by Martin Millar
pub Underworld Press
In the sequel to Lonely Werewolf Girl, young werewolf Kalix and Fire Elemental Vex are living with students Moonglow and Daniel, attending college and trying to adjust to normal life. Fashion designer and enchantress Thrix is having business troubles and Dominil is still struggling to get the band Yum Yum Sugary Snacks (possibly the best band name ever) to get their act together enough to perform.
In the mean time Kalix is wanted dead by a number of werewolves and hunters, the Guild are becoming more aggressive in their hunting, the new Thane has failed to impress the Scottish werewolves so the possibility of further rebellion threatens and Malveria may have problems she is blissfully unaware of in her own realm as well as the desperate issue of the perfect shoes in ours.
As before there is plenty going on and Millar heaps problems and tragedy on his characters. The writing style is a at times a little unusual and in earlier books of his I sometimes found it jarring, but in the Kalix novels it flows beautifully, giving the books their rhythm and unique feel. The characters are written with humour and affection, their quirks making every one of them a strong and memorable individual, except perhaps the twins Beauty and Delicious who are so much a pair that they make one strong individual personality between them.The twin leads of Yum Yum Sugary Snacks (I know, i'm using it again just because I love it, want the t shirt) are hilarious and joyfully oblivious to real life. I adore them.
Ordinarily the repetition of certain facts and characteristics (Dominil’s white hair and Decembrius’ red for instance) would be irritating, but here it works almost as an epithet, becoming part of the feel of the novel instead of pulling against it. Millar seems to have a knack for making the most vacuous, frivolous or plain unpleasant characters still entertaining and compelling, as well as providing leads that are extremely likeable in spite of their very marked faults.
If you haven’t read Lonely Werewolf Girl you should, it’s a real treat and finds it’s stride immediately. That said it’s not a requirement for enjoying Curse of the Wolf Girl, enough is explained as various characters enter to pick straight up at book two and get stuck in. The plot is complex and due to the nature of the characters, sometimes chaotic but it’s tightly pulled together and delivers constantly making it a fast read.
Whilst I enjoyed The Good Fairies of New York for many of the same reasons, with the werewolf books Millar really seems to have perfected his delivery and Curse of the Wolf Girl is an absolute joy.
I'm just going to add at this point that though there is no review of Lonely Werewolf Girl, because I read it before starting Un:Bound, I immediately sent my copy to a friend and bought two more for other friends as well as a replacement for myself. It was one of those books for me, the ones I absolutely had to share with other people even if I had to buy and post it to Holland, Curse is every bit as good.
4 comments:
I would heartily agree with most of what you said; I bought two copies of the book, so, after lending it out, I would still have one, and my 14 year old daughter bought two copies for the same reason.
put me down for a Yum Yum Sugary Snacks TeeShirt...
Loved the first book, and I didn't even know there was going to be a sequel. Thanks!
Yay, Craig, I think we need a facebook campaign for the t shirts. ;p
REG - enjoy, it's ace.
I loved Lonely Werewolf Girl! I only bought one copy (though working in a library I don't always buy books at all). I didn't realise he'd written a sequel, so thanks for that. :)
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