The Huntress
by Kate Quinn
The intertwined lives of Nina Markova, a former pilot with the Soviet Night Witches, Ian Graham, a Nazi hunter on the trail of the elusive and dangerous woman known as the Huntress, and Jordan McBride, a Boston teenager learning to accept her German step-mother.
I was so hesitant to pick this one up. I’m always intrigued by historical fiction, but most of the books I’ve tried within the genre haven’t captivated me. I’m also generally unsure about delving into fiction set during WWII particularly, as it’s a setting that still feels too significant and too recent. That being said, I was really drawn to this book for some reason and decided to at least give it a chance. Oh boy, am I glad that I did.
Kate Quinn’s writing is so enchanting, I was invested in each of the separate yet connected lives of our three main characters, and the small details brought the setting to life. I know multiple POVs aren’t for everyone, but I personally love stories that start out separate and work their way into each other as things progress. When it’s done well you get to care about each of the characters’ individual stories, and it makes the narrative even more powerful when all those threads weave together.
Although I think the identity of the Huntress is pretty obvious from the get-go, that didn’t take anything away from the build up of the story as the three perspectives gradually come together. Although it’s clear where the story is headed, it’s still so intriguing to see how we get there and I think that anticipation also added to the atmosphere.
As a side note, I listened to this on audiobook and, as someone who grew up outside of Boston, I always think it’s ridiculous hearing someone intentionally put on a Boston accent, no matter how well they do it. The narrator honestly did a wonderful job with the entire story though.
I would absolutely recommend this, whether you’re a fan of historical fiction or just looking for a great non-fantasy read like I was. I will definitely be reading some more Kate Quinn in the future.
<3D
LessthanThreeD 