re-reading wolf brother

Ask Michelle Anything

Cat writes…

Dear Michelle,

I read wolf brother for the first time as a 9 year old (quite feral) girl living in the Welsh countryside, playing with my dog, rabbits, voles, moles, robins, any British wildlife that would wander into our garden (and house!)
Wolf brother and the chronicles of ancient darkness shaped our play- we’d be running through the woods pretending to be Torak, Wolf and Renn. Daydreaming about talking to wolves. My father is the closest human I know to St Francis of Assisis (wild birds in hand, hanging out with foxes..) so we did the same.

Thank you for sharing your wolf brother world – I’m so happy your books exist, it’s hard to explain but reading the books and thinking about reading them as a child brings such a wonderful nostalgia (and “Hiraeth”- a Welsh word with the meaning ‘A blend of homesickness, nostalgia and longing; a pull on the heart that conveys a distinct feeling of missing something irretrievably lost.’)
I think I feel this way because your stories possibly ignite inherited genetic memory? (A theory….)

I’m now thirty, have had a painful three years leaving a difficult domestic situation and I look forward to re-reading your books in peace, to itch at the hiraeth feeling again,

Thank you!
Catherine x

Michelle Replies…

Dear Catherine, thank you for conjuring such an evocative picture of that feral girl in the Welsh countryside! And thank you too for introducing me to a new word.  English is a rich language, but I don’t think we have anything like “hiraeth”.  You explain it so well, and I feel the better for knowing it.  I’m sorry that the past few years have been so difficult for you, but whatever the situation you found yourself in, I applaud the fact that you’ve had the strength to leave it behind.  That must have taken courage.  I hope that making the break brings you peace and a sense of well-being, and that at some time in the future, re-reading the stories can help with that.  Thank you so much for getting in touch.  With very best wishes, Michelle


Upcoming Live Events With Michelle

Incredible… Inspiring… In Person!

Only 49 days to grab your ticket!

Wimbledon Book Festival

October 17, 2025
Festival patron and Sunday Times bestselling author Michelle Paver will talk about her latest supernatural fiction in this live recording with Always Take Notes, a podcast for and about writers and writing.

Michelle will discuss her incredible career, from finding inspiration for Wolf Brother on Wimbledon Common to her latest novel Rainforest, which weaves Mayan culture with themes of obsession, gender and rebirth.

Only 52 days to grab your ticket!

The Witching Hour with Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Shepherd-Robinson – Waterstones Canterbury

October 20, 2025

Join Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Sheperd-Robinson as they discuss their stories in a brand new collection of ghostly tales called The Witching Hour.

In this dazzling collection of original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring the old superstition of the witching hour to new and vivid life.
Transporting you from the smog of London to the freezing mists of Svalbard, from an Irish town riddled with rumour to a sinister English boarding school, these thirteen stories will serve as your spine tingling companion to the long hours of winter.
So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clock to strike . . .
Only 57 days to grab your ticket!

Yeovil Literary Festival

October 25, 2025

An experience like no other. From a writer like no other...

Successfully published as an adult author, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (“Wolf Brother”) were her first books for younger readers, followed by her brilliant 5-part series set in the bronze age, Gods and Warriors. On the adult side, her first ghost story, Dark Matter, was a UK bestseller and won massive praise from reviewers and readers alike, as did her second ghost story, Thin Air.

Oxford Literary Festival 2026

March 29, 2026

The Oxford Literary Festival takes place in venues across central Oxford, such as Blackwell's bookshop, the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Weston Library, and Oxford colleges such as Christ Church and Worcester College. The festival includes international authors, journalists, intellectuals, historians, and poets.