Joelene Reviews: Melissa de la Cruz's - "Wolf Pact"

Lawson’s life has been spent collared and held captive in hell alongside his wolf brethren. At the age of eighteen he and his pack are all too aware that they will be turned into hell hounds, the savage, mindless slaves who serve under Lucifer. Determined to escape that fate at any cost, Lawson concocts a plan that will lead his family to freedom.

Meanwhile, Bliss has been tasked with the job of finding the hellhounds. An ex-vampire who is recovering from being possessed by Lucifer and from the discovery of her relationship to him, she is no longer sure of her place in the world. She does know, however, that she will not be happy unless she atones for the sins of her father.

Melissa de la Cruz’s The Pact starts out fast. The wolves are getting older and Lawson is desperate to get them out of hell before they can be turned into Hounds. The sense of urgency never really dissipates; dragging readers along for the roller-coaster ride as the wolves try to adjust to the outside world, Bliss tries to find the Hounds and they band together to discover what Lucifer’s Hound of Hounds, Romulus, is planning. Though the momentum of the novel makes it an incredibly easy read, there are times that the novel could have dwelt on situations longer.

While the idea behind The Pact is a good one, the execution lacks the polish expected from such a renowned author. Events, characters and emotions are described too impulsively. I often reread passages and still couldn’t understand them, as the action didn’t hold together. The Pact is strewn with scenes that were brilliant theoretically but needed more description to come to life.

Morally too, I felt that Wolf Pact was lacking. The introduction of wolves as keepers of history with the ability to travel through and change past events is one of the most unique mythologies I have read. Delving into the history with the wolf pack was also exhilarating with the abundance of possibilities. Making the main characters’ ultimate goal be to keep the Abduction of the Sabine women a part of history was disturbing though. Granted, the protagonists were saving the Sabine women from something worse; but a group of teenagers fighting to have women abducted as wives shows very little compassion for the emotions of others.

The tension in The Pact is almost tangible; keeping readers speculating until the end. By turns Lawson clashes emotionally with members from his pack, Bliss and Ahramin, the ornery wolf who was once family. Bliss, being the daughter of Lucifer, treads a fine line with the truth; aware that if the wolves know that her father is the one who has kept them in slavery they are likely to kill her. The tension heightens the danger that all the characters face. In order to bring Romulus down, they need to rely on one another, but there are secrets there that may tear them apart if they come to light.

Overall The Pact is a quick, fun read. It ties in with de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods series; developing the mythology behind her werewolves and giving readers a chance to see more of their story. While it may not hit all of the right notes, the chemistry between characters makes for an enjoyable journey.

Wolf Pact – Melissa De La Cruz

Atom (November 13, 2012)

ISBN: 978190741018