Fangs for the Fantasy

Rylie, a new werewolf, has to get out of the city. She’s too dangerous to be around people, there are too many things around her that distract her wolf senses. While she may not like the countryside, life on her aunt’s ranch may be the one way she can avoid hurting people

But, with werewolves now very rare, the werewolf hunters are quick to identify what the animal attacks on livestock around Rylie mean. Obsessed werewolf hunter Eleanor heads to town with her two sons, Abel and Seth

Like the first book, I think there’s a lot of realism in the main characters – Rylie and Seth are teenagers in extreme situations. But still teenagers. In many ways they feel very real – which means I don’t always agree with what they do. I don’t always like what they do. I often don’t really like them. But I understand them – I get why they do what they do.

It really sells Rylie as a teenager who is turning into a werewolf, not understanding and desperately hoping that she won’t hurt anyone but not knowing how not to. She flees the city because the idea of changing into a wolf surrounded by so many people terrifies her – as well as her senses being completely overwhelmed. So even though she chose to move to her aunt’s ranch in the middle of nowhere, it was still a choice that was forced on her and she is a city girl at heart. She’s also mourning her recently deceased father and all the traumatic events that happened at camp

Does this make Rylie a happy, sunshine, reasonable person? Nope. But I don’t think anyone could be or would be in those circumstances.

Similarly, Seth is clearly disillusioned with his life as a hunter. He is severely questioning the morality of their path and, even aside from that, simply doesn’t wasn’t to live this way; a life with no affection or love, a life where family means fellow warriors, a life where his mother cares more about the kill than her children and a life which, ultimately, has no future. Rylie is an excellent catalyst to accelerating his own discomfort and challenges with the lifestyle his mother demands. And I like that it is an extra element that spurs him but not the only reason, he’s not turning his back on his family and tradition and duty he believes in because of Rylie – he’d already seen the deep flaws in all of them long before.

I really like Rylie’s aunt. She doesn’t play a huge role but is definitely present throughout, only behind Seth, Adam and Rylie herself. She’s a lesbian who touches ion a few stereotypes but they’re matched well with her character rather than taking to extremes or included because they are stereotypes. She’s supportive and confused, she’s trying to help Rylie and doing the best she can despite Rylie’s many problems, and her own problems at that (both money and health). She knows Rylie’s been through a lot and is trying to be patient and trying to help her. But she doesn’t know how and is somewhat flailing

I’m also glad for Rylie’s aunt because it means we have a woman who isn’t terribad awful. Yes, like the last book, Rylie continues to have major issues with other women. She starts a new school and a nice girl tries to be friendly – and Rylie turns to boiling acid of loathing. We also have Seth and Adam’s mother who looked at Rylie’s mother and declares “you think YOU’RE the worst mother in the world? Oh no, I’m going for gold!” Even Disney would think this was a terrible depiction of motherhood (Seth and Adam, like Rylie, have a conveniently dead and fondly remembered father). There’s also a teacher who singles out Rylie as a trouble maker after very little and is then watching her with deeply negative eyes.

Naturally, Rylie does make friends… with a guy.

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