Julie of The Wolves
Series: Julie of the Wolves, Book 1
By: Jean Craighead George / Narrated By: Christina Moore
Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
So good you wanna listen to the sequels
Julie of the Wolves starts off pretty slowly, actually. Miyax/Julie seems fairly self-absorbed (perhaps that’s a little harsh; she is after all, lost on the tundra without food and little in the way of shelter) and childish. Christina Moore’s narration sounds somewhat childlike also, so I kinda sorta didn’t get into the book for quite some time.
But once Julie makes contact with the wolves, who are led by the alpha male Amaroq, things pick up, and we get a view into nature and the nature of relationships. At first she begs for his notice, but soon, as she begins to pick up their methods of communication, she finds herself part of a sturdy and loving pack (with the exception of the pack’s outcast).
Apparently, Julie of the Wolves is one of the most challenged books (think banned), according to the American Library Association, due to the sexual assault Julie suffers at the hands of the boy she has accepted a marriage to. But that’s why she’s out on the tundra in the first place. She dreams of getting on a ship that will take her away from her life, where her mother is dead, and her father is presumed dead. She wants to sail to San Francisco to live with a much-loved pen pal, living a Western life.
What ultimately makes the book so compelling is that it pits two cultures, two ways of life against each other. While with the wolves that we, the listeners, have come to love for their special personalities, we see the purity of that life, even though it’s a harsh existence. The pack’s violent brush with modern sport is jarring and even obscene.
And by the end, there’s a twist where Julie must come to grips with the fact that something she once held dear is now definitely different from what she believed. She has to make a choice, and it’s suspenseful and gripping.
Despite the slow start, Christina Moore’s narration turns pretty gosh darned brilliant once you get into the story. She does the native tongue surely and confidently, and it’s a pleasure to listen to. Julie of the Wolves certainly works well as an audiobook, and by the end, my sister and I (we’d been listening to it at the same time) couldn’t get to the sequels fast enough. Julie’s plight, her choice made for a riveting climax.
If you love adventure stories, history, animals, you name it. Give this audiobook a try. It’s a short and very engaging listen, and by the end, your toes will be curling in horror.
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