moments. There were moments where I totally understood why others had so much trouble believing Kala. I never really felt the big need or the specifics of this danger anywhere. Maybe that had to do with me not always being able to picture the city.
On the other hand I appreciated the different families or rather factions in the city that all wanted to be ahead of the game. There was one in particular that I liked for it gave more of a family feeling than some of the others.
All in all I think if you go into this book with a better expectation of the historical inspired aspects (as the book is only fantasy for it being a different world) one could really like this book.
October 13, 2020
I was provided with an arc of this book as part of a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review.
An interesting historical YA fantasy that incorporated aspects from Ancient Greece into the intricate political system created for this book.
The plot was fast paced and holds lots of promise for what will hopefully be an interesting and exciting series. I loved the mystery elements and the constant threat of danger that there was throughout, it created a great feel if suspense as I read. This was helped along by the wonderful political system that Josie came up with, including the wonderful writing at the beginning of each chapter providing more and more information as you continue through the story.
The characters too are well developed and are all intricately linked to one another through friendships or familial ties that are stretched and tested throughout. The main romantic storyline was wonderful if a little underdeveloped, still made me extremely happy when it was rounded out.
As already mentioned, the setting of this book is very intriguing and I loved how it drew form Ancient Greece and used some of the language and ideas while making it entirely unique to this book. I thought that the encorportion of animals into the system was also very interesting, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the next book in this series.
An interesting historical YA fantasy that incorporated aspects from Ancient Greece into the intricate political system created for this book.
The plot was fast paced and holds lots of promise for what will hopefully be an interesting and exciting series. I loved the mystery elements and the constant threat of danger that there was throughout, it created a great feel if suspense as I read. This was helped along by the wonderful political system that Josie came up with, including the wonderful writing at the beginning of each chapter providing more and more information as you continue through the story.
The characters too are well developed and are all intricately linked to one another through friendships or familial ties that are stretched and tested throughout. The main romantic storyline was wonderful if a little underdeveloped, still made me extremely happy when it was rounded out.
As already mentioned, the setting of this book is very intriguing and I loved how it drew form Ancient Greece and used some of the language and ideas while making it entirely unique to this book. I thought that the encorportion of animals into the system was also very interesting, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the next book in this series.
October 8, 2020
This is a really cool read.
The setting is based on Greek mythology and the way Jaffrey describes things I could easily picture everything.
Kala loved her father, so when he suddenly dies and her mother is forced to remarry Kala tries to investigate her father's death. What she uncovers is more than she bargained for,
I loved Kala. She had a hard life, even with a loving father and a more than loyal servant to stand by her. This makes that she keeps going even when things get difficult and dangerous. Her relationship with her servant Melissa was really touching to read. I think I even fell a bit in love with Melissa.
Then there's Leon and his sister. They were very interesting characters as well. I was invested in Kala discovering the truth and find a way to be happy and surrounded by people who love and support her.
All in all a suspenseful and atmospheric story that gripped me and wouldn't let go until I reached the end.
The setting is based on Greek mythology and the way Jaffrey describes things I could easily picture everything.
Kala loved her father, so when he suddenly dies and her mother is forced to remarry Kala tries to investigate her father's death. What she uncovers is more than she bargained for,
I loved Kala. She had a hard life, even with a loving father and a more than loyal servant to stand by her. This makes that she keeps going even when things get difficult and dangerous. Her relationship with her servant Melissa was really touching to read. I think I even fell a bit in love with Melissa.
Then there's Leon and his sister. They were very interesting characters as well. I was invested in Kala discovering the truth and find a way to be happy and surrounded by people who love and support her.
All in all a suspenseful and atmospheric story that gripped me and wouldn't let go until I reached the end.
September 30, 2020
This book was a 3.5 ⭐ rating for me.
I found the story to be so interesting and I was really loving the story of this character and seeing her development and her growth throughout the book.
I love her relationships with other characters too.
This story took an incredibly dark turn which I was not expecting and I was so pleasantly surprised by this.
My only issue with this book is the format in which it is laid out.
Each page feels very compact with a lot of writing on the page.
I personally feel that if the writing was spaced out a bit more it would have been easier to read as it felt as though it was consuming a lot of time and energy just to read a single page.
Sadly this did disrupt my reading experience
But I want to make it clear the story is definitely worth it if you can handle a compact format
Huge thank you to Josie for this advanced copy!
I found the story to be so interesting and I was really loving the story of this character and seeing her development and her growth throughout the book.
I love her relationships with other characters too.
This story took an incredibly dark turn which I was not expecting and I was so pleasantly surprised by this.
My only issue with this book is the format in which it is laid out.
Each page feels very compact with a lot of writing on the page.
I personally feel that if the writing was spaced out a bit more it would have been easier to read as it felt as though it was consuming a lot of time and energy just to read a single page.
Sadly this did disrupt my reading experience
But I want to make it clear the story is definitely worth it if you can handle a compact format
Huge thank you to Josie for this advanced copy!
October 14, 2020
Firstly, huge thank you to Josie for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I had seen a few people on Twitter talk about Jaffrey’s work recently and I was very excited to see that a new book (and the start of a new series) was being released this year. I was even more excited when I saw that there were ARC’s left to request, I didn’t waste any time in submitting my request and was thrilled that I managed to snag a copy!
The Wolf and the Water is a fantasy novel which draws on ancient Greek culture where our protagonist’s, Kala, world is turned upside down when her father dies in suspicious circumstances. Although her mother is forced to remarry straight away, this doesn’t deter Kala from trying to learn the truth about what happened and wanting to escape her life there. However, there is a bigger disaster looming, one that will have horrific consequences for the city but should Kala jeopadise her own escape by telling everyone the truth?
I really loved Kala, I thought she was a great protagonist. Despite everyone looking down on her because she needs to walk with a cane, and there are rumours of a more than friends relationship she has with her faithful aid Melissa, she doesn’t let this stand in her way as she tries to find out the truth regarding her father’s death. I also loved her step-brother, Leon. Although he has an awful father who beats him, as well as the slaves of the house, and will do anything for power, Leon does everything he can to ensure that he is nothing like his father. He is incredibly kind and really cares for his not sister Kala and his actual sister, Lali. All of the characters were great, even the ones you’re meant to hate, as they were written very well with an interesting depth to them.
You’re thrown into the plot right away with Kala finding her mother, clearly disturbed by events, who informs her that her beloved father is dead. I thought the pacing was really well done for the most part, although there were a couple of instances where something seemed a little rushed. Without any spoilers, there was a scene towards the end of the novel that seemed very significant but was then quickly brushed over, only for it to come up briefly at the end. As the entire novel is from Kala’s perspective, this really helps when there are some twists in the novel as you don’t expect them at all. There were two reveals in particular that were jaw dropping for me. I also liked how the way romance was written in the novel as, although important to some of the characters, the novel didn’t revolve around it as some YA fiction does.
Something else I wanted to highlight about this novel, as I know a lot of people would appreciate it, is the fact that the novel contains a list of content warnings at the back (and there is a note at the beginning of the novel informing the reader of this too). I think this might be the first novel I’ve read where this was the case which I thought was really neat!
Overall, I definitely will be checking out the next novel in the Deluge series as the ending promises for many more interesting things to come Kala’s way which I want to experience with her! For any YA fantasy lovers out there, I highly recommend this indie title!
I had seen a few people on Twitter talk about Jaffrey’s work recently and I was very excited to see that a new book (and the start of a new series) was being released this year. I was even more excited when I saw that there were ARC’s left to request, I didn’t waste any time in submitting my request and was thrilled that I managed to snag a copy!
The Wolf and the Water is a fantasy novel which draws on ancient Greek culture where our protagonist’s, Kala, world is turned upside down when her father dies in suspicious circumstances. Although her mother is forced to remarry straight away, this doesn’t deter Kala from trying to learn the truth about what happened and wanting to escape her life there. However, there is a bigger disaster looming, one that will have horrific consequences for the city but should Kala jeopadise her own escape by telling everyone the truth?
I really loved Kala, I thought she was a great protagonist. Despite everyone looking down on her because she needs to walk with a cane, and there are rumours of a more than friends relationship she has with her faithful aid Melissa, she doesn’t let this stand in her way as she tries to find out the truth regarding her father’s death. I also loved her step-brother, Leon. Although he has an awful father who beats him, as well as the slaves of the house, and will do anything for power, Leon does everything he can to ensure that he is nothing like his father. He is incredibly kind and really cares for his not sister Kala and his actual sister, Lali. All of the characters were great, even the ones you’re meant to hate, as they were written very well with an interesting depth to them.
You’re thrown into the plot right away with Kala finding her mother, clearly disturbed by events, who informs her that her beloved father is dead. I thought the pacing was really well done for the most part, although there were a couple of instances where something seemed a little rushed. Without any spoilers, there was a scene towards the end of the novel that seemed very significant but was then quickly brushed over, only for it to come up briefly at the end. As the entire novel is from Kala’s perspective, this really helps when there are some twists in the novel as you don’t expect them at all. There were two reveals in particular that were jaw dropping for me. I also liked how the way romance was written in the novel as, although important to some of the characters, the novel didn’t revolve around it as some YA fiction does.
Something else I wanted to highlight about this novel, as I know a lot of people would appreciate it, is the fact that the novel contains a list of content warnings at the back (and there is a note at the beginning of the novel informing the reader of this too). I think this might be the first novel I’ve read where this was the case which I thought was really neat!
Overall, I definitely will be checking out the next novel in the Deluge series as the ending promises for many more interesting things to come Kala’s way which I want to experience with her! For any YA fantasy lovers out there, I highly recommend this indie title!
September 19, 2020
This book was a great read.
Don't let the cover fool you though. It looks like it's going to be a light, easy to read YA, but it's high fantasy with a whole world and belief system you have to learn.
It definitely takes a while to get your head around all the names and places and people and what power they hold, but the map and list of the head household in each clan at the front of the book definitely helps.
I found myself looking back at the map each chapter as it introduced the next clan to us, to see where their stronghold was and to get more immersed in the story.
This follows our main character Kala, who although born to one of the clans (the Glauks, the smallest and least powerful of the ten) is seen as inferior and unworthy because of an abnormality in her foot, meaning she has to walk with a cane. Most people look down on her, and wonder why she was even allowed to live, never mind stay a part of the Glauks clan.
Right at the start Kala's father dies under unusual circumstances, and law decrees that her mother must remarry straight away (a woman can't be head of a clan - or own anything - after all) Enter Nikos, a horrible and savage man who cares only about power. Even his own children hate and fear him.
The main plot switches focus as Kala finds out new information and uncovers secrets. She only wants to know the truth about her fathers death, but is soon caught up in a tangle of secrets and lies, that could mean death for everyone she loves.
I really enjoyed the world building in this book, not only of the clans and hierarchy, but also the environment. The sacred pool, the library where Kala feels most close to her father, the enormous wall that is added to and strengthened every year to keep something at bay. The religion and laws are inspired (loosely and liberally) by ancient Greece, so animal sacrifices and funeral pyres are a plenty.
Kala was a great character to follow. She has weaknesses and strengths. Her disability was a big part of her but she never let it define her or stop her at least trying to do what needed to be done. On the other hand it definitely limited her abilities, and she has some internalised ableism. I liked that she wasn't shown as a burden or a person without agency just because of her disability, but also wasn't shown as some incredible inspiration who should be praised for being able to survive. She's just a person. (a bloody lucky person in some ways, but unlucky in others)
There's a situation that could have become a really annoying love triangle, but I'm so glad it didn't take on that trope! Kala has a relationship with one of her female slaves (all consensual- emotional and physical) but is also pursued by Leon, Nikos's charming but slightly arrogant son. I'm so glad this didn't become a jealous three way thing!
This ended on a bit of a cliff hanger, and the next book will definitely add a lot of new lore which I'm excited to read!
review copy. (all opinions my own)
Don't let the cover fool you though. It looks like it's going to be a light, easy to read YA, but it's high fantasy with a whole world and belief system you have to learn.
It definitely takes a while to get your head around all the names and places and people and what power they hold, but the map and list of the head household in each clan at the front of the book definitely helps.
I found myself looking back at the map each chapter as it introduced the next clan to us, to see where their stronghold was and to get more immersed in the story.
This follows our main character Kala, who although born to one of the clans (the Glauks, the smallest and least powerful of the ten) is seen as inferior and unworthy because of an abnormality in her foot, meaning she has to walk with a cane. Most people look down on her, and wonder why she was even allowed to live, never mind stay a part of the Glauks clan.
Right at the start Kala's father dies under unusual circumstances, and law decrees that her mother must remarry straight away (a woman can't be head of a clan - or own anything - after all) Enter Nikos, a horrible and savage man who cares only about power. Even his own children hate and fear him.
The main plot switches focus as Kala finds out new information and uncovers secrets. She only wants to know the truth about her fathers death, but is soon caught up in a tangle of secrets and lies, that could mean death for everyone she loves.
I really enjoyed the world building in this book, not only of the clans and hierarchy, but also the environment. The sacred pool, the library where Kala feels most close to her father, the enormous wall that is added to and strengthened every year to keep something at bay. The religion and laws are inspired (loosely and liberally) by ancient Greece, so animal sacrifices and funeral pyres are a plenty.
Kala was a great character to follow. She has weaknesses and strengths. Her disability was a big part of her but she never let it define her or stop her at least trying to do what needed to be done. On the other hand it definitely limited her abilities, and she has some internalised ableism. I liked that she wasn't shown as a burden or a person without agency just because of her disability, but also wasn't shown as some incredible inspiration who should be praised for being able to survive. She's just a person. (a bloody lucky person in some ways, but unlucky in others)
There's a situation that could have become a really annoying love triangle, but I'm so glad it didn't take on that trope! Kala has a relationship with one of her female slaves (all consensual- emotional and physical) but is also pursued by Leon, Nikos's charming but slightly arrogant son. I'm so glad this didn't become a jealous three way thing!
This ended on a bit of a cliff hanger, and the next book will definitely add a lot of new lore which I'm excited to read!
review copy. (all opinions my own)
August 10, 2022
4.5 STARS
I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and thank you so much to the blog tour organiser for letting me participate in this tour. All opinions are my own.
I have already read a few Josie Jaffrey books, so I knew that I was surely going to like this book, but for the few days that I was reading it, I couldn't think of anything else and ended up just bingeing the last 60% because I was enjoying it so much.
We meet our main character, Kala, as she discovers that her father is dead and we soon see the implications of his death on herself, her mother and her life as a whole. I loved the setting, it is inspired by Ancient Greece and some other myths and I definitely saw those things peeking through, they were recongisable in the society, the backdrop, the world-building, the politics and the rituals in this book, but it was also so unique and authentic, I just loved it.
The characters were also great, Josie has a way of making such relatable and human characters, there were a few that I hated but so many that I loved and I just can't wait to see what happens to them in the next book. I loved Kala, she is such a great main character, she is strong, resilient, determined, independent and witty despite her physical affliction that she hates and that has made her feel worthless, she is so much more than just that and I personally love reading about not so perfect characters, I just find them more real.
There were some really big plot twists in this book, and some things that I really didn't expect, but overall, I loved the whole thing. The writing style was fluid and beautiful, I just wanted to keep reading and I loved how the chapters were set up. I also really liked the pacing, I think there is just something so great in Josie's books and they feel really comforting to me even though they have some really tough topics, but that makes them so much more amazing.
I gave this book 4.5 stars, I loved it and I highly recommend it. I can't wait for the second book in this series as I just need more from this world and these characters!
Trigger Warnings: violence (murder/attempted murder, amputation, poisoning, arson, injuries), death (on-page and remembered), funeral pyre/body burning, grief seen through multiple POVs), racism, ableism (heroine is deformed from polio, suffers ableist bullying, internalised ableism), slavery, misogyny, parental abuse (emotional and physical, vivid on the page descriptions), miscarriage (remembered), attempted sexual assault, romantic tension between step-siblings (not raised together).
I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and thank you so much to the blog tour organiser for letting me participate in this tour. All opinions are my own.
I have already read a few Josie Jaffrey books, so I knew that I was surely going to like this book, but for the few days that I was reading it, I couldn't think of anything else and ended up just bingeing the last 60% because I was enjoying it so much.
We meet our main character, Kala, as she discovers that her father is dead and we soon see the implications of his death on herself, her mother and her life as a whole. I loved the setting, it is inspired by Ancient Greece and some other myths and I definitely saw those things peeking through, they were recongisable in the society, the backdrop, the world-building, the politics and the rituals in this book, but it was also so unique and authentic, I just loved it.
The characters were also great, Josie has a way of making such relatable and human characters, there were a few that I hated but so many that I loved and I just can't wait to see what happens to them in the next book. I loved Kala, she is such a great main character, she is strong, resilient, determined, independent and witty despite her physical affliction that she hates and that has made her feel worthless, she is so much more than just that and I personally love reading about not so perfect characters, I just find them more real.
There were some really big plot twists in this book, and some things that I really didn't expect, but overall, I loved the whole thing. The writing style was fluid and beautiful, I just wanted to keep reading and I loved how the chapters were set up. I also really liked the pacing, I think there is just something so great in Josie's books and they feel really comforting to me even though they have some really tough topics, but that makes them so much more amazing.
I gave this book 4.5 stars, I loved it and I highly recommend it. I can't wait for the second book in this series as I just need more from this world and these characters!
Trigger Warnings: violence (murder/attempted murder, amputation, poisoning, arson, injuries), death (on-page and remembered), funeral pyre/body burning, grief seen through multiple POVs), racism, ableism (heroine is deformed from polio, suffers ableist bullying, internalised ableism), slavery, misogyny, parental abuse (emotional and physical, vivid on the page descriptions), miscarriage (remembered), attempted sexual assault, romantic tension between step-siblings (not raised together).
October 8, 2020
my link text
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Josie Jaffrey!
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Josie Jaffrey!
The Wolf and The Water is the first book in the Deluge series and tells the story of Kala and her friends/family.
I’ve always read books about vampires by Josie Jaffrey so it was a nice surprise that she decided to write something different than vampires. And I’m not complaining! I really liked The Wolf and The Water because it was so interesting and original. I’ve never read something like this and that made me like the book even more!
Kala is such an interesting character, and I really liked reading about her. I loved that Josie Jaffrey gave Kala a deformity. There aren’t enough books with characters that look like ‘real’ people and that have ‘real’ feelings, and I love that Josie Jaffrey always tries to include diverse characters in her books. She’s written about POC and LGBT+ people. Thank you, Josie, for giving us real characters!
Some of the other characters that I really liked are Melissa and Leon. I loved that Kala had one person in her life that really cared about her and I also really liked how honest Melissa’s been the entire time about their special friendship. I really liked Leon because he’s someone special. I don’t really know how to describe him but he has a special place in my heart.
The Wolf and The Water was such an interesting story and I cannot wait to read more about this world and the characters. I finished this book in one day because I really enjoyed reading about Kala and her friends/family. The pacing is really good and the story is well written! Something that I also want to mention is that I love Josie Jaffrey for including a content warning list at the end of the book. Thank you, Josie!
December 31, 2020
I want to thank you the author for sending me the ARC in exchange for a honest review...
I had a fun time reading that book (which by the way I read in only a few hours).
I liked the mythology inspired story and the believes. I just had a hard time caring for the characters and really understand why it was all a secret... But I loved that there was actually a huge secret in the story only known by a few. (if that makes any sense)
I will pick up the sequel as I believe the sequel will be better and I want adventures!
Kala, our main character, was disabled. It was a big part of her but at the same time she was bigger than her disability. She was strong and wanted to fight for the truth! Her dad died, but what really happened? she wants and needs to know. I loved her relationship with Melissa, I won't say more, but know that it was touching and really well done.
I would define this book as a mix of a LGBTQIA + book and Historical fiction, which made it really interesting to dive into. There is a map, that helps you understand and visualize all the different places and families/houses.
I would still recommend that book to a lot of readers even if it was "only" a 3 stars for me. I found it well done, loved the idea and I cannot wait to see what is coming...
I had a fun time reading that book (which by the way I read in only a few hours).
I liked the mythology inspired story and the believes. I just had a hard time caring for the characters and really understand why it was all a secret... But I loved that there was actually a huge secret in the story only known by a few. (if that makes any sense)
I will pick up the sequel as I believe the sequel will be better and I want adventures!
Kala, our main character, was disabled. It was a big part of her but at the same time she was bigger than her disability. She was strong and wanted to fight for the truth! Her dad died, but what really happened? she wants and needs to know. I loved her relationship with Melissa, I won't say more, but know that it was touching and really well done.
I would define this book as a mix of a LGBTQIA + book and Historical fiction, which made it really interesting to dive into. There is a map, that helps you understand and visualize all the different places and families/houses.
I would still recommend that book to a lot of readers even if it was "only" a 3 stars for me. I found it well done, loved the idea and I cannot wait to see what is coming...
October 15, 2020
4.5 of 5 Stars
The Wolf and the Water is the lead-off book for a new series, Deluge, by Josie Jaffrey.
I do feel the story was a tad slow starting, but once it got going, it didn’t let up. I was gripping the edge of my iPad while rooting for Kala, Lissa, and Leon. Every good book needs a character to dislike. Nykos is that character. What a despicable human. There were a few more, but none to rival him. Lest you are turned off by the violence that’s commonplace in this era, rejoice in the many kind, caring people that populate Kepos.
There are several suspects for the attempts on Kala’s life, but I never saw the truth coming. That was true of many of the twists in the book.
I loved the layout of the chapters explaining the ruling classes of Kepos and their history. The author’s writing style is an excellent fit for me.
I think fans of Ancient Greece and historical fiction will enjoy reading the series. Lovers of fantasy and fiction should grab a copy today.
The Wolf and the Water is the lead-off book for a new series, Deluge, by Josie Jaffrey.
I do feel the story was a tad slow starting, but once it got going, it didn’t let up. I was gripping the edge of my iPad while rooting for Kala, Lissa, and Leon. Every good book needs a character to dislike. Nykos is that character. What a despicable human. There were a few more, but none to rival him. Lest you are turned off by the violence that’s commonplace in this era, rejoice in the many kind, caring people that populate Kepos.
There are several suspects for the attempts on Kala’s life, but I never saw the truth coming. That was true of many of the twists in the book.
I loved the layout of the chapters explaining the ruling classes of Kepos and their history. The author’s writing style is an excellent fit for me.
I think fans of Ancient Greece and historical fiction will enjoy reading the series. Lovers of fantasy and fiction should grab a copy today.
September 29, 2020
The Wolf and the Water is the first book in Josie Jaffrey’s Deluge series, and it’s one that has me eager to see what comes next. Inspired by Atlantis, this one gives something vastly different to the author’s vampire books I have read.
I will be honest and say The Wolf and the Water is not my favourite Josie Jaffrey read. It took a while for me to get into this one and my investment wasn’t until later in the book, but it certainly had me curious to see how it would play out. Once the pieces started to come together and I understood things better, I found myself powering through the book. It’s a slow starter, but it’s certainly one that leaves you curious about the wider world.
Without a doubt, this one will have you eager for more of the Deluge series.
I will be honest and say The Wolf and the Water is not my favourite Josie Jaffrey read. It took a while for me to get into this one and my investment wasn’t until later in the book, but it certainly had me curious to see how it would play out. Once the pieces started to come together and I understood things better, I found myself powering through the book. It’s a slow starter, but it’s certainly one that leaves you curious about the wider world.
Without a doubt, this one will have you eager for more of the Deluge series.
November 15, 2021
The Wolf and the Water is a historical young adult that brings us the story of Atlantis through the eyes of Kala, the daughter of a recently deceased tribe leader, who has a physical disability that makes her the target of disdain by the community.
After her father's strange death, Kala fears for her safety and her future, especially given that her mother will have to remarry to give the tribe a male heir.
When the mother chooses her suitor, we fear for Kala, because her stepfather is an abusive, vile and very violent man. However, he has a son, Leon, who ends up becoming Kala's guardian angel.
The Wolf and The Water is a story of secrets, misogyny, slavery, prejudice, courage, resilience and strength.
For those who follow what I publish here, you have already noticed that this is not the first time that I bring a book by @josiejaffrey to this space. I'm used to her vampire stories, so when I saw The Wolf And The Water, a book based on the legend of Atlantis, I was very curious because it was completely different from the stories that Josie introduced us to.
I was very surprised by this book! I loved the entire construction of the setting under which the story unfolds. I loved all of the political aspects of the book and that the chapters had the name and description of the tribes.
Above all I liked The Wolf and The Water because it was unpredictable. I couldn't guess many of the events and I loved the way the characters evolved and created bonds of friendship and love with each other.
The only thing I can consider negative is that I didn't feel that build-up until the climax of the story. We knew what lay ahead, but I felt that there was a lack of a spark, some revelation that would put me to the ground.
The ending made me super curious for the next book. What new adventures in the world of Deluge will Josie Jaffrey bring us? I can't wait to see the continuation of this series!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
After her father's strange death, Kala fears for her safety and her future, especially given that her mother will have to remarry to give the tribe a male heir.
When the mother chooses her suitor, we fear for Kala, because her stepfather is an abusive, vile and very violent man. However, he has a son, Leon, who ends up becoming Kala's guardian angel.
The Wolf and The Water is a story of secrets, misogyny, slavery, prejudice, courage, resilience and strength.
For those who follow what I publish here, you have already noticed that this is not the first time that I bring a book by @josiejaffrey to this space. I'm used to her vampire stories, so when I saw The Wolf And The Water, a book based on the legend of Atlantis, I was very curious because it was completely different from the stories that Josie introduced us to.
I was very surprised by this book! I loved the entire construction of the setting under which the story unfolds. I loved all of the political aspects of the book and that the chapters had the name and description of the tribes.
Above all I liked The Wolf and The Water because it was unpredictable. I couldn't guess many of the events and I loved the way the characters evolved and created bonds of friendship and love with each other.
The only thing I can consider negative is that I didn't feel that build-up until the climax of the story. We knew what lay ahead, but I felt that there was a lack of a spark, some revelation that would put me to the ground.
The ending made me super curious for the next book. What new adventures in the world of Deluge will Josie Jaffrey bring us? I can't wait to see the continuation of this series!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 4, 2020
“Perhaps it was easier for her to dive in headfirst than it was to brave the water one cold inch at the time.”
I have received this review copy for free. My opinion remains my own.
The Wolf and the Water is a story inspired on ancient Greece and Plato’s account of the island of Atlantis. The premise is super interesting and I absolutely love Greek myths, so when Josie Jaffrey announced it, I was super excited, aside from being a general fan of the author.
If I am being honest, this was a tough review to write. It took me way longer to write than intended, but I thought it was important to get everything out properly instead of quickly. I really loved this book and it was actually good, but it’s also very flawed. I have a lot to say, so this is gonna be a long one.
The characters in this book were really strong, a strength Josie Jaffrey seems to hold up in every piece of her writing. Each character has clearly different morals, goals, motivations, setting each character apart as their own person. Even the sidecharacters have this quality, which I don’t see too often. I really like that and I love Josie Jaffrey for doing it so well.
The writing in this book has two sides: It was beautiful writing, the style I am used to from Josie Jaffrey. However, the pacing of this book was super off. It took until pretty much the end of the book for the plot to really develop into what the description hints at. There were so many sidetracks and delays in the plot, it sometimes felt like the story was distracted from itself. It wasn’t perse bad, but it resulted in having a tough time keeping my attention during longer reading-sits.
For this point I have come to the conclusion that it just might be that this book is the first book by Josie Jaffrey outside of the Silververse, which currently has eight (8) books and a bunch of short stories. I can imagine that the sudden change of tone and theme can be hard and takes some time to get into. The Wolf and the Water is also based on existing source material, which restricts creative freedom up to a point. As soon as the plot of the book really started rolling, I quickly saw Josie Jaffrey’s usual power surface and I really have confidence the sequel will continue in this power.
A big theme in this book is the protagonist’s disability. At a young age, she became very sick, leaving her leg messed up in the aftermath. She now has limited ability to walk and uses a walking cane pretty much all the time. I am really happy to see disabilities so prominently displayed in a book, as there is just too little of that.
I am not here to say whether this is good representation, as I don’t have a disability like Kala (the protagonist), but I did feel like something was missing. In this book, Kala really struggles socially, mainly about what others think of her or how they see her, because of the disability. And while this is very accurate, because the general world is super ableist, it did feel like the social aspect is the main downside of being disabled and not the disability itself. Being disabled is so much more than not being accepted socially, as it’s a strain physically and on your mental health. The struggle of being in pain way more than you should be, the struggle of your body abandoning when you want to do mundane things. There is a lot of internal stuff that comes with disabilities and it didn’t feel like that was properly reflected in this story.
The protagonists does mention that she can’t do things with her leg or that it’s very hard to do, but I would have loved to see more of that struggle actually happening or to see the aftermath of going over her body’s limits. To see the pain she claims to have on page a little bit more.
The last thing I’d like to point out for this book is the presence of slavery in this book. It was mentioned in the content warning of the book, saying the following: ”The book is set in an Ancient Greece-inspired setting and slaves are present throughout. They are mostly treated kindly. The main character’s family own slaves, a prominent secondary character is a slave of the household.” Though the CW is correct about the treating kindly part (the only person who didn’t treat them well, didn’t treat anyone well), it just felt uncomfortable. This book is fantasy, inspired by the ancient Greek setting, but not more than that, so the slavery present in ancient Greece didn’t need to be in this book, but it was. With how the slaves are treated in the book, it would have been a minor change if the word ”slave” was replaced with ”servant” and only a few behaviour and descriptive points had to be altered. My point is, slavery didn’t have to be in this book and the slaves being there didn’t develop the plot or add to anything else important, it was just uncomfortable. Especially as now in 2020 the topic of slavery is heavily discussed and very relevant.
Even though my rating is relatively low, I do really recommend this book. Josie Jaffrey her writing is just one-of-a-kind and there aren’t really books out there with a similar premise (that I know of), so the uniqueness definitely makes it worth checking out. Just be aware it’s flawed; it still has more than enough potential to entertain you!
October 30, 2020
The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey is the first book in the Deluge series and my first read for Jaffrey.
I originally signed up to review this book as part of a blog tour with TheWriteReads, however, I opted out of the tour because the book left me with a lot of mixed feelings.
One of the things that make The Wolf and the Water interesting is the mythology behind the setting, supposedly Greek mythology. However, it's this mythology and rules governing the characters that create lots of confusion in the novel.
I struggled at the beginning, middle, and ending. There were parts that I liked but the hierarchy of the 10 tribes and how they mingled with the 'religious' sector of their society was confusing.
The chapters in The Wolf and the Water are divided based on the names of the 10 tribes of Kepos, which makes them super long chapters to read.
I liked the main character Kala. I also loved how Jaffrey made her a character with a disability, something I've rarely seen in literature, old or contemporary.
Kala's disability followed a plague that killed many people but spared her. However, the disability makes people shun her and mistreat her. Few are kind to her about it. The society looks at her as a 'cripple' and deems it necessary that she be killed because of her disability.
The Wolf and the Water is full of political intrigue not to mention lots of injustice towards women. We even see this injustice from other women. It's probably this that negatively affects Kala's confidence, while also making her a strong character.
"They were now nothing more than commodities in a household that would only survive by the grace of her mother's remarriage."
I also liked Leon, who is Kala's stepfather's son. He is kind, funny, and not in the least deterred by Kala's disability. Kala, on the other hand, sort of mistreats him at first because she doesn't know or understand his intentions. His grandfather practically insulted her right after her father died.
The Wolf and the Water is narrated in the third person, mainly from Kala's view point; although we occasionally get others' views like Leon.
'"Is he that bad?"
Kala's impressions of Nikos had not been favourable, but she was surprised that his son would share her dislike.'
Only when I finished The Wolf and the Water did I realize that Kala's mother, though an absent character was a strong one. She made many sacrifices but wasn't really 'there' for Kala or the reader.
Kala is also a feminist and I loved her character, her thoughts, sarcasm, and in some cases, her retorts, like when she was talking to her mother about her new brute of a husband, Nikos:
"Enough? You're handing him the title of Glauks and you think you should be grateful to him?"
One of the things I struggled with in The Wolf and the Water were some of the descriptions, especially the part about the other side of the wall. I just couldn't imagine it.
Also the parts about the other world and how some people from Kepos were in cahoots about what surrounds Kepos were very confusing for me.
Overall, I found that The Wolf and the Water partially intriguing; I moved well in the first four chapters although I was at a complete loss for what was going on. But the confusion, unclear settings, and the feel of the novel just weren't enough.
I finished this book because of Kala and my curiosity. Kala didn't fail but my curiosity wasn't satiated at the end.
Overall rating for The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey: 2.5 stars.
Note: I got a free Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey in exchange for an honest review. This did not in any way impact my review.
I originally signed up to review this book as part of a blog tour with TheWriteReads, however, I opted out of the tour because the book left me with a lot of mixed feelings.
One of the things that make The Wolf and the Water interesting is the mythology behind the setting, supposedly Greek mythology. However, it's this mythology and rules governing the characters that create lots of confusion in the novel.
I struggled at the beginning, middle, and ending. There were parts that I liked but the hierarchy of the 10 tribes and how they mingled with the 'religious' sector of their society was confusing.
The chapters in The Wolf and the Water are divided based on the names of the 10 tribes of Kepos, which makes them super long chapters to read.
I liked the main character Kala. I also loved how Jaffrey made her a character with a disability, something I've rarely seen in literature, old or contemporary.
Kala's disability followed a plague that killed many people but spared her. However, the disability makes people shun her and mistreat her. Few are kind to her about it. The society looks at her as a 'cripple' and deems it necessary that she be killed because of her disability.
The Wolf and the Water is full of political intrigue not to mention lots of injustice towards women. We even see this injustice from other women. It's probably this that negatively affects Kala's confidence, while also making her a strong character.
"They were now nothing more than commodities in a household that would only survive by the grace of her mother's remarriage."
I also liked Leon, who is Kala's stepfather's son. He is kind, funny, and not in the least deterred by Kala's disability. Kala, on the other hand, sort of mistreats him at first because she doesn't know or understand his intentions. His grandfather practically insulted her right after her father died.
The Wolf and the Water is narrated in the third person, mainly from Kala's view point; although we occasionally get others' views like Leon.
'"Is he that bad?"
Kala's impressions of Nikos had not been favourable, but she was surprised that his son would share her dislike.'
Only when I finished The Wolf and the Water did I realize that Kala's mother, though an absent character was a strong one. She made many sacrifices but wasn't really 'there' for Kala or the reader.
Kala is also a feminist and I loved her character, her thoughts, sarcasm, and in some cases, her retorts, like when she was talking to her mother about her new brute of a husband, Nikos:
"Enough? You're handing him the title of Glauks and you think you should be grateful to him?"
One of the things I struggled with in The Wolf and the Water were some of the descriptions, especially the part about the other side of the wall. I just couldn't imagine it.
Also the parts about the other world and how some people from Kepos were in cahoots about what surrounds Kepos were very confusing for me.
Overall, I found that The Wolf and the Water partially intriguing; I moved well in the first four chapters although I was at a complete loss for what was going on. But the confusion, unclear settings, and the feel of the novel just weren't enough.
I finished this book because of Kala and my curiosity. Kala didn't fail but my curiosity wasn't satiated at the end.
Overall rating for The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey: 2.5 stars.
Note: I got a free Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey in exchange for an honest review. This did not in any way impact my review.
October 9, 2020
“Kala had failed to discern the real shape of her world. The Dekorats were children playing in a sandbox while the grown-ups arranged their world around them.”
CW: A full list of content warnings are at the back of the book, but include: Violence (murder/attempted murder/poison/amputation, arson), death (parental death, partner death, child death, funeral pyre/body burning), racism, ableism (internalised and from others), slavery, parental abuse (emotional and physical), miscarriage (remembered), attempted sexual assault, “problematic” romantic relationships (consensual relationship between slave and owner, romantic tension between step-siblings (not raised together), romantic relationship between unknowing siblings).
Thank you to the author for a copy of this for review. This in no way affects my opinion on the book.
The story of Atlantis is not one I’m particularly well versed in, but it’s certainly one that interests me. I was hoping to watch the Disney film soon, so this has only increased by wish to. However, I liked how it was incorporated into this story, with each chapter headed with some lore of the world itself. It felt like it gave the world some history and ground to stand on, meaning that decisions and how people interacted made sense. It also meant that the reader could learn some of the mythology of the world without it needing to be spelled out.
The main character, Kala, has a disability that impairs her walking. Unfortunately for her, this disability really doesn’t stand her on good ground (bad enough to be a woman, but to be a woman who doesn’t even look right) because she lives in a world where people think she’s cursed because she’d disabled. Although it’s a big part of her character, she doesn’t allow it to define her and she doesn’t accept pity from anyone, but she also knows when to accept help. She’s a pretty strong and stubborn woman.
Speaking of stubborn… Leon, the other main character. Brave and stupid and stubborn, he stands up for the people he cares about, even if it means he gets himself hurt. Melissa, Lali and Ariston are the other notable characters in Kala’s life: the latter two being friends that are like family, the former being Kala’s family’s slave, who is also Kala’s best friend and sometimes lover.
All the characters were involved in…slightly weird romances. Now, if you know anything about me and my reading, romances are not my favourite thing. And these romances? Left me kind of torn. Kala: I was happy she got to be happy and I’m glad she could be with someone who liked her despite her “flaws”. However, by making characters find a romantic relationship by the end, it sometimes feels like it’s implying they need to be romantically involved with someone to be happy, when Kala seems to be happy with a friend. Not to mention, they’re step siblings (admittedly, for all of about a month) which wouldn’t be so weird if Leon hadn’t kept calling Kala “sister”, and Kala repeatedly said “no” to him, only to still be pursued.
There are lots of other characters in it and, other than the ones I’ve already mentioned, there are few left that are good. The Wolf and the Water is set in a world of scheming and mistrust and people climbing over each other to get to the top and it’s really reflected in the cast.
I really enjoyed the mystery. There’s lots of murder and lots of sneaking around and lots of threads that never seem to lead anywhere. I was invested in reaching the end to see who was behind it and I found myself mostly satisfied by the ending. There’s still enough of an actual mystery to read on to the sequel, though, which is good!
CW: A full list of content warnings are at the back of the book, but include: Violence (murder/attempted murder/poison/amputation, arson), death (parental death, partner death, child death, funeral pyre/body burning), racism, ableism (internalised and from others), slavery, parental abuse (emotional and physical), miscarriage (remembered), attempted sexual assault, “problematic” romantic relationships (consensual relationship between slave and owner, romantic tension between step-siblings (not raised together), romantic relationship between unknowing siblings).
Thank you to the author for a copy of this for review. This in no way affects my opinion on the book.
The story of Atlantis is not one I’m particularly well versed in, but it’s certainly one that interests me. I was hoping to watch the Disney film soon, so this has only increased by wish to. However, I liked how it was incorporated into this story, with each chapter headed with some lore of the world itself. It felt like it gave the world some history and ground to stand on, meaning that decisions and how people interacted made sense. It also meant that the reader could learn some of the mythology of the world without it needing to be spelled out.
The main character, Kala, has a disability that impairs her walking. Unfortunately for her, this disability really doesn’t stand her on good ground (bad enough to be a woman, but to be a woman who doesn’t even look right) because she lives in a world where people think she’s cursed because she’d disabled. Although it’s a big part of her character, she doesn’t allow it to define her and she doesn’t accept pity from anyone, but she also knows when to accept help. She’s a pretty strong and stubborn woman.
Speaking of stubborn… Leon, the other main character. Brave and stupid and stubborn, he stands up for the people he cares about, even if it means he gets himself hurt. Melissa, Lali and Ariston are the other notable characters in Kala’s life: the latter two being friends that are like family, the former being Kala’s family’s slave, who is also Kala’s best friend and sometimes lover.
All the characters were involved in…slightly weird romances. Now, if you know anything about me and my reading, romances are not my favourite thing. And these romances? Left me kind of torn. Kala: I was happy she got to be happy and I’m glad she could be with someone who liked her despite her “flaws”. However, by making characters find a romantic relationship by the end, it sometimes feels like it’s implying they need to be romantically involved with someone to be happy, when Kala seems to be happy with a friend. Not to mention, they’re step siblings (admittedly, for all of about a month) which wouldn’t be so weird if Leon hadn’t kept calling Kala “sister”, and Kala repeatedly said “no” to him, only to still be pursued.
There are lots of other characters in it and, other than the ones I’ve already mentioned, there are few left that are good. The Wolf and the Water is set in a world of scheming and mistrust and people climbing over each other to get to the top and it’s really reflected in the cast.
I really enjoyed the mystery. There’s lots of murder and lots of sneaking around and lots of threads that never seem to lead anywhere. I was invested in reaching the end to see who was behind it and I found myself mostly satisfied by the ending. There’s still enough of an actual mystery to read on to the sequel, though, which is good!
September 7, 2020
I received this book as an ARC kindly sent to me by the author and I was very excited to read it. The world and tribal/hierarchical system serving as the backdrop of this book and inspired by Ancient Greece was very cleverly thought out and brought something new and exciting to the plot. The mystery surrounding the Water and what lies beyond it was definitely one of the main aspects that drove my desire to keep reading. As always, the writing style was refreshingly beautiful, and much different to the last book I read by this author.
However, despite the interesting plot and refreshing writing style, I only rated this three stars. For me, the characters felt very detached from the plot, often not reacting to traumatic and brutally violent events in ways you would expect of real people. I kept waiting for the emotion to accompany the several character deaths and other revelations. It didn’t, really, and because of that, I couldn’t connect all that well with them.
I might have been able to tolerate that, but if there’s one trope I despise in books, it’s incest—and this book has plenty. I could have dealt with the main characters being step-siblings who were not raised together, and was actually learning to look past it as I enjoyed their romantic and often witty scenes, and then came the (expected) bombshell (which was delivered very subtly and not focused on as much as I’d expect considering the magnitude of it) that they share a very much alive brother. Not only that, but that alive brother has been courting (or, god forbid, more) his sister. I understand these things can happen on occasion in real life and this book is set in an ancient civilisation that doesn’t view incestuous relationships in the same way that modern society does, but that doesn’t mean I want to read about it. It’s just not for me.
Another trope I don’t enjoy too much is love triangles, and the wlw relationship could have been so much better for the plot—it felt like a cop out to bring in the MC’s step-brother and then conveniently have Melissa and Kala say they weren’t in love as the relationship between Leon and Kala developed. If you’re going to represent LGBT relationships, it would be nice if the couple was endgame for once, considering positive representation is still few and far between. While I appreciated that sexuality is presented as fluid and isn’t labelled or focused on excessively, and the sapphic relationship was very healthy and lovely to read, it was disappointing to see another book where it’s treated as just a backup for the main romance plot and then ultimately put down to a friendship despite all they’ve shared. I completely appreciate that the MC is bi or pan and her attraction to both men and women is completely valid, but it just would have been nice if the male love interest didn’t overtake the sapphic relationship for once.
The ending, too, felt quite out of the blue. Two characters who were barely in the novel ended up being big drivers of all the tragedy that occurred, so the plot twist didn’t shock me or grasp my attention too much.
Despite my criticism, this wasn’t a wholly bad read and I did enjoy aspects. Leon’s character in particular I loved and all of them had their strengths. I was just waiting for something more, especially after reading May Day recently and loving it. Also, don’t be fooled by the title. There are no wolves in this. Only water.
However, despite the interesting plot and refreshing writing style, I only rated this three stars. For me, the characters felt very detached from the plot, often not reacting to traumatic and brutally violent events in ways you would expect of real people. I kept waiting for the emotion to accompany the several character deaths and other revelations. It didn’t, really, and because of that, I couldn’t connect all that well with them.
I might have been able to tolerate that, but if there’s one trope I despise in books, it’s incest—and this book has plenty. I could have dealt with the main characters being step-siblings who were not raised together, and was actually learning to look past it as I enjoyed their romantic and often witty scenes, and then came the (expected) bombshell (which was delivered very subtly and not focused on as much as I’d expect considering the magnitude of it) that they share a very much alive brother. Not only that, but that alive brother has been courting (or, god forbid, more) his sister. I understand these things can happen on occasion in real life and this book is set in an ancient civilisation that doesn’t view incestuous relationships in the same way that modern society does, but that doesn’t mean I want to read about it. It’s just not for me.
Another trope I don’t enjoy too much is love triangles, and the wlw relationship could have been so much better for the plot—it felt like a cop out to bring in the MC’s step-brother and then conveniently have Melissa and Kala say they weren’t in love as the relationship between Leon and Kala developed. If you’re going to represent LGBT relationships, it would be nice if the couple was endgame for once, considering positive representation is still few and far between. While I appreciated that sexuality is presented as fluid and isn’t labelled or focused on excessively, and the sapphic relationship was very healthy and lovely to read, it was disappointing to see another book where it’s treated as just a backup for the main romance plot and then ultimately put down to a friendship despite all they’ve shared. I completely appreciate that the MC is bi or pan and her attraction to both men and women is completely valid, but it just would have been nice if the male love interest didn’t overtake the sapphic relationship for once.
The ending, too, felt quite out of the blue. Two characters who were barely in the novel ended up being big drivers of all the tragedy that occurred, so the plot twist didn’t shock me or grasp my attention too much.
Despite my criticism, this wasn’t a wholly bad read and I did enjoy aspects. Leon’s character in particular I loved and all of them had their strengths. I was just waiting for something more, especially after reading May Day recently and loving it. Also, don’t be fooled by the title. There are no wolves in this. Only water.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2020
Thank you to Josie Jaffrey for very kindly sending me an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
*Trigger Warnings at end of the review.
The Wolf and The Water (Deluge #1)
Release Date: October 8th 2020
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Wolf and The Water is a tale "inspired by Plato's account of the island of Atlantis, a once Utopian society destroyed by the gods for its sinfulness." (Quoted from Author's Note)
This story follows Kala, a heroine with a bone abnormality in her foot whose father passes under suspicious circumstances. Her mother is required to remarry immediately under the city laws and her life is turned upside down. She discovers a difficult truth which puts her in a situation that'll change her life, for better or for worse.
First off, I think that Josie Jaffrey is an incredibly talented author. This book was so easy to read, like a hot knife through butter. I sped through this tale and quite frankly had an excellent reading experience with this book. Everything was wrapped up so nicely with a bow at the end, yet I was left dying for a follow up to this story, and I need a sequel NOW! 😁
I've had mixed experiences with mythological "retellings" but this was one of the better ones. This story is everything you could ever possibly want from a "fantasyesque" murder mystery. The story follows Kala's daily life as she goes through family drama by the bucket-load, she has to go to great lengths and encounter various dangerous obstacles whilst trying to discover who potentially murdered her father, alongside avoiding her monster of a stepfather and falling in love with someone she shouldn't.
This book was one of my favourites of the month, I loved the pacing, how the plot unfurled and how it crossed and zigzagged throughout the book. As a reader, I particularly enjoyed the starring role of the library setting. Throughout the book we are taken on a tour of the incredible Greek city of Kepos, walled off from the outside where nobody leaves. (PS. this book has a map ~ I'm a sucker for a book with a map)
Something I especially enjoyed about this book was the layout, and how the chapters are divided into ten, for the ten families in the Dekocracy. I felt like this was the perfect length and set up for progression of the story. Although I don't have an own voices perspective, I felt that the disability representation was well dealt with throughout this book and I would love to hear an own voices opinion on this. The book, especially the set up let us know what Kala was dealing with, and how this a affected her daily life. I was low key already emotional on page 9 of this book, don't judge me, it was sad! This book honestly had me feeling all the emotions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book so much, it was so unique to anything I'd read before and I couldn't recommend it more. If you want to get your hands on a copy, you can here: https://www.josiejaffrey.com/the-wolf...
Thank you once again to Josie for sending me this copy for review, I'm incredibly grateful and I'm honoured to have been able to read this book before it's release in October.
*Trigger Warnings
Violence - Death - Racism - Ableism - Slavery - Misogyny - Mental and Physical Abuse - Miscarriage - Attempted Sexual Assault
*Trigger Warnings at end of the review.
The Wolf and The Water (Deluge #1)
Release Date: October 8th 2020
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Wolf and The Water is a tale "inspired by Plato's account of the island of Atlantis, a once Utopian society destroyed by the gods for its sinfulness." (Quoted from Author's Note)
This story follows Kala, a heroine with a bone abnormality in her foot whose father passes under suspicious circumstances. Her mother is required to remarry immediately under the city laws and her life is turned upside down. She discovers a difficult truth which puts her in a situation that'll change her life, for better or for worse.
First off, I think that Josie Jaffrey is an incredibly talented author. This book was so easy to read, like a hot knife through butter. I sped through this tale and quite frankly had an excellent reading experience with this book. Everything was wrapped up so nicely with a bow at the end, yet I was left dying for a follow up to this story, and I need a sequel NOW! 😁
I've had mixed experiences with mythological "retellings" but this was one of the better ones. This story is everything you could ever possibly want from a "fantasyesque" murder mystery. The story follows Kala's daily life as she goes through family drama by the bucket-load, she has to go to great lengths and encounter various dangerous obstacles whilst trying to discover who potentially murdered her father, alongside avoiding her monster of a stepfather and falling in love with someone she shouldn't.
This book was one of my favourites of the month, I loved the pacing, how the plot unfurled and how it crossed and zigzagged throughout the book. As a reader, I particularly enjoyed the starring role of the library setting. Throughout the book we are taken on a tour of the incredible Greek city of Kepos, walled off from the outside where nobody leaves. (PS. this book has a map ~ I'm a sucker for a book with a map)
Something I especially enjoyed about this book was the layout, and how the chapters are divided into ten, for the ten families in the Dekocracy. I felt like this was the perfect length and set up for progression of the story. Although I don't have an own voices perspective, I felt that the disability representation was well dealt with throughout this book and I would love to hear an own voices opinion on this. The book, especially the set up let us know what Kala was dealing with, and how this a affected her daily life. I was low key already emotional on page 9 of this book, don't judge me, it was sad! This book honestly had me feeling all the emotions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book so much, it was so unique to anything I'd read before and I couldn't recommend it more. If you want to get your hands on a copy, you can here: https://www.josiejaffrey.com/the-wolf...
Thank you once again to Josie for sending me this copy for review, I'm incredibly grateful and I'm honoured to have been able to read this book before it's release in October.
*Trigger Warnings
Violence - Death - Racism - Ableism - Slavery - Misogyny - Mental and Physical Abuse - Miscarriage - Attempted Sexual Assault
September 28, 2020
I received an ARC of this book as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. It has not affection my opinions.
THE WOLF AND THE WATER is an Atlantis-retelling, which means the setting is Greek-inspired and I am always up for that setting. We have a Dekocracy - the patriarchs of ten families ruling the city - so the world isn't a straight-up monarchy, which makes it feel different from other fantasies. The actual logistics of how the world is run isn't explored much - only the way it relates to marriages and the power these men hold over other - as it doesn't impact the story.
Instead, the focus is on how these men gain the power, either by bumping off people in line ahead of them, or marrying women who are the last of their house (as women cannot rule, so their husbands instantly take the title). This tight focus world building is done well - it's immediately clear where the power is and why. It establishes the towering threat posed by one of the villains - Nikos - as well as explaining a lot of the minor conflicts.
By not explaining the rest of the world in detail, letting it be implied or building through small details, the story isn't lost. Instead, the narrative rests on a solid foundation that allows for clarity - with enough hints that you can fill in the blanks should you so wish. It also makes you root for the main character, Kala, because the world is designed to work against her.
This book didn't feel particularly well paced. At times, like the opening chapter, it was bang on, but there were lots of things that felt rushed. Kala was very quick to trust an acolyte, which means she just gets the information crucial to the story dropped into her lap. It felt out of character, given how she interacts with everyone else. It also didn't get as much urgency as I expected - Kala feels like she gives up/disregards the threat in the middle, which is odd as she keeps thinking about it, but it wasn't written in a way that conveyed that.
I had to re-read part of the ending again to work out what was happening because lots happened in a handful of pages and I was struggling to follow. I don't think there was enough build up to certain events. Given it's an Atlantis retelling and the prominence of the wall, it was obvious what the main action was going to be. However, at times, this expectation felt like it was the only build up, not a growing sense of dread and inevitability created during the book.
The book mostly stays in Kala's POV, seeing the city through her eyes. There are three places where a chapter starts with someone else's POV for a few paragraph before changing, which was a little jarring and ruined the villain reveal. The first paragraph of the first chapter is also not in POV, in a more distant POV that explains the wall.
Honestly, this books feels a little more experimental than the other two of hers I've read. It's her first (published) YA, and also her first non-vampire book. As a first foray, it reads well, and I'm interested to see what happens in the next book - which I'm guessing is a companion book, based on the epilogue.
THE WOLF AND THE WATER is an Atlantis-retelling, which means the setting is Greek-inspired and I am always up for that setting. We have a Dekocracy - the patriarchs of ten families ruling the city - so the world isn't a straight-up monarchy, which makes it feel different from other fantasies. The actual logistics of how the world is run isn't explored much - only the way it relates to marriages and the power these men hold over other - as it doesn't impact the story.
Instead, the focus is on how these men gain the power, either by bumping off people in line ahead of them, or marrying women who are the last of their house (as women cannot rule, so their husbands instantly take the title). This tight focus world building is done well - it's immediately clear where the power is and why. It establishes the towering threat posed by one of the villains - Nikos - as well as explaining a lot of the minor conflicts.
By not explaining the rest of the world in detail, letting it be implied or building through small details, the story isn't lost. Instead, the narrative rests on a solid foundation that allows for clarity - with enough hints that you can fill in the blanks should you so wish. It also makes you root for the main character, Kala, because the world is designed to work against her.
This book didn't feel particularly well paced. At times, like the opening chapter, it was bang on, but there were lots of things that felt rushed. Kala was very quick to trust an acolyte, which means she just gets the information crucial to the story dropped into her lap. It felt out of character, given how she interacts with everyone else. It also didn't get as much urgency as I expected - Kala feels like she gives up/disregards the threat in the middle, which is odd as she keeps thinking about it, but it wasn't written in a way that conveyed that.
I had to re-read part of the ending again to work out what was happening because lots happened in a handful of pages and I was struggling to follow. I don't think there was enough build up to certain events. Given it's an Atlantis retelling and the prominence of the wall, it was obvious what the main action was going to be. However, at times, this expectation felt like it was the only build up, not a growing sense of dread and inevitability created during the book.
The book mostly stays in Kala's POV, seeing the city through her eyes. There are three places where a chapter starts with someone else's POV for a few paragraph before changing, which was a little jarring and ruined the villain reveal. The first paragraph of the first chapter is also not in POV, in a more distant POV that explains the wall.
Honestly, this books feels a little more experimental than the other two of hers I've read. It's her first (published) YA, and also her first non-vampire book. As a first foray, it reads well, and I'm interested to see what happens in the next book - which I'm guessing is a companion book, based on the epilogue.
September 17, 2020
Intrigue, mystery and a race against time. Count me in!
When our main character Kala finds her farther dead followed by her mother’s remarriage to what becomes Kala’s evil step father we are plunged into a ‘who did it’ mystery. Along the way Kala soon find out that all is not what it seems and we fall into a race against time.
I want to be honest with you guys not that I’m not normally honest but in the interest of building a rapport with you and earning your trust as your ‘go-to’ reviewer I want to state that The Wolf and the Water was close to being a DNF for me... to begin with. The first 60-70 pages I found hard to get along with. It just wasn’t my ‘thing’ and it started to feel like a period drama where marriage arrangements are being made and not much else. Although, we do get a good helping of world building and we also get good insight into the social structure of Kepos which sets us up nicely for the rest of the book.
I’m so glad I continued to read this book instead of casting it aside. Once I got passed the first 60 odd pages I was rewarded with a big plot reveal and from there the plot just kept unraveling till I found myself lost within the grasps of the book. The Wolf and the Water went from that bland period drama to the young adult fantasy set in the style of Ancient Greece that I was originally sold on.
Josie Jaffrey has crafted a fantastic lineup of characters headed by our main character, Kala, a crippled ‘princess’ of one of 10 major houses that rule of Kepos. Kala is a strong willed individual that doesn’t allow herself to be held back by her physical disability although throughout the book this is used as a weapon against her so please take this as a trigger warning along with the following that are listed in the back of the book.
Racism
Slavery
Misogyny
Parental abuse
Miscarriage
Attempted sexual assault
Now, if you are familiar with Grimdark as I’m sure most of my readers are then none of these subjects will be new to you and I will state that all the above are handled really well and should not cause any offence to readers. They are all used to further build the plot and immerse the reader into the world Josie has created. We really get a feel for what life would be like in Kepos.
I would recommend The Wolf and The Water to the young fantasy readers the book is aimed towards. You will enjoy the book and you will be rewarded if you can get through the first section. However, you might enjoy the first part. We are all different after all and that is exactly what I take from The Wolf and the Water. We are reminded that we are all unique and that is a good thing. We are reminded that we are all in charge of our own destinies and we are reminded that being kind to others is paramount in society.
Thank you Josie for helping keep society on the straight and narrow and helping progression where it is still needed.
When our main character Kala finds her farther dead followed by her mother’s remarriage to what becomes Kala’s evil step father we are plunged into a ‘who did it’ mystery. Along the way Kala soon find out that all is not what it seems and we fall into a race against time.
I want to be honest with you guys not that I’m not normally honest but in the interest of building a rapport with you and earning your trust as your ‘go-to’ reviewer I want to state that The Wolf and the Water was close to being a DNF for me... to begin with. The first 60-70 pages I found hard to get along with. It just wasn’t my ‘thing’ and it started to feel like a period drama where marriage arrangements are being made and not much else. Although, we do get a good helping of world building and we also get good insight into the social structure of Kepos which sets us up nicely for the rest of the book.
I’m so glad I continued to read this book instead of casting it aside. Once I got passed the first 60 odd pages I was rewarded with a big plot reveal and from there the plot just kept unraveling till I found myself lost within the grasps of the book. The Wolf and the Water went from that bland period drama to the young adult fantasy set in the style of Ancient Greece that I was originally sold on.
Josie Jaffrey has crafted a fantastic lineup of characters headed by our main character, Kala, a crippled ‘princess’ of one of 10 major houses that rule of Kepos. Kala is a strong willed individual that doesn’t allow herself to be held back by her physical disability although throughout the book this is used as a weapon against her so please take this as a trigger warning along with the following that are listed in the back of the book.
Racism
Slavery
Misogyny
Parental abuse
Miscarriage
Attempted sexual assault
Now, if you are familiar with Grimdark as I’m sure most of my readers are then none of these subjects will be new to you and I will state that all the above are handled really well and should not cause any offence to readers. They are all used to further build the plot and immerse the reader into the world Josie has created. We really get a feel for what life would be like in Kepos.
I would recommend The Wolf and The Water to the young fantasy readers the book is aimed towards. You will enjoy the book and you will be rewarded if you can get through the first section. However, you might enjoy the first part. We are all different after all and that is exactly what I take from The Wolf and the Water. We are reminded that we are all unique and that is a good thing. We are reminded that we are all in charge of our own destinies and we are reminded that being kind to others is paramount in society.
Thank you Josie for helping keep society on the straight and narrow and helping progression where it is still needed.
November 12, 2020
Read this review and a mini author interview on blog
4.5 Stars!
The Wolf And The Water follows the main protagonist Kala, who lives in Kepos, an ancient city guarded by a huge wall to keep away the souls of the dead, or at least that’s what the priests say. The city’s land is ruled by ten families who are guided by the high priest Archon.
Kala being left permanently disabled since she was young doesn’t help make her life any easier. Her family, the Glauks were the least powerful thus were an easy target for mocking and belittling.
"Kala had failed to discern the real shape of her world. The Dekorats were children playing in a sandbox while the grown-ups arranged their world around them."
One day she finds her father dead under mysterious circumstances. Even tho everyone believes that he died a natural death, Kala is sure that it was a murder. During all this, her mother is forced to remarry so that the house still has a male head.
Her suspicion about her father’s potential murder starts to make more sense as an attempt is made on her own life. She knows that something dark is afoot in the shadows, trying to claim her land. But Kala finds out there is a bigger worry and now she has to choose: fight for her land and people while someone is trying to kill her or flee.
This book was beautifully written! As you all must know by now, I am a huge sucker for some good historical fiction. This was exactly that.
Everything from the character development to the plot was amazing. I loved that it was enjoyable yet informative at the same time (a KEY element of a good historical fiction book)
I really loved Kala and Melissa’s relationship and bond too! A f/f relationship made the whole book more lovable.
I absolutely cannot wait to read and enjoy the rest of the series too!
Representation: Bisexual MC of colour who is disabled, side queer characters.
Trigger Warnings: violence (murder/attempted murder, amputation, poisoning, arson, injuries), death (on-page and remembered), racism, ableism, slavery, misogyny, parental abuse (emotional and physical, vivid on the page descriptions), miscarriage, attempted sexual assault.
4.5 Stars!
The Wolf And The Water follows the main protagonist Kala, who lives in Kepos, an ancient city guarded by a huge wall to keep away the souls of the dead, or at least that’s what the priests say. The city’s land is ruled by ten families who are guided by the high priest Archon.
Kala being left permanently disabled since she was young doesn’t help make her life any easier. Her family, the Glauks were the least powerful thus were an easy target for mocking and belittling.
"Kala had failed to discern the real shape of her world. The Dekorats were children playing in a sandbox while the grown-ups arranged their world around them."
One day she finds her father dead under mysterious circumstances. Even tho everyone believes that he died a natural death, Kala is sure that it was a murder. During all this, her mother is forced to remarry so that the house still has a male head.
Her suspicion about her father’s potential murder starts to make more sense as an attempt is made on her own life. She knows that something dark is afoot in the shadows, trying to claim her land. But Kala finds out there is a bigger worry and now she has to choose: fight for her land and people while someone is trying to kill her or flee.
This book was beautifully written! As you all must know by now, I am a huge sucker for some good historical fiction. This was exactly that.
Everything from the character development to the plot was amazing. I loved that it was enjoyable yet informative at the same time (a KEY element of a good historical fiction book)
I really loved Kala and Melissa’s relationship and bond too! A f/f relationship made the whole book more lovable.
I absolutely cannot wait to read and enjoy the rest of the series too!
Representation: Bisexual MC of colour who is disabled, side queer characters.
Trigger Warnings: violence (murder/attempted murder, amputation, poisoning, arson, injuries), death (on-page and remembered), racism, ableism, slavery, misogyny, parental abuse (emotional and physical, vivid on the page descriptions), miscarriage, attempted sexual assault.
December 12, 2020
Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.
The Wolf and the Water is the first in an all new series from Josie Jaffrey, set in the ancient city of Kepos. The story follows Kala, a young girl who loses her father in mysterious circumstances. Her mother is remarried to a cruel man looking to gain more power in his position as head of the household. As Kala attempts to investigate the death of her father she uncovers a secret long hidden in the city of Kepos and must do everything she can to keep herself and her loved ones alive.
I’ve previously read Josie Jaffrey’s Sovereign series so when I heard she had a new release coming out I was really intrigued. The Wolf and the Water is a fascinating tale and one I absolutely raced through. The story if full to the brim with mythology and the world building is well executed in the story. I was completely hooked on the story and the world that Jaffrey created. The story is a fast paced one and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger making me desperate to find out what’s in store in book two.
The thing that intrigued me most about The Wolf and the Water is the complex characters and their relationships in this story. I really liked our main protagonist Kala – she’s strong willed and determined to survive even if she is cast out from her family. I really liked seeing her relationship develop with Leon, and I really liked Lissa too. Nikos is a brilliant villain and is well depicted as the power hungry stepfather.
The story is full of mystery and it kept me hooked right till the very last page. If you’re looking for a fresh new fantasy with a unique setting and complex characters, this is definitely one to add to your wishlist.
The Wolf and the Water is the first in an all new series from Josie Jaffrey, set in the ancient city of Kepos. The story follows Kala, a young girl who loses her father in mysterious circumstances. Her mother is remarried to a cruel man looking to gain more power in his position as head of the household. As Kala attempts to investigate the death of her father she uncovers a secret long hidden in the city of Kepos and must do everything she can to keep herself and her loved ones alive.
I’ve previously read Josie Jaffrey’s Sovereign series so when I heard she had a new release coming out I was really intrigued. The Wolf and the Water is a fascinating tale and one I absolutely raced through. The story if full to the brim with mythology and the world building is well executed in the story. I was completely hooked on the story and the world that Jaffrey created. The story is a fast paced one and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger making me desperate to find out what’s in store in book two.
The thing that intrigued me most about The Wolf and the Water is the complex characters and their relationships in this story. I really liked our main protagonist Kala – she’s strong willed and determined to survive even if she is cast out from her family. I really liked seeing her relationship develop with Leon, and I really liked Lissa too. Nikos is a brilliant villain and is well depicted as the power hungry stepfather.
The story is full of mystery and it kept me hooked right till the very last page. If you’re looking for a fresh new fantasy with a unique setting and complex characters, this is definitely one to add to your wishlist.
September 28, 2020
Firstly, thankyou to Josie for my ARC of The Wolf and the Water, it was a pleasure to read and review.
This book was different to my usual preference but I'm so glad I read it. The Wolf and the Water is an intricate story with complex characters not to mention a very complex political and social structure. The romance aspects never felt forced or done for the sake of things. The first quarter was perhaps a little info dumpey at times but I guess it was necessary to introduce us to just a vast world and array of characters.
The protagonist, Kala, is instantly likable and you really do root for her throughout the story as she's fighting to stay alive.
Likewise, Lissa, Eulalia and Leon are all well rounded characters who we get real sense of feeling for.
Some aspects of the story were suitably grim and served to remind us exactly what the world is like for our characters, there are some hard hitting scenes such as attempted sexual assault and torture but none of it is done simply for the shock value. Every decision made is done to progress the story and it's done so so well.
Josie is such a talented writer whose work I thoroughly enjoy. I'm excited to see where this trilogy takes us. The twists and turns throughout were expertly crafted. There is a general theme of slavery and also ableism, our MC is hindered by a twisted leg, but my god is she a fighter, and it was lovely to explore her bisexuality in what felt like a very natural way.
On the whole I'd recommend The Wolf and the Water to anyone who enjoys high fantasy and mythology. You won't be disappointed.
It's a 5 star read from me ❤
This book was different to my usual preference but I'm so glad I read it. The Wolf and the Water is an intricate story with complex characters not to mention a very complex political and social structure. The romance aspects never felt forced or done for the sake of things. The first quarter was perhaps a little info dumpey at times but I guess it was necessary to introduce us to just a vast world and array of characters.
The protagonist, Kala, is instantly likable and you really do root for her throughout the story as she's fighting to stay alive.
Likewise, Lissa, Eulalia and Leon are all well rounded characters who we get real sense of feeling for.
Some aspects of the story were suitably grim and served to remind us exactly what the world is like for our characters, there are some hard hitting scenes such as attempted sexual assault and torture but none of it is done simply for the shock value. Every decision made is done to progress the story and it's done so so well.
Josie is such a talented writer whose work I thoroughly enjoy. I'm excited to see where this trilogy takes us. The twists and turns throughout were expertly crafted. There is a general theme of slavery and also ableism, our MC is hindered by a twisted leg, but my god is she a fighter, and it was lovely to explore her bisexuality in what felt like a very natural way.
On the whole I'd recommend The Wolf and the Water to anyone who enjoys high fantasy and mythology. You won't be disappointed.
It's a 5 star read from me ❤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2020
3.5/5
Atlantis? I was already going to just love this, I mean, I am an Atlantis junkie but once ore Jaffrey gives this incredible creativity to her story and that made me love it all the more! Her first YA book, this sets up a great layout for a YA series and had so many great elements and her style remained the same calibre I always enjoy.
Sometimes the pacing was a bit slow but it was a minor issue that was ironed out by the delightful undercurrent of tension and the fact that I really enjoyed the MC so much.
Intriguing and with its own unique twist of lore and legend, I was happy to see how Jaffrey handled my beloved 'Atlantis' myth in this and the ending definitely makes you eager to read book two.
So much political intrigue and history was used in this and it was fantastic.
Thank you so much to Josie Jaffrey for an ARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion! 3.5/5 cups of coffee from me and this lovely book is available starting tomorrow [October 8th!]
Atlantis? I was already going to just love this, I mean, I am an Atlantis junkie but once ore Jaffrey gives this incredible creativity to her story and that made me love it all the more! Her first YA book, this sets up a great layout for a YA series and had so many great elements and her style remained the same calibre I always enjoy.
Sometimes the pacing was a bit slow but it was a minor issue that was ironed out by the delightful undercurrent of tension and the fact that I really enjoyed the MC so much.
Intriguing and with its own unique twist of lore and legend, I was happy to see how Jaffrey handled my beloved 'Atlantis' myth in this and the ending definitely makes you eager to read book two.
So much political intrigue and history was used in this and it was fantastic.
Thank you so much to Josie Jaffrey for an ARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion! 3.5/5 cups of coffee from me and this lovely book is available starting tomorrow [October 8th!]
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