Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There’s a reason why I am pursuing a degree in psychology. I have always been horrified and confused when it came to the worst criminals, and this is one of the many things that have led to my passion for psychology. With some criminals, it’s obvious what drew them to commit such terrible things – but with others, it’s just downright baffling. I want to find out what really causes people who were before seemingly so normal and innocent, to suddenly lash out with such violence and cruelty. Take Ted Bundy, for example. He had a child and a wife and at one point he was MAJORING IN PSYCHOLOGY. Ted Bundy seemed like the most normal person in the world, and minus the fact he committed 30-40 gruesome murders, the rest of his profile, at least from an ordinary perspective, looked speckless. The reason he wasn’t caught for so long was because officials couldn’t believe it to be someone who had such charisma and seemed to live such a normal life. Even in this interview, a few hours before his death by the electric chair, he’s still being so manipulative. He’s clearly very good at what he’s doing, it’s hard to imagine him being the cause of such mortifying murders. Ted Bundy, is somewhat similar to The Huntress. Yet, she is more fascinating, and also considerably less evil, although evil nonetheless. They are both master manipulators.
The dead lie beyond any struggle, so we living must struggle for them. We must remember, because there are other wheels that turn besides the wheel of justice. Time is a wheel, vast and indifferent, and when time rolls on and men forget, we face the risk of circling back. We slouch yawning to a new horizon and find ourselves gazing at old hatreds seeded and watered by forgetfulness and flowering into new wars. New massacres. New monsters like die Jägerin. Let this wheel stop. Let us not forget this time. Let us remember.
I started this book on an impulse, and did not know how much I would love this. This is one of my favourite books of all-time. Historical-fiction has always been one of my favourite genres, but I’ve been slacking on it the past few months in the whirlwind of fantasy, this has been the perfect book to lure me back into it, especially since so much fantasy these days reads the same.
One thing that attracted me to the book was… basically the title, and the cover: that image of a shadow of a single woman is a formidable sight, and after reading the book, I am able to conjure up my own image of The Huntress, that is far more chilling – because the more you know about her, the more disturbing.
Kate Quinn paints the picture of the Huntress perfectly, and in so many different spotlights, which makes it all the more perfect and fascinating. The way she is portrayed as such a good woman, makes me love her as Jordan does, and understand their relationship and everything. It makes me slightly torn, and makes me quiver when Jordan does, even though I already know when she doesn’t. This is how brilliantly Kate Quinn has carved this novel.
However, this book is far more than just The Huntress herself. Of course it centres around her, which already makes for a magnificent plot, but we are presented with multiple perspectives, which further fleshes out the book and also makes it so much more interesting and such a better book as a whole. We learn a lot more outside of just information concerning The Huntress, contributing more to the historical aspect of the novel, and in fact making it so much more fascinating and just… so much more better in general.
Nina Markova… I would read an entire novel on her, much less chapter parts of her from a 500 page novel! Guys, I’m sorry, but she far surpasses Aelin Galathynius, and if she had Aelin’s magic we would all be praying very hard. She is such a strong and fierce character if there ever was one, and her cussing made for so many moments which I probably shouldn’t have found as funny as I did. I guess I have a weird sense of humour. Her use of broken English at times also made it absolutely hilarious, or perhaps that wasn’t her use of broken English, but the way she stated things so factually without any frills or curls, and so calmly when the normal human wouldn’t be so calm. One bit that made me shriek with laughter was what she did to stop Ruth’s nightmares. I could not stop laughing.
It was so interesting learning about the Night Witches – a section of history I had never heard about before. It was saddening to see how they had to drive themselves to such an extent of overwork to be able to have to prove themselves amongst their male co-workers, but so beautiful that they ended up becoming tougher and more successful than the rest of them. The relationship between each of them was so heart-warming as well.
One of the other POVs was Jordan, who has The Huntress as her stepmother. From the beginning, I loved her character as well, although not as much as Nina because who can you love more than Nina? No one. Her passion for photography was something to be admired, and I’m glad we don’t have to go through the pain of needing a darkroom, although perhaps some part of it may be nice. I feel like nowadays anyone can produce a decent picture as long as they have a nice enough camera. Although you really need an eye for things to be able to produce something stunning, that I admit.
Ian Graham was the third POV and someone I also (of course, I gave this book 5 stars) loved reading about. He’s a journalist, and upon finishing this novel I seriously considered journalism. I mean, I still have time – I’m torn between psychology and some degree to do with English. Journalism is definitely not an easy job, and I love how the author was using her novel to raise more awareness about the significance of journalists, and it’s so sad to see journalists abused today. Go and see reporters without borders, for more info.
Other characters such as Tony were amusing to read about. I loved the relationship between each of the characters. I loved how they were all so fully fleshed out. They were all my best friend’s by the end of it, and I’m sorry there’s no series of a hundred books to proceed this one because I would plough through every one of them. This is the reason I don’t like standalones: as soon as I become well-acquainted with the characters, they up and vanish! The rudeness.
There is also an unfortunate dose of sexual content, however easily skippable. The use of many swear words, too.
The ending was magnificent, and certainly one worth waiting for, after the some 500 pages. I didn’t really feel the length though. I finished it in three days, I didn’t include the first night I read over a 100 pages because who’s going to go on Goodreads and update their status when it’s already well past midnight? Only the most dedicated. But gosh, I loved this book so, so, so, so, so, so, SO much.
What are your thoughts on it?
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