Red, a fiercely loyal hunter, has dedicated her life to protecting her witch Grand Mother. Monsters have been roaming the forest that they call home, bringing forth a mysterious illness that has devastated the land and chased every living soul away. Until Red stumbles upon an injured wolf-girl named Sil.
Red is cautiously optimistic to befriend someone new, but the more their relationship deepens, the more she begins to uncover the sinister truths behind everything she’s ever known.
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!
The art style is versatile, as the artist depicts cute and silly moments, as well as dark and creepy ones. I love the character design, from Red and Sil to the strange monsters. I also loved the illustrations of the settings, especially the creepy and decaying locations.
The story was lots of fun too, I loved following along as Red and Sil meet and bond, and as they begin to uncover the mysteries of the woods.
The pacing is pretty good too, although I feel the second half was a little rushed. I would have liked to linger on certain moments a little longer, but that's just me nitpicking.
This isn't a romance heavy book at all, but I would have liked a little more romance. This is completely subjective though, so if you're looking for something with minimal romance, this may work for you.
Overall, a lovely debut graphic novel. I will be anticipating more from this author/illustrator!
✨🍄🐺 Red and the Wolves by Cherry Zong - 5 / 5 stars 🐺🍄✨
Red and the Wolves is a YA graphic novel that is loosely based on the tale of Red Riding Hood, with a sapphic romance. I really enjoyed this, the characters are great and the story, although very foreseeable, was delightful and entertaining. The art style is lovely and I personally quite liked the inclusion of some fun cartoonish/manga-ish expressions every now and then.
To be honest, I mainly picked this graphic novel up because the description promised a sapphic love story. It isn’t the main plotline and is pretty slow-burn but I loved it! Loads of yearning! It’s just a very sweet coming-of-age type romance, but set in an isolated part of some woods and also one them is a wolf, kind of.
The thing some readers might not vibe with is the pretty predictable ‘plot twist’. I figured out what it was going to be as soon as the grandmother was introduced, and yet I still thoroughly enjoyed reading the story. It can sometimes be very annoying when the reader figures out the twist way before the characters do, but in this case I think it worked because of the emotional element involved. (slight spoilers ahead) Because Red does have doubts about what her and her grandmother are doing, but she always pushes these down because she couldn’t face how immense a betrayal that would mean.
----
Release Date: 13. January 2026
----
Many thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC!
Comments: A graphic novel retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with queer apocalyptic fantasy twist. Red has dedicated her whole life to ridding the forest of the Nawa, manifestations of vengeful souls not properly put to rest, who feed on the rot that is slowly killing the world. However, one day, Red stumbles across a wounded wolf-girl, Sil, whose existence makes no sense to Red, is she Nawa or something else? And is she a friend or a threat? As the two slowly grow closer, the more Red begins to uncover the hidden truths and lies behind everything she knew.
I really liked the art style in this book, and I liked how the chapter pages reflected the story's changes. The pacing did feel a bit off at times, but I did enjoy the book, and I look forward to seeing what else the author writes in the future.
I recommend this book for people who like apocalyptic storylines, retellings and character-driven stories.
Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Lenni Reviews: "Red and the Wolves: A Graphic Novel" by Cherry Zong
(Image Source)
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Red is a talented hunter tasked with protecting her Grandmother and helping to exorcize the Nawa in the dying forest around them. On a hunt, she meets Sil, a wolf girl who got caught in a trap. They become friends, but the threat of the rot spreading through the land still looms, and Red is plunged into a more serious…
