Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

"A wonderful tale that captures the spirit of the wolf"

Having read Clan of the Cave Bear and the subsequent books in the Earth’s Children Series, I was eager to read this book that has been compared to Clan of the Cave Bear. This is the first book in a trilogy Dorothy Hearst is writing called The Wolf Chronicles. It is also her first novel.

In Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst, Kaala, a young pup is born of outside blood, and to complicate things further, she bears the mark of the moon. She struggles with her desire to gain pack approval, while dealing with her strong calling to be with and protect humans. Dorothy Hearst captures the voice and spirit of the wolf well throughout hunts, disagreements, fights, and the joy of being a wolf. There are so many fascinating characters in this book. Tlitoo, a raven, interacts with the wolves spouting cheeky poetry in a humorous and wise manner. The Great Wolves Jandra and Frandu mysteriously appear, disappear, protect, and keep secrets from Kaala and the other wolf packs. A spirit wolf magically appears and helps Kaala at her most desperate hours.

What makes this book so interesting and is that it tells the tale of the relationship between wolves and humans 14,000 years ago from the wolf point of view. There have been other books written from the human point of view the feature wolves, but this book is unique. Ms. Hearst has created a distinct work that I’m sure will develop a strong following. It was a joy to read.
I recommend this book to anyone ages 12 and up who is interested in wolves and prehistoric North America. This book would make an incredible Disney movie. If you love wolves, or if you wonder what a Disney movie would be like if wolves were the central character, then I think you will enjoy this book.