​​​Alma Katsu has come highly recommended to me by a trusted source. My husband has been raving about her ability to take a historical event and make it even more horrific. As soon as I read the synopsis of The Wehrwolf, I was not only intrigued, but thought that it was high time that I sampled Katsu’s writing for myself.

The Wehrwolf takes place in a small village in Germany near the end of World War II. Katsu weaves local folklore with this wartime story. The German folklore presents a frightening scenario, but mixed in with the events of World War II, it elevates the level of horror. It speaks of people who are influenced by power, strength, and belonging, and when men are turned into monsters.

The reader is introduced to Uwe Fuchs, his family, and a small group of townspeople. Uwe is an average man who has lived a modest life caring for his family. When danger encroaches his forested community, some of the men decide to take matters into their own hands.

With any short story, the author has limited time to pull the reader in and give them that shocking moment that is pivotal to a short story or novella. While I may not have had that shocking moment per se, I did find the story interesting, and the ending to be very well done. The Wehrwolf was a tale of folklore, history, and a story that is rife with meaning.

*4 Stars

 

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