The Wildwood Chronicles: Wildwood

Wildwood is the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles trilogy. It tells the story of the series's two main protagonists, Prue McKeel and Curtis Melhberg, and the titular Impassable Wilderness.

Part One
12-year old Prue McKeel’s baby brother Mac is abducted by a murder of crows and taken into the Impassable Wilderness. The next morning, she ventures into the Impassable Wilderness with her classmate, Curtis, to find him. They’re ambushed by bipedal coyote soldiers and become separated.

Prue finds the Long Road and is picked up by a postman named Richard. He explains that she's in Wildwood, and that the Southwood and Avian Principality have been at political odds with each other, resulting in mass arrests by SWORD, the secret Southwood police. He takes her to Pittock Manor in Southwood to speak with the Governor-Regent, who may be able to help her. Prue meets the overworked Governor-Regent, Lars Svik, and his attendant Roger.

During her stay there, Owl Rex, the leader of the neighboring Avian Principality, visits the Manor and later gives Prue a secret message to meet with him that evening. There, he explains he’s also heard of coyote soldiers and tells her the story of the previous Southwood governess. He tells her to seek the aid of the Northwood Mystics. SWORD officers arrive and arrest Owl Rex, but Prue manages to escape.

Meanwhile Curtis is taken to the Coyote Warren, the military base of the Exiled Dowager Governess of the Southwood, Alexandra Svik. She initially tells Curtis she wants to bring order to Wildwood by pushing out the opposition by force. Alexandra promotes Curtis to the title of officer. On the front, they encounter the Bandits, led by their king, Brendan. Curtis impresses the army and Alexandra by destroying a howitzer.

During a celebration that evening, Curtis finds Mac deep in the Warren. Alexandra explains that she needs to sacrifice Mac to the ivy on the fall equinox in the Ancient’s Grove to gain control of it and take over Wildwood. Curtis must decide whether to stand with Alexandra.

Part Two
Enver, a sparrow who serves Owl Rex, suggests that Prue make her way to the Avian Principality and hitch a ride to Northwood to see the Mystics. Enver helps Prue get to Richard’s post office, and from there, she is taken to the Avian Principality and takes an eagle general across Wildwood to see the Mystics, but while flying over Wildwood, she’s shot down by coyote forces.

Prue is found by bandits and Brendan takes her back to the bandit camp. Coyotes, having followed Prue’s scent, descend upon the camp and Brendan tries to get her to safety, but is stopped at the Gap Bridge by Alexandra. Alexandra has Brendan taken prisoner and asks to speak with Prue. Alexandra tells Prue to go home.

Prue returns home to her parents, who explain that Mac was taken because of a deal they made with Alexandra long ago. Unable to conceive, they made a pact with Alexandra post-exile, and in return for heaving Prue, they were to give Alexandra their second child. Prue goes back to the Impassable Wilderness to find Alexandra and her brother.

Curtis refuses to help Alexandra and is taken prisoner as a result. He’s later joined by the Brendan, and he tells his fellow prisoners of Alexandra’s plan. Later, Brendan is taken away to be interrogated. Curtis helps the other bandits escape with the help of Septimus, a rat, and go to find Brendan.

Part Three
The escaped prisoners rescue Brendan and head back to the Bandit Camp to regroup their forces and prepare for battle. Prue takes the Ghost Bridge back to Wildwood and is helped by the Wildwood Constabulary in Northwood. She finally makes it to the Council Tree, where the Mystic Elders hold a meeting. One of the mystics, Iphigenia, explains Alexandra’s plans to Prue and together, they call upon the residents of Northwood to form an army to stop Alexandra. The Northwood army begins marching to the Ancient’s Grove.

Prue manages to reunite with Curtis, who is marching with the Bandits to the Ancient’s Grove. Brendan gives a rallying speech to unite the two groups into the Wildwood Irregulars. Together, they press on to the Ancient’s Grove, and the Battle for the Plinth begins. Prue relays orders from Brendan between the Irregulars while Curtis fights on the ground. The Avians join as well, picking off members of the coyote army.

During the battle, Brendan is shot by a coyote soldier and tells Prue to stop Alexandra. Right as she is about to stab Mac with a dagger, Iphigenia asks Alexandra if she would have sacrificed her late son to gain such power over Wildwood. While she’s distracted, Prue commands the overhanging trees to retrieve Mac. At the same time, Brendan manages to shoot down Alexandra, causing her blood to land on the ivy instead. The ivy consumes Alexandra and Brendan, in momentary control, commands it to sleep. The battle ends with a victory for the Wildwood Irregulars and the reunion of Mac and Prue.

Iphigenia, Prue, Curtis, the Avians, and the Wildwood Irregulars form a coup and march southward to Pittock Manor to overthrow Lars Svik, his corrupt administration, and SWORD, and free Owl Rex and all the imprisoned members of the Avian Principality, which would later be known as the Bicycle Coup. The reconstruction of the Southwood government begins. Curtis decides to stay in Wildwood as a member of the Bandits. Prue leaves and brings Mac back home, much to the delight of her parents.

Characters

 * Prue McKeel: A seventh-grader who goes into the Impassable Wilderness to find her baby brother, Mac. She later learns that she and Mac were born of Woods Magic.
 * Curtis Melhberg: Prue's classmate who followed her into the Impassable Wilderness. He joins Alexandra's army of coyotes, but later defects and joins the Wildwood Bandits.
 * Richard the Postman: A postman who travels between the North and Southwood using the Long Road. He helps Prue move throughout Wildwood and assists her in getting to Northwood the first time.
 * Alexandra Svik: Also known as the Dowager Governess, or the Exiled Governess of the Southwood. She's the vengeful, exiled governess who lost her son, Alexei, twice. After being thrown into Wildwood, she amassed a coyote army and is bent on getting revenge on Southwood by ways of the ivy.
 * Brendan the Bandit King: The leader of the Wildwood Bandits. He assists both Curtis and Prue in stopping Alexandra and is ultimately who causes her downfall and neutralizes the ivy.
 * Enver: A sparrow who serves as attendant for Owl Rex. He helps Prue escape Southwood and also alerts the Avians to help the Wildwood Irregulars at the Battle for the Plinth.
 * Owl Rex: The crown prince of the Avians. He's the first to tell Prue the story of Alexandra Svik and also tells her to visit the Mystics in Northwood.
 * Iphigenia: A wise, old Mystic who resides in Northwood. She divines that Alexandra will sacrifice Mac to the ivy and helps Prue rally the Northwood residents to stop her.

Publication Information
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Art by Carson Ellis
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Trivia
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