Curse of the Wolf Girl [Paperback]

Lonely Werewolf Girl has been a favorite of mine for a few years now and I have been wondering if Martin Millar was going to delve into his off-beat, whimsical world of fantasy again so I was overjoyed to find this as an available ARC to review! I had no clue it was even in the making! I did get a little scared that this book would under whelm or let me down since it's predecessor was such a wonderful literature adventure for me, but I was happily proven wrong with Curse Of The Wolf Girl.

This sequel is more of a continuation of the turmoil and mayhem that our favorite characters from LWG struggled with in the first book. I love that Millar's characters have progressed in there lives yet have maintained the same familiarity that we loved so much about them in the first book. Kalix is still as angsty and depressed as ever and her college life, along with the drama of being hunted by some enemy werewolves is driving her anxiety level WAY up. I love that Kalix is so broody and gritty. She isn't sunshine and roses. She is the polar opposite of that and that is a really nice change of pace for what a stereotypical main character should be.

The strength of this novel, along with Millar's other work's, lies mainly in his ability to make a reader laugh. His character's are funny. They are quirky and all-together wacked out of there minds. I love the diversity of the characters. From the werewolf pack's to the enchantress fashionista sister to the normal human beings who Kalix is surrounded by...there is such a mish-mosh of random characters to fall in love with, loath and just wonder about for hours! I was very happy with this second novel about Kalix and I recommend anyone who hasn't read Lonely Werewolf Girl to go out, buy a copy and enjoy every second of it before getting this!!!

There are two things I need to be quite explicit about in introducing Martin Millar's "Curse of the Wolf Girl." (1) "Curse" is a dense volume that is very much a sequel (or direct continuation) of Millar's epic "Lonely Werewolf Girl." If you have not read the previous book, you really might be at a total loss plunging into the dozens of characters that populate both volumes. (2) I think Martin Millar is a comic genius. "Lonely Werewolf Girl" is one of the smartest, funniest, and most unusual werewolf larks you're likely to encounter. Developed along the same lines as "A Lion in Winter," the ambitious tale dissects a royal werewolf family and pits them in a brutal battle to establish clan leadership. It is epic in scope and one of the more remarkable family sagas to come out of any genre. Really. And on top of that--it's crazy funny.

Now that's out of my system, I feel better. "Curse of the Wolf Girl" is an irresistible sequel. Picking up directly after the events of its predecessor, things appear to have calmed down with a new ruler in place. But this dysfunctional family is headed for more chaos and calamity. Kalix, the titular wolf girl, is trying her hand in remedial classes. Her fashion designer sister is romancing a werewolf hunter. Her brother, with a penchant for cross dressing, ends up juggling women and his official duties. The Fire Queen faces a possible political coup in her realm. The cousins are still making very poor music in London's underground scene. And the white haired wolf is being stalked by a man she spurned in college. When a principle character is found murdered, it is a catalyst that begins a chain of events that brings everyone together for a climatic showdown. Instead of the seedy dive that served as the battleground in the denouement of "Lonely Wolf Girl," this bloody finale takes place at a Scottish castle where a charity opera event is taking place.

Millar's sense of pacing and plotting is impeccable. Once again, his world (werewolves, humans, elementals, fairies) is a fully established and thoughtfully constructed. From the mundane to the convoluted, the humorous way in which the MacRinnalch clan interact in modern society is delightful. Anyone who appreciated the intricacies of Millar's "Lonely Werewolf Girl" should be eager to pick up with Kalix and gang (special shout out to Dominil, a truly original marvel, and Vex, who steps up as a central character). Everyone else might be lost and bewildered--I highly recommend reading the first book. Millar's world is a pretty demented place--but it sure is a place I like to visit! Loved it! KGHarris, 10/10.

Like other reviewers, I originally didn't realize that this was the second book in a series. I was lost, and had to turn to friends who had read the first volume for explanations and character background. Still, it was a hard read for me to finish--darker than I tend to like my books. Two friends who had read the first volume enjoyed Curse more than I did when I passed it along, but said that it was not as good a read as Lonely Werewolf Girl.

If you think werewolves are your thing, do yourself a favor and start with the first volume. If you enjoy that one, I think you'll like Curse of the Wolf Girl. Otherwise, skip it.