Review Detail

I have been looking for this book for so long. Imagine my surprise when I literally walked by it on a shelf at my library (the same library that said they did not have a copy). I was thrilled! I snatched Into the Wild up so quickly that people looked at me like I was crazy. I also looked for Out of the Wild, but I didn't see it. Small victories, I suppose. I love this book!

Into the Wild was the debut novel of Sarah Beth Durst, which is rather surprising because I found it to be absolute perfection. It was a super fun read. I enjoyed recognizing fairy tales in the book (some were lesser known tales). You could tell that the author spent a lot of time researching to be able to weave the tells seamlessly.

The idea behind Into the Wild was highly original. Because "the Wild" is a sort of fairy tale prison (my interpretation, probably not the best way to describe it), it took a lot to fully develop the concept of a living entity being able to craft stories and capture fairy tale characters. But don't worry, it was done well. The experiences that the various characters faced gave depth to this concept.



The narrator, Julie, was full of wit and charm. She is a great narrator for middle grades readers. She faces the same struggles of feeling like she doesn't belong and longing for a whole family that many readers will be able to relate to her voice.



Simply put, this is another hit by Sarah Beth Durst that I highly recommend. Geared more for younger readers, it will widely accepted by younger readers that enjoy a good adventure or fairy tale.