FENRIS & MOTT

“Things done could not be undone. Things destroyed could not be undestroyed. But sometimes they could be fixed.”

There’s a lot Mott, a young girl of Indonesian and Dutch descent, doesn’t expect about the abandoned puppy she finds. She doesn’t expect to be able to keep him. She doesn’t expect him to be a wolf. And she certainly doesn’t expect that wolf to be Fenris of Norse mythology: god-foe, moon-eater, ender of worlds. The very universe seems destined for destruction, brought about by Fenris, but Mott made a promise to keep Fenris safe, and she knows only too well the pain of broken oaths. In this Rick Riordan–esque epic, modern and ancient worlds collide in a vividly sketched adventure that begs to be adapted for the screen. The exhilarating pace comes somewhat at the expense of characterization. Only toward the very end, however, does this cause some believability to be lost as deeper emotions and motivations and some themes remain loosely explored. Still, the text strikes a remarkable balance between the hollowness of inevitable destruction and the hope hiding within the darkest voids. Unlike with most stories of this type, readers will at times be utterly convinced that Mott will fail, which only makes her determination to do right by her vows more rewarding to witness. The idea of the downfall of the world feels all too relevant, and the book imparts a subtle warning to readers that while the inevitable may be delayed, it can never truly be reversed.

Thrilling and touching in equal measure.