Arctic people, arctic animals, arctic-sized greatness? Yes, yes, and no. To be honest, Julie wasn't all that exciting. It was the black sheep of the family so to speak. It didn't live up to the action of the first. Still worth reading, after all it being dramatic in its own right, it was enjoyable in a watching fishing on tv kind of way.

Background
I should probably start out by telling you how I came upon reading this book. The main reason I read Julie is because I read the series out of order. I read Julie of the Wolves, first, then I read, Julie's Wolf Pack. Obviously, I overlooked Julie, which is the middle book in the series. And when I stumbled upon it, I didn't know at the time which number it was in the series, but soon after I began reading it I realized it was the second. But I was interested to see how the events of the third book came about through the second, so I continued reading it. For those reasons, it may be less interesting to you.

About the novel
Julie tells the story of Miyax, a.k.a.: Julie, continuing upon the first novel. After discovering her father is still alive and relocating him, she goes to reunite with him. But what she finds she doesn't like. The new technology of the white man is spreading like fever, and her father, the great hunter and eskimo leader, has caught it. He has began flying planes and leading the industry of Kangik, and he has a new wife, who is from the Minnesota and has red hair. At first Miyax feels her new stepmom isn't a part of them, and doesn't deserve to be treated like it. As the story progresses, she learns she is like them in her own right, because she lives the same life they do, and Miyax grows to love her.

Miyax unearths a secret about Kapugen, her father. Well not so much a secret to her thanks to her extraordinary sense of spirit that searches deep inside of people, as well as wolves. But it is a secret to the reader, which I won't give away in order to give away a good portion of the book. After that she meets Peter Sugluk, who becomes a part of her life. Strangely, it is almost like there a stories within the story. As halfway through, the book turns to a new theme, in which Miyax goes to locate the wolves again, for a reason involving her father, which has to do with the same secret she knows. (Notice a reoccuring instance of her father having qualities that Miyax discovers, which aren't surprising to her, but are life-changing just the same because he isn't the same as the father she once knew, even though she still loves him.)

What it lacks...
Julie kind of blossoms as you go along, but it is almost like surviving winter to reach spring. It leads you on much like an action book would, but it doesn't have enough action to fulfill its leading. Making it sort of an action book without the action. In order to make Julie great and keep its pull the way it is, it would've had to have a bigger underlying story to keep you reading it, and it lacks that. That's its biggest fault. Other parts lead you in along in their everyday life without much relevance to the storyline. This wouldn't be so bad with the underlying story I spoke of, but like i said, it doesn't have that. So those parts carry you along, when you really have no desire to be carried.

What it has...
It has an interesting plot, once Miyax, or Julie, goes off to locate the wolves and lead them to safety. That part keeps you involved, even if the other parts can't. The storyline is not extremely simple, but simple enough for young readers. I'm sure that's the way the author intended it to be. It sticks to the natural theme, although this is more city oriented, which I think takes away from it. The characters were well displayed. Especially Julie's new stepmom. I felt George did great bringing her into the book and series for that matter. I knew exactly what she was like, and that was important since she was such a main character.

If you are going to read the series, then don't skip this book, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise. Interesting and suspenseful once you get halfway through, to the section where Julie goes back to the wolves. Plainly, it is slow to get to the point otherwise. And it couldn't be successful without its sisters in the series holding it up.

Ratings:

Storyline: 4 out of 5
Characters: 5 out of 5
Action: 2 out of 5
Beginning: 1 out of 5
Middle: 4 out of 5
Conclusion: 3 out of 5

*You should also see my review of the prequel to Julie, Julie of the Wolves

Recommended: Yes