I found Elaine's approach to the werewolves different than I expected. For most of the book, there is the wolf and there is Yozerf and we aren't even sure that they are one and the same. This is because when he is in wolf form, it just isn't a human inside a wolf skin, but a wolf who retains only some of the human instinct and memories without the humanity. For another thing, he does not particularly think of himself as Wolfkin. This may be because he is not part of a pack. He is a half breed, an outcast. His physical appearance marks him as an Aclyte and makes him the target of much overt prejudice. While the prejudice against Wolfkin is just as strong, if not stronger, Wolfkin have no problem passing for human, hiding in plain sight. Later he comes in contact with a Wolfkin pack and they are doing just that, hiding in plain sight. We catch glimpses of what it is like to be a Wolfkin, but it is never really talked about. Elaine has choose to follow the wolf pack model, rather than the cursed werewolf that changes in the full moon. Her Wolfkin mate for life, they follow pack hierarchy rules of submission and territory. They are not particularly magical creatures, that is they can't do a lot of magic. They can transform at will and in their human form they retain the heightened senses of the wolf, especially the sense of smell.
If I was to describe this book in one word it would be unexpected. An unexpected fantasy, an unexpected romance, an unexpected ending, unexpected characters. Unexpectedly good.
Elaine's prequel short story featuring Yozerf at age 18, A TREASURE, IN AND OF ITSELF available here: http://www.novelbooksinc.com/authors/ela...
