The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is a quick and easy young adult story by Joan Aiken. Sylvia is an orphan living with an elderly aunt. She is sent to live with her well-off cousin, Bonnie Green, in the English countryside. The Greens have hired a governess, Miss Slighcarp, to take care of the Sylvia and Bonnie while they travel. Things quickly go wrong once the Greens leave and Miss Slighcarp takes over the estate with her own greedy plans.

Adventure ensues as the girls escape in search of help. They have the aid of some of the servants and friends along the way. In the mean time, there are actual wolves that pose a danger in the winter months. The story has a lot of suspense and moves quickly. I read it in a few hours.

I was a bit confused about the wolves. While they may be symbolic of the wolves in Willoughby Chase, some aspects of the wolves did not seem real. I suppose I would need to read up on wolves in the English countryside to see what kind of danger they posed. I also had a hard time placing the book historically. But these are minor criticisms to an otherwise good story.

Book Rating: 3 stars