Empire of Wild had an interesting premise. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. I love magical realism (not sure to even classify it as such), but the plot and character development fell a bit flat for me. I didn't feel like Joan was developed well. Quite frankly, I didn't feel like any of the characters had much depth. Joan's two sidekicks, Ajean and Zeus, should have played a bigger part in the novel. And if they had, I think it would have been much more enjoyable.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

This is definitely out of my norm, but I absolutely loved it. I was glued to this book from cover to cover. Fantastic read! 4.5 Stars

"Joan had grown up with stories. They’d covered her childhood, expanding and connecting until they tucked around her like a patchwork quilt."

This book shifts Little Red Riding Hood into the even more haunting Métis tale of the rogarou and one woman's quest to save her missing husband from the creature's fate.

Thank you so much to William Morrow for my gifted ARC.

I found that this one was not for me. While the description was very interesting, It was hard for me to connect to it with the storyline. Some pieces I felt that I was in line with the story and some felt like a disconnect for me.

Empire of Wild was a bit hard to read. I love urban fantasy, but the main female characters were difficult to enjoy.

For me Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline was a hard book to get caught up in. I try to give every book a chance to turn my thinking around, but for me this book could never do that. I always do suggest others read the book for themself because I know we all don't enjoy the same style of books or writing.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and all opinions expressed here are my own.

I found the setting really interesting for Empire of Wild. The rural setting among an indigenous community is one I hope to see more of in contemporary fiction. I also was very interested in Joan's family, although I often felt like I did not really know the characters very deeply through the book's portrayal. The central concept of Joan's husband's disappearance was interesting but did not move quickly enough to hold my interest.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2021 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2021/02/2021-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for a copy of this book.

This was a case of "just not my thing". The blurb sounded promising, and the cover is great, but *sigh* , was not to be.
I could not get into this book. The subject was off-putting and boring. I didn't care about any of the characters. The writing style was going for edgy, but just fell flat. I was pretty much bored throughout this entire book, and am surprised I didn't DNF.

Loved this book! Truly a Wild ride. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to review this book since so many people really sang its praises, but while there were many good things about this one, it didn't completely work for me. Joan's husband Victor disappeared a year ago after an argument over the fate of her father's land, until Joan one day spots him at a tent revival outside of town. The only issue is that her husband doesn't seem to recognize Joan or even remember that he is married. Inspired by the Metis tale of the Rogarou, Joan sets off on a journey to find out what happened to her husband and how to bring him home.

I really enjoyed Dimaline's commentary on Native land rights in conflict with oil and natural gas industry interests, and the scenes toward the end where we learn about Victor's connection to the Rogarou were vivid and well-written. However, I soon grew disheartened with the constant attacks on Dimaline's main character Joan; Joan was gaslighted almost every step of the way in this novel, by everyone from her own family members to the men trying to stand in the way of Victor, to the point where it became redundant and exhausting. As with the gaslighting, Joan's drinking issues were mentioned with such frequency, and without much consequence, that it also became exhausting. It's as if the intended effect of the gaslighting and the drinking was diluted just by the number of times it shows up in the story without any effect on the plot.

That is all to say, the majority of people I know enjoyed this novel a lot, so take my comments with a grain of salt. It certainly was at least interesting enough to find out what happens in the end. (Also, the Rogarou is really scary.)

We need more indigenous style books especially own voices. I really enjoyed this book and it was different than most things I've read. Its dark and a little creepy, but I was super intrigued nevertheless. I highly recommend this to readers looking for a thriller with some spook.

I feel like there is more I need to learn to fully enjoy this book. I liked the writing, but the execution of the story didn't work for me.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cherie Dimaline is a true storyteller. This well-crafted piece of folklore will ensnare your senses and leave you entangled in its words until the end.

It took me a few pages to get into the writing style, but once I did, I sped through the book, It involves magic and folklore, and indigenous peoples/First Nations. There are multiple crimes, various mysteries, and a bit of potential romance.

I found the indigenous folklore aspect intriguing. It’s not something I’ve been exposed to before. The characters were believable, and the setting familiar, at least in some aspects. I especially thought that the author was creative and original in her use of analogies.

I felt that my time was well spent reading this book as I learned some new things that I intend to investigate further.. I believe it’s the first book in a series. I look forward to reading the next when it’s published.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

"I am going to wear you," the thing said. "The tearing will be a horror but the fit will be couture."

EMPIRE OF WILD by Cherie Dimaline follows Joan 11 months after her husband goes missing. Equal parts traditional story and horror, I had a hard time putting this one down. This was a fantastic read about the Canadian Metis Legend of Rogarou- and an awesome commentary on how the church and religion has been weaponized against Indigenous people.

This is an inventive, interesting take on werewolves and the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale. Joan has been searching for her missing husband for quite a long time. Does it have something to do with werewolves? The author seamlessly interrelated themes of religion, culture and colonialism to bring us this grown up fairytale.

Excellent premise, great book cover, an in between read with unbelievable villains and an unsatisfying conclusion.

This book was reviewed by me for American Library Association's Booklist. As a result, my review for Booklist is linked below.

Empire of Wild is the story of Joan, a Metis woman, whose husband Victor has been missing over a year. He left after a heated argument and never returned. She thinks she sees him in a tent in a parking lot preaching the gospel.

I very much enjoyed this novel. It is a mystery and a thriller and I dare to say paranormal/supernatural. Essentially this is a story of love and how far one would go to save a family.