Slow Burn Post WWII Fiction | Review of The Huntress
The Huntress | Kate Quinn
Publication Date: February 26th, 2019
Publisher: William Morrow
Page Count: 560
Why I Picked It Up: I tend not to read WWII Fiction, but I’m always open to reading a story with a strong female protagonist. Thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending!
Synopsis: From Goodreads- In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted…
Bold, reckless Nina Markova grows up on the icy edge of Soviet Russia, dreaming of flight and fearing nothing. When the tide of war sweeps over her homeland, she gambles everything to join the infamous Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on Hitler’s eastern front. But when she is downed behind enemy lines and thrown across the path of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, Nina must use all her wits to survive.
British war correspondent Ian Graham has witnessed the horrors of war from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials. He abandons journalism after the war to become a Nazi hunter, yet one target eludes him: the Huntress. Fierce, disciplined Ian must join forces with brazen, cocksure Nina, the only witness to escape the Huntress alive. But a shared secret could derail their mission, unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.
Seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride grows up in post WWII Boston, determined despite family opposition to become a photographer. At first delighted when her long-widowed father brings home a fiancée, Jordan grows increasingly disquieted by the soft-spoken German widow who seems to be hiding something. Armed only with her camera and her wits, Jordan delves into her new stepmother’s past and slowly realizes there are mysteries buried deep in her family. But Jordan’s search for the truth may threaten all she holds dear.
Opening Sentence: “But where was there to go in this world that had taken everything she loved?”
My Thoughts: If thrilling historical fiction is a thing- I’ll all in!
I loved THE HUNTRESS. I’ll admit to being intimidated- 500+ pages of Historical Fiction is a lot for me- but this was well worth it. The story is told from three viewpoints- from Jordan, a young girl in 1940s Boston who’s trying to find a way to be fine with giving up the photography career shes always wanted in favor of being a housewife, Ian, a British journalist turned Nazi Hunter, and Nina Markova, a Siberian woman who fled her brutal homelife to become a “Night Witch”- a Russian fighter pilot. It took a bit of time to build, but once we got there I could not put it down. The characters were extremely vivid and layered- each had their own deep seeded fears and showed incredible resilience. Nina and Tony were my favorite. You find out who the Huntress is pretty early on, but the author does a great job building suspense and I found myself actively questioning if I had it right. It was a slower build but if you stick with it- those last 75 pages were as tense as any thriller. The writing was strong and there was a satisfying ending- all must haves for me. I was left wanting more- not because anything was missing, but I just don't want to let these characters go.
If You Like This Try That: The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network
Rating: 4.25/5
Find me here!
