The Huntress

Title: The Huntress 

Author: Kate Quinn 

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Wartime, Adventure, Fiction, Modern Fiction 

Year of release: 2019

Release Date 19^th August 2019

Rating 

Synopsis 

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted… 

Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina’s bravery and cunning will keep her alive.

Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. Yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Growing up in post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is determined to become a photographer. When her long-widowed father unexpectedly comes homes with a new fiancée, Jordan is thrilled. But there is something disconcerting about the soft-spoken German widow. Certain that danger is lurking, Jordan begins to delve into her new stepmother’s past—only to discover that there are mysteries buried deep in her family . . . secrets that may threaten all Jordan holds dear.

In this immersive, heart-wrenching story, Kate Quinn illuminates the consequences of war on individual lives, and the price we pay to seek justice and truth. 

Review 

I read Kate Quinn’s first offering, The Alice Network, in February of 2018 based upon the Reese Witherspoon Hello Sunshine book club recommendation, I picked up her 2022 novel The Diamond Eye  based on my thoughts of this novel.

 Let’s be honest here, I liked the beginning of that novel, however, the characters nor the ending grabbed me. So, when I heard The Huntress was available, I was curious but approached with caution. I was also waiting for the audiobook because foreign languages aren’t my strong suit. Decision made; I was waiting…

Turns out I didn’t have to wait too long! My book club picked it! Oh boy, here we go! Did I mention I suck at languages? Bring on the Audible audiobook now.

The Huntress is expressed by different points of view, spread across the years 1940-1950. From the last sentence of the prologue, you feel as if you must buckle up and brace for a journey! I haven’t felt the hunger for answers from a book in quite some time; this was an exciting prospect.

A few chapters in, however, I became worried I had found a book that would be put in the DNF (Did Not Finish) pile. Thanks to the text size of the paperback, I read and use of foreign names, my high-speed chase seemed to slow considerably, but I pushed through and found a great Historical Fiction novel! Anyone looking for a story with a chase, strong independent woman at the helm, but with male influences sprinkled in, this is for you. Having just finished this epic read, I can safely say there is something about this novel that just has you wanting more – the reveal and capture of The Huntress. 

What is the opposite of a lake? What is the opposite of drowning? What lies all the way west?
―Kate Quinn, The Huntress

Possibly a downside for me as a voracious reader here within these pages: as the story unfolded, I began to form ideas as to possible directions the story would take. I usually do this, but I don’t get everything right 100% of the time, not the case here which did take out some of the surprises, and for a short while, the drive to keep reading. At the story’s conclusion, I noticed some of the events that took place within the pages don’t get resolved enough to my satisfaction, I’m just left wondering or having to supply my own conclusion leaving me asking: what was the reason for adding that into the story in the first place? The Huntress made for a good read, well-researched and well thought out; aside from some minor spelling errors, was well-written. 

I really liked the attention to detail Kate uses to introduce you to her characters, their dreams (Jordan’s photography) their fears (Nina drowning in the lake and Ian and his fear of heights). I also ended up enjoying the characters themselves and enjoyed watching them evolve throughout the book. This added to the feeling that these characters could be found in the real world somewhere. 

I don’t usually have favourite parts in books, or struggle to find favourite characters in all the books I read, but chapters that stood out to me were mostly found within Jordan’s perspective; times with her father, stepmother and stepsister stand out for me. I believe this to be the case because Jordan and I are of similar ages, so I was able to better understand her desire to want things for herself that perhaps her father did not.

It is a pleasure when all of the characters add to the story In positive ways, it makes for a story that ties in all the pieces of the puzzle, without what can sometimes be a lot of confusion if a character doesn’t seem to fit their story. 

 Review originally posted to Goodreads May 17^th 2019