I was watching an interview with Neil Gaiman in which they discussed the fact that his children’s books were far more terrifying than those written for older readers. That thought kept returning to my mind as I read The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars by Shivaun Plozza. While it is for younger readers, that doesn’t make it in any way reductionist. Far from it. The couple of chapters were among the most haunting and terrifying that I’d read in some time, and there were points across the story where I was on the verge of tears, which is something unusual for me to experience when reading.
Our protagonist, Bo, is an outcast; abandoned at birth by his mother, treated with derision and superstition by the other villagers, and barely tolerated by Mads, the man who took him in. He sets off on a quest in order to return the stars to the sky after an accident threatens everything he knows.
On the whole, this is a really lovely story. I wouldn’t hesitate to put it into the hands of a young person (or, really, an older person). It’s beautifully written, the story is unusual enough as to sidestep many of the tropes and norms one might expect, and the primary themes of dealing with abandonment and how to manage anger at rejection and injustice are ones that I wish I’d read about when I was younger, given how delicately Plozza treats them. It’s important thing to remember that books written for younger readers are in no way less complex than those which fall into the ‘young adult’, or even adult, categories. In fact, I’d argue that the younger the book’s intended readers, the more complex the themes it deals with, and the more tenderly and delicately those ideas are handled.
Moreover, anyone who says that ‘proper’ fantasy can only be told via books for an adult audience should read this exact book in order to have reinforced to them just how wrong that statement is. The depth of the world Plozza has created clearly extends far beyond the confines of the story and is hinted at with throwaway comments, various creatures, references to historical events, other texts, and specific norms. It’s in fact quite refreshing to read a story where the plot doesn’t exist to showcase the world, but where we see the relevant parts of the world. Some things are implied, or can be deduced from the way that they are presented (for example, the capitalisation of Light and Dark), but they aren’t unpacked because they’re not relevant to the plot. It means the book is an easy read thanks to the absence of clunky exposition dumps that one can, unhappily, encounter in fantasy books (and which I had the misfortune of having to wade through in the last book I read). In particular, while Plozza doesn’t dwell for too long on the mechanics of her magic system, she includes a couple of very interesting elements, which make the book a truly enjoyable, immersive read into a world that provides the most delightful setting for a genuinely interesting story.
In the way of books for this readership, the ‘hurdles’ of the quest might be considered a little simplistic, but the primary focus of the story is about the characters and their emotional journeys.
At the novel’s conclusion, there were one or two unanswered questions which niggled at me. For instance, we never learn why Bo was was he able to survive the night when he was a baby – given that it’s noted a few times, I was expecting it to be answered. However, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment or satisfaction from the ending.
In all, I thoroughly recommend this book. It is a unique story told in the most exquisitely crafted language. It doesn’t matter what age you are – this is a beautiful read.
The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A middle-grade fantasy about a young boy’s quest to steal back the stars from the wolf who ate them.
Every night Ulv is cloaked in total Darkness. Twelve hours ruled by the ravenous, clawing Dark Creatures, beasts made of shadow and evil.
Young Bo is charged with a monumental task: freeing the land of its curse by returning the Stars to the sky. He must find three magical keys spread across the land – keys that will unlock the cage holding the wolf who ate the Stars.
But there’s another motive, beyond saving Ulv. If Bo releases the Stars, he can make a wish of his own and maybe find the mother who left him behind . . .
