Sometimes the Wolf: A Novel

All mistakes have consequences. Some consequences just take longer to come about than others. In his novel, Sometimes the Wolf, Urban Waite reveals just how dark these long-awaited consequences can be. The book follows the story of a son, Bobby Drake, whose life was turned upside down by his father’s mistake. Twelve years later, his father is released and they both realize their problems were only just beginning.

Despite the violent themes of this book, it reads slowly. It takes a while to settle in due to the ever-shifting points of view. Once all the names are out in the open and new characters stop popping up, the plot can be enjoyed. However, the writing style can make reading difficult until the very end. Despite the deep themes and intricate plot, I was unable to focus for long due to the endless amount of fragmented sentences. It would seem as though Waite was trying to be McCarthy-esque in his style, but failed miserably, leaving me gasping for air in the midst of verb-less sentences.

If one enjoys crime novels and can get past the odd writing style and shifting points of view, this book has the potential to be a thrilling read.