I’ve read and enjoyed several of Joan Aiken’s adult novels over the last few years – my favourite so far is Castle Barebane – but until now I’ve never read the book for which she’s most famous, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It was first published in 1962, which makes it a perfect choice for this week’s 1962 Club hosted by Simon and Karen.
This is obviously a book aimed at younger readers and I’m sure I would have loved it if I’d read it as a child; however, I was pleased to find that it also has a lot to offer an adult reader. I’m definitely planning to continue with the next book in the series.
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is set in England in an alternate history where the Stuarts are still on the throne in the 19th century. It’s 1832, early in the reign of King James III, and a tunnel between Dover and Calais has recently been completed, allowing the migration of a large number of wolves from Europe. In reality, of course, the Channel Tunnel wouldn’t open until 1994, so Joan Aiken really was ahead of her time – although obviously the idea had existed in theory for much longer! Other than the tunnel and the presence of wolves, the world described in this book doesn’t seem very different from the real world of 1832, but I’m assuming the alternate history element becomes more significant later in the series.
Being a children’s book, the story is told from the perspectives of two children – Bonnie and Sylvia Green. Sylvia, an orphan, lives in London with her elderly Aunt Jane, but at the beginning of the novel she travels north by train to Willoughby Chase to stay with her cousin Bonnie. Bonnie’s parents, Sir Willoughby and Lady Green, are going abroad for health reasons and have engaged a governess, Miss Letitia Slighcarp, to take care of the children while they are away.
Left alone with Miss Slighcarp, the girls discover that their new governess is not what she claims to be and has another motive for coming to Willoughby Chase. Soon Bonnie and Sylvia are sent off to a horrible school for orphans run by the cruel Gertrude Brisket. Hungry and miserable, they begin to plan a daring escape, but will they succeed – and if so, where will they go? Will their friend, Simon the goose-boy, be able to help them? And what exactly is Miss Slighcarp planning to do now that she is in full control of Willoughby Chase?
Now that I’ve read this book I can see why it is considered a children’s classic and has been so popular with generations of younger readers over the years. It has an exciting plot, child protagonists to relate to, kindly adult characters to love and villainous ones to hate, and an atmospheric setting with snowy, icy landscapes and packs of wolves roaming the countryside. Speaking of the wolves, they play a big part in two memorable scenes near the beginning of the book, but are barely mentioned after that as the human ‘wolves’ come to the forefront of the story instead. The influence of Victorian literature on Aiken’s writing is also very obvious, from the Dickensian names of the characters – Letitia Slighcarp, Josiah Grimshaw, Mr Gripe, Mr Wilderness – to the portrayal of Mrs Brisket’s school, surely inspired by Lowood School in Jane Eyre.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and just wish I hadn’t come to it so late! I’m already looking forward to reading the second one in the series, Black Hearts in Battersea.
This is book 41/50 for the 2023 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.
She Reads Novels 
I love your review. I read this with the intention of reviewing it for the 1962 club but just didn’t have time. I really enjoyed it though and your review sums it up perfectly
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed this one as well. It can be difficult keeping up with reviews, can’t it?
Definitely!
Aiken’s children’s books are FAB. I’ve somehow not read this one, but was a huge fan of later books in the series which feature the resourceful Dido Twite–my favourites were The Cuckoo Tree and The Stolen Lake–and her Victorian-set standalone, Midnight Is a Place. Just brilliant storytelling!
I’m surprised I never read any Joan Aiken as a child as they seem to be the kind of books I would have loved. I’m looking forward to the Dido Twite ones!
I’m glad you finally got to this, the start of one of my most favourite series of children’s books. I look forward to what you think of the first sequel, especially with the arrival of the incomparable Dido Twite… 🙂
Yes, it’s taken me a long time but I got here eventually! I’m looking forward to meeting Dido Twite.
This does sound exciting and you make me want to read it.
It was good fun. I would have loved it as a child!
I meant to read this too for the 1962 club but it just didn’t happen, still on my tbr though!
I expected this to be a more popular choice for the club, but I think I’ve only seen one other review so far. I hope you enjoy it whenever you get round to reading it!
For some reason, I didn’t get the usual email notification of this post, which made me wonder how long it has been since I got one. Anyway, I resubscribed. Interesting review. I think I read one book by Aiken and didn’t read any others, but now I’m wondering if I did read one.
I wonder why you stopped getting the emails – that’s annoying! I only started reading Aiken’s books two or three years ago but have liked most of what I’ve read so far. I’m sure I would have enjoyed this one even more if I’d read it when I was younger.
Maybe I’ll try one.
I thought I’d read this one as a kid, but when I read your review it did not sound familiar at all. Maybe I saw my sister’s copy of it so much when I was growing up I just thought I’d read it, when I clearly haven’t. ;D
That happens to me sometimes! It’s not too late to read this book – it’s good fun for adults as well as children 🙂
Great review, and this is not one I’ve ever read – so I’m glad it stands up so well for an adult reader! Sounds fascinating!
Yes, I think this is one of those books that can be enjoyed equally by children and adults.
I remember enjoying the movie version, so I’ll look out for it. Interesting that its the 1st book in a series of 11!!
I don’t know if I’ll read all eleven but I’m definitely planning to read at least the next one!
The next book is probably my favorite of the series! There are a number of gems, though. This one is certainly Jane Eyre-inspired, which in my book is not a bad thing.
I love Jane Eyre, so that’s not a bad thing in my opinion either! I’m looking forward to reading the second book.
A lovely review Helen! This is the one Aiken book I’ve read and very much enjoyed it. Must really get on with reading more of her work.
Thanks! I’ve enjoyed three of her adult novels and there are more I would like to read, but my priority now is to continue with the second book in this series.
I read this aloud to my kids years ago & we all loved it. 😊
It would be a perfect book to read aloud. I’m glad you all loved it!
This somehow passed me by too when I was younger. I’ll put that right soon.
It’s not too late – it’s definitely the sort of book that adults can enjoy as well as children!
OK. Hint taken!
I’ve found these to be wonderful still now having loved them as a child so can confirm they work all the way through life. I re-read Battersea recently and really enjoyed it.
I’m sure I would have loved them as a child – I don’t know how I managed to miss out on them! I’m looking forward to Battersea.
I really love this book and the two that follow. Maybe when you get to the third book, you can come to Boston and we’ll go visit Nantucket! It’s quite close but I have never had time and money at the same moment.
I’ll have to keep that in mind if I’m ever able to come to Boston! I’m glad you love the next two books in the series – I’ll get round to them eventually!
So glad you enjoyed this. I got to it as an adult too, and really loved it and the next. Am yet to read the other titles in the series though.
I’m pleased to hear you loved the next book – I’m really looking forward to reading that one.
Hope you enjoy it too.