What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wilderness of Girls
A finalist for the 2025 YALSA William C. Morris Award for Best Debut Novel for Teens, as well as an Indie Next Pick, Amazon Editor’s Pick, and one of Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of 2024.
An unflinching YA debut about a troubled teen who discovers a pack of feral girls in the woods and is swept up in the ensuing mystery: Are the Wild Girls of Happy Valley lost princesses from a faraway land, as they believe, or are they brainwashed victims of a deranged kidnapper?
In her ambitious debut perfect for fans of Sadie and The Hazel Wood, Madeline Claire Franklin crafts a gripping exploration of how the world teaches young girls to cage their wildness―and what happens when they claw themselves free.
After being placed in foster care, Rhi is hungry for a fresh start and begins working at the Happy Valley Wildlife Preserve. While in the woods, she stumbles upon a surreal sight: a pack of wolves guarding four feral and majestic girls. After Rhi gains their trust, they reveal that they’re princesses from another land, raised by a magical prophet they call Mother―and they're convinced Rhi is their lost fifth sister.
Unsure what to believe, Rhi ushers the girls to civilization, where they’re met with societal uproar and scrutiny, dubbed by the ravenous media and true crime junkies as “The Wild Girls of Happy Valley.” Desperate to return to their kingdom, the girls look to Rhi for help. Rhi knows the girls are deluded, but at the same time she’s drawn in by their boldness and authenticity―traits she is afraid she has lost within herself. And when Rhi witnesses strange phenomena she can’t quite explain, the line between fantasy and reality grows blurry.
As the hunt for answers intensifies, Rhi must make a decision that will change the course of her life and the lives of her Wild Girls forever.
Content Warnings — This book portrays, describes, or discusses in detail: Complex-PTSD, suicide and suicidal ideation, disordered eating, body shaming, family and domestic violence, emotional abuse, cannibalism, and sexual assault.
An unflinching YA debut about a troubled teen who discovers a pack of feral girls in the woods and is swept up in the ensuing mystery: Are the Wild Girls of Happy Valley lost princesses from a faraway land, as they believe, or are they brainwashed victims of a deranged kidnapper?
In her ambitious debut perfect for fans of Sadie and The Hazel Wood, Madeline Claire Franklin crafts a gripping exploration of how the world teaches young girls to cage their wildness―and what happens when they claw themselves free.
After being placed in foster care, Rhi is hungry for a fresh start and begins working at the Happy Valley Wildlife Preserve. While in the woods, she stumbles upon a surreal sight: a pack of wolves guarding four feral and majestic girls. After Rhi gains their trust, they reveal that they’re princesses from another land, raised by a magical prophet they call Mother―and they're convinced Rhi is their lost fifth sister.
Unsure what to believe, Rhi ushers the girls to civilization, where they’re met with societal uproar and scrutiny, dubbed by the ravenous media and true crime junkies as “The Wild Girls of Happy Valley.” Desperate to return to their kingdom, the girls look to Rhi for help. Rhi knows the girls are deluded, but at the same time she’s drawn in by their boldness and authenticity―traits she is afraid she has lost within herself. And when Rhi witnesses strange phenomena she can’t quite explain, the line between fantasy and reality grows blurry.
As the hunt for answers intensifies, Rhi must make a decision that will change the course of her life and the lives of her Wild Girls forever.
Content Warnings — This book portrays, describes, or discusses in detail: Complex-PTSD, suicide and suicidal ideation, disordered eating, body shaming, family and domestic violence, emotional abuse, cannibalism, and sexual assault.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2024
175 people are currently reading
33580 people want to read
About the author
Madeline Claire Franklin
3 books221 followersMadeline Claire Franklin holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts WCYA program. When she is not writing strange fiction for young adults, she is probably attempting to dismantle the patriarchy and/or practicing witchcraft. She lives in sin in Buffalo, NY, with her partner, two dogs, three cats, and two Roombas, in a little yellow house called Cluckleberry Farms. Her debut novel, THE WILDERNESS OF GIRLS, was released June 2024 by Zando Projects.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 657 reviews
October 20, 2024
As soon as I hear about half wild or fully wild, maybe magical girls I come running. Lovers of "Yellowjackets", "House of Hollow" and "Wilder Girls" please unite under this book.
June 6, 2025
Dzika. Złożona. Piękna.
January 9, 2024
This story was everything I hoped for and more! It ripped apart my soul and pieced the jagged edges back together. Finished, but not quite whole.
This book is for every girl who dreamed of running away to a fairytale world. Who dreamed of learning to slay dragons because the monsters in her life (visible and invisible) are all too real.
I loved everything about it, the multiple perspectives, the memoir excerpts, the character development, and the lyrical almost ethereal quality of the narrative.
The Wilderness of Girls is sheer genius, remarkably written, and an absolutely phenomenal debut.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book is for every girl who dreamed of running away to a fairytale world. Who dreamed of learning to slay dragons because the monsters in her life (visible and invisible) are all too real.
I loved everything about it, the multiple perspectives, the memoir excerpts, the character development, and the lyrical almost ethereal quality of the narrative.
The Wilderness of Girls is sheer genius, remarkably written, and an absolutely phenomenal debut.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2025
A key part of the book description is wrong! Anyone a Goodreads librarian, or know how to notify them of an error?
The Error
Rhi DOES NOT go into foster care following the arrest of her father. She goes to live with her late mother’s younger brother whom she barely knows. In fact, Rhi’s case worker emphasizes how living with him is a much better option than foster care. The four wild girls Rhi stumbles upon in the woods, they do go into foster care, but not her. The brother plays a pretty significant supporting role and is decent guy amid mostly horrible male characters. So, somebody fix the blurb, please.
Brace yourself for a trauma dump. The book starts with trigger warnings, and without going into specifics, these teen girls go through a lot. That’s in addition to their wilderness upbringing by a man they call Mother. He raises them on the lore that they’re really princesses from another realm/dimension and must one day return to save their kingdoms. Is it prophecy, lies of a kidnapper, ranting of a madman, delusions of a drug addict? Is Rhi the 5th princess Mother foretold them about?
With the rotating perspective, I did struggle to track who was who. You might want to take notes as each character’s POV is introduced, because I think my lack of clear delineation between characters kept me from truly connecting with them and their storyline.
I don’t need a “wrapped in a neat bow” conclusion. But in the end, I wanted more answers than I got.
The Error
Rhi DOES NOT go into foster care following the arrest of her father. She goes to live with her late mother’s younger brother whom she barely knows. In fact, Rhi’s case worker emphasizes how living with him is a much better option than foster care. The four wild girls Rhi stumbles upon in the woods, they do go into foster care, but not her. The brother plays a pretty significant supporting role and is decent guy amid mostly horrible male characters. So, somebody fix the blurb, please.
Brace yourself for a trauma dump. The book starts with trigger warnings, and without going into specifics, these teen girls go through a lot. That’s in addition to their wilderness upbringing by a man they call Mother. He raises them on the lore that they’re really princesses from another realm/dimension and must one day return to save their kingdoms. Is it prophecy, lies of a kidnapper, ranting of a madman, delusions of a drug addict? Is Rhi the 5th princess Mother foretold them about?
With the rotating perspective, I did struggle to track who was who. You might want to take notes as each character’s POV is introduced, because I think my lack of clear delineation between characters kept me from truly connecting with them and their storyline.
I don’t need a “wrapped in a neat bow” conclusion. But in the end, I wanted more answers than I got.
July 16, 2024
I absolutely adored this!
September 8, 2024
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: bodyshaming & child abuse (withholding food), cannibalism, suicide, parental bue, CSA & rape
3.5
This book is hard to review because I am genuinely confused by it.
The concept of this book s really intriguing, and there are some weird and really evocative and emotive moments that pulled me in. I can also see this book really resonating with teens. The abuse and anger arcs are so important, and done in a way that I think will inform those who haven't gone through any of the abuses our main character has, while connecting to those who have.
I also am sure that the mystery of Mother is going to work for some readers, and add to the confused lucid dream type of vibe this whole thing gives off, but it didn't for me.
The problem with this book is, even with the strong opening and such an interesting concept, it still manages to feel so strangely boring for the majority of the plot. There's so little going on beyond teasing out mysteries, and then those mysteries get no real resolution.
The POV switches also made it harder to feel connected, because they made the flow of the story very jerky. Again, I could understand it if those POVs were being used to reveal more story, but they really weren't.
There's just a lot of this that felt like it was meant to mean something, or connect to something larger, that I don't really see a connection to or resolution for. The ending in particular, muddied the waters for me in a way where it left me totally confused about everything else I'd read.
Pre-review comments belowI'm already intrigued by the actual plot but that COVER 😍
TW: bodyshaming & child abuse (withholding food), cannibalism, suicide, parental bue, CSA & rape
3.5
This book is hard to review because I am genuinely confused by it.
The concept of this book s really intriguing, and there are some weird and really evocative and emotive moments that pulled me in. I can also see this book really resonating with teens. The abuse and anger arcs are so important, and done in a way that I think will inform those who haven't gone through any of the abuses our main character has, while connecting to those who have.
I also am sure that the mystery of Mother is going to work for some readers, and add to the confused lucid dream type of vibe this whole thing gives off, but it didn't for me.
The problem with this book is, even with the strong opening and such an interesting concept, it still manages to feel so strangely boring for the majority of the plot. There's so little going on beyond teasing out mysteries, and then those mysteries get no real resolution.
The POV switches also made it harder to feel connected, because they made the flow of the story very jerky. Again, I could understand it if those POVs were being used to reveal more story, but they really weren't.
There's just a lot of this that felt like it was meant to mean something, or connect to something larger, that I don't really see a connection to or resolution for. The ending in particular, muddied the waters for me in a way where it left me totally confused about everything else I'd read.
Pre-review comments belowI'm already intrigued by the actual plot but that COVER 😍
February 8, 2024
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*
TW for: pedophilia, sexual abuse, child abuse, cannibalism,...
"The Wilderness of Girls" is quite the wild ride. It's about Eden who after having been taken to live with her uncle takes on the name Rhi(annon), finds a bunch of girls in the forest when she's helping her uncle out. The girls, four of them, seem to have lived in a castle in a forest all their lives, protected (?) by a man they call Mother. Rhi's own traumatic past and her very nature make the girls trust her and think that she's the promised fifth princess of their realm to which they must return.
But as fantastical as this sounds, not everything adds up, the girls of various ages and ethnicities find that they cannot cope with the modern world. Their strong kinship starts to crumble. One of them finds out that she has a twin sister and that she had been stolen as an infant. The sisters begin to drift apart. Rhi too finds that she cannot run from her past forever and fleeing to a magical kingdom might not solve her problems after all.
This novel was extremely interesting and kept me at the tip of my toes, really. I didn't really know what to think, wasn't sure what was real and what was not. But the way the novel focussed on trauma and abuse suffered as a child and teen was quite well done albeit brief overall. The reader can sense that something is off with Rhi but she herself doesn't even allow herself to think about it for the majority of the book. She's also too caught up in the chaos, publicity, interest and emotional turmoil that is being caused by the girls showing up in the forest at the edge of town. I also liked that her uncle was just a really good guy, overall, how refreshing. And some queer rep too but not overly much.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so very wild, almost like a dream in parts.
TW for: pedophilia, sexual abuse, child abuse, cannibalism,...
"The Wilderness of Girls" is quite the wild ride. It's about Eden who after having been taken to live with her uncle takes on the name Rhi(annon), finds a bunch of girls in the forest when she's helping her uncle out. The girls, four of them, seem to have lived in a castle in a forest all their lives, protected (?) by a man they call Mother. Rhi's own traumatic past and her very nature make the girls trust her and think that she's the promised fifth princess of their realm to which they must return.
But as fantastical as this sounds, not everything adds up, the girls of various ages and ethnicities find that they cannot cope with the modern world. Their strong kinship starts to crumble. One of them finds out that she has a twin sister and that she had been stolen as an infant. The sisters begin to drift apart. Rhi too finds that she cannot run from her past forever and fleeing to a magical kingdom might not solve her problems after all.
This novel was extremely interesting and kept me at the tip of my toes, really. I didn't really know what to think, wasn't sure what was real and what was not. But the way the novel focussed on trauma and abuse suffered as a child and teen was quite well done albeit brief overall. The reader can sense that something is off with Rhi but she herself doesn't even allow herself to think about it for the majority of the book. She's also too caught up in the chaos, publicity, interest and emotional turmoil that is being caused by the girls showing up in the forest at the edge of town. I also liked that her uncle was just a really good guy, overall, how refreshing. And some queer rep too but not overly much.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so very wild, almost like a dream in parts.
May 18, 2024
Phenomenal. Extraordinary. Heart of Darkness with teenage girls. I picked this title from NetGalley because of the description. I wanted to see if the author could pull it off, and boy did she. The setup for the book is that a teenage girl who has just gone to live with her uncle finds a group of feral girls in the forest and feels an intense connection to them. They have been raised by a mysterious man whom they called Mother. This was obviously a high-risk/high reward concept, and the author used it to explore trauma, civilization, masculinity, resilience, media, and so much else. And you just wanted to wrap your arms around these girls and hold them tight. This book is a fairy tale that ends up being brutally honest. Fantastic.
July 3, 2024
I was so excited by this unique plot line. However this fell extremely flat - overall I don’t think this book shared anything new about how girls experience society or did so in any profound way that moved the reader. It often felt like the author was writing the plot line based on points she wanted to make versus actually bringing the reader on the journey and developing a story that made the reader truly feel connected. I was expecting to have my heart ripped out but instead I was yawning - especially with how much the author told us versus showed us when it came to character development and the girls’ experience. The only scenario I enjoyed was when the girls finally receive some answers to their questions during the eclipse - this was max 15 pages tho.
April 24, 2024
This book. It's poetry. It's a knife. It destroyed me. I have not read anything this beautiful, devastating, and original in a very long time. This book goes straight past the skin and into the raw beating heart of what it means to be a person; a girl; someone who doesn't belong and yet hungers for connection; someone who has been hurt and who is trying to figure out how to unwrap their identity from the pain. Other people will I'm sure say very intelligent things about the plot (so unique) and the message (I repeat: devastating with a raw hope that hurts almost as much as the painful parts) etc--all I can say is PICK THIS ONE UP. The end.
March 25, 2025
4.5 stars. If u like Yellowjackets it’s a must read
November 1, 2024
Ich muss gestehen ich habe etwas gaaaanz anderes von dem Buch erwartet und wurde dann komplett überrascht!! Es war sehr metaphorisch geschrieben und ich habe mich dabei erwischt komplett gefesselt zu sein und das Buch nicht mehr weglegen zu können. Hiervon sollte sich wirklich jeder selbst ein Bild machen, es lohnt sich!! 4/5⭐️
July 5, 2024
ugh. this had me in the first half. just felt like there’s too many details that got left out. just feeling confused but still really enjoyed it. but WHO IS MOTHER??
December 17, 2024
3,5 Sterne ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ein sehr intensives und berührendes Jugenddrama mit starken Charakteren und einer besonderen, gut ausgearbeiteten Storyline, die einerseits ruhig verläuft und mich andererseits sehr mitgerissen hat.
Aufgrund der zahlreichen Triggerwarnungen hatte ich mit viel Brutalität und expliziten Szenen zu quasi jeder vorstellbaren Situation von Gewalt gerechnet und hatte tüchtig Respekt vor dem Buch (etwas Schiss ehrlich gesagt). Dazu bestand für mich jedoch im Nachhinein kein Anlass. Das Buch wurde bei diesen Passagen nie detailliert, vieles wurde eher angedeutet. Trotzdem hat es mich doch sehr berührt.
Die Figuren haben alle ihre eigenen Probleme, Unsicherheiten und Traumata, die sie aufarbeiten müssen, doch trotz der ganzen Umstände entsteht so etwas wie eine kleine, eigene Familie.
Rhis Geschichte ist der Kern des Buches und obwohl man sich schon einige Zeit denken kann, was sie ertragen musste, kommt es doch erst im letzten Drittel vollständig ans Licht.
Am meisten berührt hat mich jedoch Oblivienne, da musste ich wirklich weinen, so sehr hab ich sie bedauert.
Diese magische und wieder nicht magische Geschichte hatte für mich jedoch kein richtig zufriedenstellendes Ende. Für mich blieben zu viele Fragen unbeantwortet. Trotzdem ist es eine lesenswerte Geschichte über sechs Mädchen, die auf unterschiedliche Weise Schmerz und Misshandlung ertragen müssen, aber auch über Found Family, Geschwisterliebe, Zusammenhalt und Neustart.
Ein sehr intensives und berührendes Jugenddrama mit starken Charakteren und einer besonderen, gut ausgearbeiteten Storyline, die einerseits ruhig verläuft und mich andererseits sehr mitgerissen hat.
Aufgrund der zahlreichen Triggerwarnungen hatte ich mit viel Brutalität und expliziten Szenen zu quasi jeder vorstellbaren Situation von Gewalt gerechnet und hatte tüchtig Respekt vor dem Buch (etwas Schiss ehrlich gesagt). Dazu bestand für mich jedoch im Nachhinein kein Anlass. Das Buch wurde bei diesen Passagen nie detailliert, vieles wurde eher angedeutet. Trotzdem hat es mich doch sehr berührt.
Die Figuren haben alle ihre eigenen Probleme, Unsicherheiten und Traumata, die sie aufarbeiten müssen, doch trotz der ganzen Umstände entsteht so etwas wie eine kleine, eigene Familie.
Rhis Geschichte ist der Kern des Buches und obwohl man sich schon einige Zeit denken kann, was sie ertragen musste, kommt es doch erst im letzten Drittel vollständig ans Licht.
Am meisten berührt hat mich jedoch Oblivienne, da musste ich wirklich weinen, so sehr hab ich sie bedauert.
Diese magische und wieder nicht magische Geschichte hatte für mich jedoch kein richtig zufriedenstellendes Ende. Für mich blieben zu viele Fragen unbeantwortet. Trotzdem ist es eine lesenswerte Geschichte über sechs Mädchen, die auf unterschiedliche Weise Schmerz und Misshandlung ertragen müssen, aber auch über Found Family, Geschwisterliebe, Zusammenhalt und Neustart.
August 17, 2024
Wow. I will keep this story in my heart for the rest of my life. This story would have devastated me 15 years ago, but now as an adult, it is a balm to my still healing/breaking heart.
December 25, 2024
Interesting enough but nothing stellar or memorable. I enjoyed the characters and the writing style. The story touches on a couple rough subjects. This was definitely a cover and title buy.
December 30, 2024
Das ist definitiv eines meiner Jahreshighlights! Und definitiv eine Geschichte, zu der ich immer wieder greifen würde. Auch wenn Fragen offen geblieben sind, gerade in Bezug auf Mutter, finde ich gerade das so realistisch - denn es gibt nun mal nicht immer eine Auflösung für alles. Im Leben kommt nicht alles mit einem hübschen Band umwickelt kompakt verpackt daher.
Das Buch hat mich tief berührt, insbesondere mit Rhi/Eden konnte ich sehr mitfühlen, aber auch mit den "Wilden Mädchen". Ich war so gefesselt, ich konnte den Roman kaum aus der Hand legen.
Das Buch hat mich tief berührt, insbesondere mit Rhi/Eden konnte ich sehr mitfühlen, aber auch mit den "Wilden Mädchen". Ich war so gefesselt, ich konnte den Roman kaum aus der Hand legen.
August 30, 2024
esse livro alugou um triplex na minha cabeça e com certeza foi um dos melhores lidos esse ano!!!!!!!!!
January 26, 2024
Holy shit, this book is fantastic.
January 9, 2025
I wanted to give this book more stars, but it tries to do too much and I felt that it left a major plot point unresolved. It has merit but is not a showstopper.
Read
December 16, 2025Heart wrenching, riveting, poignant, etc. I could go on and on. This one will stick with me for a while. Just beautiful. 🐺🌄🤍
July 16, 2024
Narrated by Rebecca Soler
Audiobook rating : 5 stars
Book rating : 4 stars
Once upon a time, there were four young girls and a man named Mother, the wolves we called family, a tree we called a castle, and the forest we called home. We were a part of the magic of it all.
Until, one day, the spells were broken.
One day, the castle fell.
One day, we left the only home we had ever known, and our beloved wilderness betrayed us.
Once upon a time, we were the wilderness.
And then, we were caged.
I will start with praise for the audiobook and narrator. This was one of the best experience I had , I was hooked from the minute the audiobook started till the end. It seldom happens. Many a times I zone out and audiobook keeps on playing in the background and I have to rewind to understand what was happening. This did not happen with this book.
Now coming to the book, it's a debut novel but it doesn't feel like one how the prose and the storyline flows smoothly. I must congratulate Madeline Claire Franklin for the beautiful experience that this book offered which was beyond words. For example, these are my favorite lines from the very start of the book —
We were a part of the wilderness and all it contains. We were a part of the magic in the unfurling of new leaves, the power that cleaved the world when lightning cracked the sky. We were a part of the spiral dance of life and death; the wonder of light dancing on the water and leaves on the wind; the mystery of seedlings and cool black earth; the beauty of decay, the violence of life. We were a part of the magic of it all.
Until, one day, the spells were broken.
One day, the castle fell.
One day, we left the only home we had ever known, and our beloved wilderness betrayed us.
There are moments the book where it was slow but most book was full of adrenaline pumped up scenes and the narrator did amazing job while narrating those. I wish the end was little better but it was satisfactory. The book starts with Eden's story which later gets intertwined with story of wild girls she stumbled upon while working as a ranger. The bond she shares with the girls is inexplicable. These women, they are strong and powerful beyond imagination and they don't even know it. It is evident from everything that this book is.
There are some things which are left unanswered, which left me feeling a little bereft, otherwise everything, almost everything about this book was perfect.
Thank you dreamscape select | zando young readers and Netgalley for the wonderful ALC in exchange of an honest review.
Some quotes from the book including dedication (first two)
This book is dedicated to a twelve-year-old girl who has just spent her life savings on her very first personal computer in the hopes of writing her novels a little bit faster. She is probably pacing her bedroom floor in a cardboard crown and novelty sunglasses, trying to figure out the best way to start the next chapter.
Stay weird, kid. And stay wild.
fiction is often a harmonic of our lived reality, passed through several filters, sharpened and balanced, the noise cut away to create a satisfying narrative melody.
Mother was our heart, the castle our bones. Together, they held us upright through every storm. In the wilderness, we lived in perfect rhythm and harmony, like the wilderness itself.
ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE was the wilderness. There was violent beauty and devastating calm. There were clouds in migration, the punishing sunshine, the gemstone sky.
because she is starving for human touch—to feel just a tiny bit connected to someone in this world.But Eden has known for quite some time now that the hunger for human touch is the most dangerous appetite of all.
When words are true, they hold great power,“But when a name is true, it holds the greatest power of all.”
But pity is more than just the reaction of someone who cares—it is also the reaction of someone who is powerless.
She finds it exhausting to constantly think about how she interacts with the world: where she is looking, what her face is doing, whether she is allowed to move or is expected to remain still. She finds it exhausting to be so aware of herself.
In the wilderness, she just was. Her sisters just were. They lived their lives with minimal effort, only instinct and understanding. They built fires when they were cold and swam in the creek when they were warm. They ate when they were hungry and drank when they were thirsty, slept when they were tired and woke when they were finished dreaming.
It seems to Epiphanie that the way of this world is to disconnect from all that is easy and natural. Cover your body so it cannot feel the sun’s rays or the shadows of clouds or the sparkle of starlight. Cover your feet so they cannot touch the sacred earth or feel the running of the deer in the woods or the worms in the dirt. Strip the oils from your body so all record of your day is lost, so that you are unnaturally clean and unprotected, then protect yourself with things that come from a plastic tube or bottle. Eat by the clock, sleep by the clock, wake by the clock.
Freedom is not something we had a word for, before, It was just how we lived. We may no longer be caged or medicated now, but we are not free. I fear we may never truly be free again.
WHENEVER A WOMAN IS DECLARED dangerous, there is always a man eager to subdue her. Whether it’s because he can’t stand the idea of a woman with power, or he can’t stand the idea of a woman having more power than him, Rhi doesn’t know.
Something on Grace’s face tells Rhi she knows where this is going, because this is where a story like this always goes. This is why people were so certain Mother was abusing the girls, why even now people insist the girls have only suppressed their abuse: it’s more shocking that a man alone in the woods with four young girls wasn’t a sexual predator than if he had been.
Sunder thinks she loves them back—and is that not amazing, how the idea of family can grow and change? Is it not incredible how love can appear where there was none before?
And she worries. This world is so full of monsters that they have come to look like human beings.
Audiobook rating : 5 stars
Book rating : 4 stars
Once upon a time, there were four young girls and a man named Mother, the wolves we called family, a tree we called a castle, and the forest we called home. We were a part of the magic of it all.
Until, one day, the spells were broken.
One day, the castle fell.
One day, we left the only home we had ever known, and our beloved wilderness betrayed us.
Once upon a time, we were the wilderness.
And then, we were caged.
I will start with praise for the audiobook and narrator. This was one of the best experience I had , I was hooked from the minute the audiobook started till the end. It seldom happens. Many a times I zone out and audiobook keeps on playing in the background and I have to rewind to understand what was happening. This did not happen with this book.
Now coming to the book, it's a debut novel but it doesn't feel like one how the prose and the storyline flows smoothly. I must congratulate Madeline Claire Franklin for the beautiful experience that this book offered which was beyond words. For example, these are my favorite lines from the very start of the book —
We were a part of the wilderness and all it contains. We were a part of the magic in the unfurling of new leaves, the power that cleaved the world when lightning cracked the sky. We were a part of the spiral dance of life and death; the wonder of light dancing on the water and leaves on the wind; the mystery of seedlings and cool black earth; the beauty of decay, the violence of life. We were a part of the magic of it all.
Until, one day, the spells were broken.
One day, the castle fell.
One day, we left the only home we had ever known, and our beloved wilderness betrayed us.
There are moments the book where it was slow but most book was full of adrenaline pumped up scenes and the narrator did amazing job while narrating those. I wish the end was little better but it was satisfactory. The book starts with Eden's story which later gets intertwined with story of wild girls she stumbled upon while working as a ranger. The bond she shares with the girls is inexplicable. These women, they are strong and powerful beyond imagination and they don't even know it. It is evident from everything that this book is.
There are some things which are left unanswered, which left me feeling a little bereft, otherwise everything, almost everything about this book was perfect.
Thank you dreamscape select | zando young readers and Netgalley for the wonderful ALC in exchange of an honest review.
Some quotes from the book including dedication (first two)
This book is dedicated to a twelve-year-old girl who has just spent her life savings on her very first personal computer in the hopes of writing her novels a little bit faster. She is probably pacing her bedroom floor in a cardboard crown and novelty sunglasses, trying to figure out the best way to start the next chapter.
Stay weird, kid. And stay wild.
fiction is often a harmonic of our lived reality, passed through several filters, sharpened and balanced, the noise cut away to create a satisfying narrative melody.
Mother was our heart, the castle our bones. Together, they held us upright through every storm. In the wilderness, we lived in perfect rhythm and harmony, like the wilderness itself.
ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE was the wilderness. There was violent beauty and devastating calm. There were clouds in migration, the punishing sunshine, the gemstone sky.
because she is starving for human touch—to feel just a tiny bit connected to someone in this world.But Eden has known for quite some time now that the hunger for human touch is the most dangerous appetite of all.
When words are true, they hold great power,“But when a name is true, it holds the greatest power of all.”
But pity is more than just the reaction of someone who cares—it is also the reaction of someone who is powerless.
She finds it exhausting to constantly think about how she interacts with the world: where she is looking, what her face is doing, whether she is allowed to move or is expected to remain still. She finds it exhausting to be so aware of herself.
In the wilderness, she just was. Her sisters just were. They lived their lives with minimal effort, only instinct and understanding. They built fires when they were cold and swam in the creek when they were warm. They ate when they were hungry and drank when they were thirsty, slept when they were tired and woke when they were finished dreaming.
It seems to Epiphanie that the way of this world is to disconnect from all that is easy and natural. Cover your body so it cannot feel the sun’s rays or the shadows of clouds or the sparkle of starlight. Cover your feet so they cannot touch the sacred earth or feel the running of the deer in the woods or the worms in the dirt. Strip the oils from your body so all record of your day is lost, so that you are unnaturally clean and unprotected, then protect yourself with things that come from a plastic tube or bottle. Eat by the clock, sleep by the clock, wake by the clock.
Freedom is not something we had a word for, before, It was just how we lived. We may no longer be caged or medicated now, but we are not free. I fear we may never truly be free again.
WHENEVER A WOMAN IS DECLARED dangerous, there is always a man eager to subdue her. Whether it’s because he can’t stand the idea of a woman with power, or he can’t stand the idea of a woman having more power than him, Rhi doesn’t know.
Something on Grace’s face tells Rhi she knows where this is going, because this is where a story like this always goes. This is why people were so certain Mother was abusing the girls, why even now people insist the girls have only suppressed their abuse: it’s more shocking that a man alone in the woods with four young girls wasn’t a sexual predator than if he had been.
Sunder thinks she loves them back—and is that not amazing, how the idea of family can grow and change? Is it not incredible how love can appear where there was none before?
And she worries. This world is so full of monsters that they have come to look like human beings.
December 31, 2024
I was hooked from the first moment and had plenty of tears in my eyes quite a bit.
June 10, 2024
I first want to say that I loved the cover of this book and honestly it's what drew me in. I cannot say that I loved the book.
There were aspects of the story that I did enjoy. My favorite character was Eden/Rhi whose story was so emotional but so real.
I didn't always enjoy the 'wild girls' aspect of the book. It felt confusing, where was the magic? I also felt like there were loose ends, who was Mother? I would've loved to hear more of that story.
I just think this particular story wasn't for me, others will love it! I will try this author again.
Huge triggers in this story...sexual assault, rape, cannibalism, physical and mental abuse.
*The piece of the story with dismemberment and cannibalism was unnecessary in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Madeline Claire Franklin and Zando Young Readers for this e-arc version of this book. All opinions stated above are my own opinion.
2.5*
There were aspects of the story that I did enjoy. My favorite character was Eden/Rhi whose story was so emotional but so real.
I didn't always enjoy the 'wild girls' aspect of the book. It felt confusing, where was the magic? I also felt like there were loose ends, who was Mother? I would've loved to hear more of that story.
I just think this particular story wasn't for me, others will love it! I will try this author again.
Huge triggers in this story...sexual assault, rape, cannibalism, physical and mental abuse.
*The piece of the story with dismemberment and cannibalism was unnecessary in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Madeline Claire Franklin and Zando Young Readers for this e-arc version of this book. All opinions stated above are my own opinion.
2.5*
July 3, 2024
I'm gonna curl up into a ball and process for 3-5 business days
November 9, 2024
Zum Ende hin hab ich es auch nur noch überflogen, da es mein Interesse leider nicht mehr wirklich halten konnte.
Für das was ich erwartet hatte leider sehr enttäuschend.
Für das was ich erwartet hatte leider sehr enttäuschend.
November 28, 2024
A must read! Wow, such a beautifully written book !
July 22, 2025
Mówią, że człowiek człowiekowi wilkiem.
I może mają rację. Bywa tak i w życiu realnym, jak i tym fikcyjnym. Ale teraz nie o tym. Teraz powiemy sobie o tym, że kobieta kobiecie wilczycą.
W kulturze mamy wiele przykładów pokazujących kobiety rywalizujące, kobiety zazdrosne; kobiety, które są dla siebie nawzajem wrogami. Widzimy to w filmach, serialach, książkach, memach internetowych. Wszędzie. Znamy ten schemat, prawda? Główna bohaterka ma od jednej do trzech przyjaciółek, bo przecież musi je mieć, nie wypada inaczej, ale musi mieć koniecznie swoją Reginę George czy inną Andreę Ramos. Przeciwniczkę, która chce jej odbić faceta, zabrać posadę, ukraść psa, zająć dom, ściąć drzewo i w ogóle zniszczyć całe życie.
I nie mówię, że między nami dziewczynami zawsze jest kolorowo. Ale kiedy popularność damskiej solidarności została przyćmiona przez obraz tych wiecznie żrących się między sobą wilczyc?
I tu właśnie wchodzą "Dzikie dziewczyny", z obrazem siostrzanej więzi, do której nie są potrzebne więzy krwi. Więzi, która rodzi się ze wspólnych doświadczeń, dzielonych przez zapewne większość dorastających dziewczyn. Oczywiście nie mówię tu o doświadczeniach takich jak wychowywanie się w dziczy czy innych, nawet bardziej przerażających przeżyciach, z którymi muszą sobie radzić bohaterki. Ale o balansowaniu na tej jakże cienkiej granicy między byciem tym, kim jesteś i chcesz być, a tym, czego oczekują od ciebie inni.
Bo "to nie wypada"; bo "co sobie ludzie pomyślą?"; bo "jak to będzie wyglądało?"; "Be nice, Cinderella. Good, Cinderella. Nice, good, good, nice".
A przecież wszystkie jesteśmy trochę dzikie. Wszystkie urodziłyśmy się z tą samą dzikością, co cztery Dzikie Dziewczyny z Happy Valley. Po prostu niektórym udało się sprawić, że trochę o tym zapomniałyśmy. Ale dalej łączy nas "the wilderness of girls", of girlhood. Dalej damy produkty higieniczne nieznajomej, do której nagle przyjechała rudowłosa ciotka z Ameryki. Dalej wymienimy smutne uśmiechy z koleżanką, kiedy po długiej dyskusji na temat tego, co tak właściwie przeszkadza niektórym w feminizmie dojdziemy do wniosku, że tak już jest i pewnie będzie. Dalej kolektywnie przewrócimy oczami, słysząc znajome "A z jakiej racji mają dostawać finansowane z podatków (przyp. aut. wcale nie) produkty higieniczne w łazienkach?". Dalej polubimy setny już post ze sceną "How I love being a woman" z "Ani, nie Anny" i wyślemy go psiapsiółce.
Może niektórym się wyda, że ta książka nie wprowadza nic nowego do dyskusji. Ale może właśnie tu tkwi jej siła - mówi głośno to, o czym pewnie większość z nas nie raz pomyślała. I to wystarczy.
Niech więc będzie. Niech będzie, że kobieta kobiecie wilczycą. Bo jesteśmy watahą. A wataha trzyma się razem.
PS. Nawiązania do wilków są nieprzypadkowe. Żeby nie było, że za bardzo poszłam w patos 😂
PS 2. Możliwe, że ta książka sprawi, że będziecie płakać przez brzoskwinie 🙂
I może mają rację. Bywa tak i w życiu realnym, jak i tym fikcyjnym. Ale teraz nie o tym. Teraz powiemy sobie o tym, że kobieta kobiecie wilczycą.
W kulturze mamy wiele przykładów pokazujących kobiety rywalizujące, kobiety zazdrosne; kobiety, które są dla siebie nawzajem wrogami. Widzimy to w filmach, serialach, książkach, memach internetowych. Wszędzie. Znamy ten schemat, prawda? Główna bohaterka ma od jednej do trzech przyjaciółek, bo przecież musi je mieć, nie wypada inaczej, ale musi mieć koniecznie swoją Reginę George czy inną Andreę Ramos. Przeciwniczkę, która chce jej odbić faceta, zabrać posadę, ukraść psa, zająć dom, ściąć drzewo i w ogóle zniszczyć całe życie.
I nie mówię, że między nami dziewczynami zawsze jest kolorowo. Ale kiedy popularność damskiej solidarności została przyćmiona przez obraz tych wiecznie żrących się między sobą wilczyc?
I tu właśnie wchodzą "Dzikie dziewczyny", z obrazem siostrzanej więzi, do której nie są potrzebne więzy krwi. Więzi, która rodzi się ze wspólnych doświadczeń, dzielonych przez zapewne większość dorastających dziewczyn. Oczywiście nie mówię tu o doświadczeniach takich jak wychowywanie się w dziczy czy innych, nawet bardziej przerażających przeżyciach, z którymi muszą sobie radzić bohaterki. Ale o balansowaniu na tej jakże cienkiej granicy między byciem tym, kim jesteś i chcesz być, a tym, czego oczekują od ciebie inni.
Bo "to nie wypada"; bo "co sobie ludzie pomyślą?"; bo "jak to będzie wyglądało?"; "Be nice, Cinderella. Good, Cinderella. Nice, good, good, nice".
A przecież wszystkie jesteśmy trochę dzikie. Wszystkie urodziłyśmy się z tą samą dzikością, co cztery Dzikie Dziewczyny z Happy Valley. Po prostu niektórym udało się sprawić, że trochę o tym zapomniałyśmy. Ale dalej łączy nas "the wilderness of girls", of girlhood. Dalej damy produkty higieniczne nieznajomej, do której nagle przyjechała rudowłosa ciotka z Ameryki. Dalej wymienimy smutne uśmiechy z koleżanką, kiedy po długiej dyskusji na temat tego, co tak właściwie przeszkadza niektórym w feminizmie dojdziemy do wniosku, że tak już jest i pewnie będzie. Dalej kolektywnie przewrócimy oczami, słysząc znajome "A z jakiej racji mają dostawać finansowane z podatków (przyp. aut. wcale nie) produkty higieniczne w łazienkach?". Dalej polubimy setny już post ze sceną "How I love being a woman" z "Ani, nie Anny" i wyślemy go psiapsiółce.
Może niektórym się wyda, że ta książka nie wprowadza nic nowego do dyskusji. Ale może właśnie tu tkwi jej siła - mówi głośno to, o czym pewnie większość z nas nie raz pomyślała. I to wystarczy.
Niech więc będzie. Niech będzie, że kobieta kobiecie wilczycą. Bo jesteśmy watahą. A wataha trzyma się razem.
PS. Nawiązania do wilków są nieprzypadkowe. Żeby nie było, że za bardzo poszłam w patos 😂
PS 2. Możliwe, że ta książka sprawi, że będziecie płakać przez brzoskwinie 🙂
May 7, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an arc in return for my honest review.
This debut is beautiful. What appears to be a fantastical, even sweet fairytale exterior, is in fact a pretty dark and emotionally fraught interior in this story of the Wild girls. While, for me, the pacing was on the slow side until after the halfway mark, the payoff is soooo rewarding. The themes in this story hit real hard but they are done very well. Throughout the story you think you know whether the magic is true or not but then slowly you begin to think the other way….and then your opinion changes again. The author does a nice job of playing with what you think you know. But where I think the story excels is in the characters’, sisters, relationship. It’s sweet, beautiful, honest, and as a reader you are rooting for all of them equally. I think it can be difficult to make a reader love all the characters, but it’s possible in this one. Definitely a debut writer to watch.
This debut is beautiful. What appears to be a fantastical, even sweet fairytale exterior, is in fact a pretty dark and emotionally fraught interior in this story of the Wild girls. While, for me, the pacing was on the slow side until after the halfway mark, the payoff is soooo rewarding. The themes in this story hit real hard but they are done very well. Throughout the story you think you know whether the magic is true or not but then slowly you begin to think the other way….and then your opinion changes again. The author does a nice job of playing with what you think you know. But where I think the story excels is in the characters’, sisters, relationship. It’s sweet, beautiful, honest, and as a reader you are rooting for all of them equally. I think it can be difficult to make a reader love all the characters, but it’s possible in this one. Definitely a debut writer to watch.
June 13, 2025
Ja myślałam, że to książka o dzikich dziewczyn i to było to, ale so much more. Czytajcie! Ostatnie 20% przepłakane!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 657 reviews