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Song of the Huntress
The acclaimed author of Sistersong transforms the story of Herla and the Wild Hunt into a rich, feminist fantasy in this stunning tale of two great warriors, a war-torn land, and an ancient magic that is slowly awakening.
Britain, 60AD. Hoping to save her lover, her land, and her people from the Romans, Herla makes a desperate pact with the king of the Otherworld. But years pass unheeded in his realm, and she escapes to find everyone she loved long dead. Cursed to wield his blade, she becomes Lord of the Hunt. And for centuries, she rides, leading her immortal warriors and reaping wanderers’ souls. Until the night she meets a woman on a bloody battlefield—a Saxon queen with ice-blue eyes.
Queen Æthelburg of Wessex is a proven fighter. But when she leads her forces to disaster in battle, her husband’s court turns against her. Yet King Ine needs Æthel more than ever. Something dark and dangerous is at work in the Wessex court. His own brother seeks to usurp him. And their only hope is the magic in Ine’s bloodline that’s lain dormant since ancient days.
The moment she and Æthel meet, Herla knows it’s no coincidence. The dead kings are waking. The Otherworld seeks to rise, to bring the people of Britain under its dominion. And as Herla and Æthel grow closer, Herla must find her humanity—and a way to break the curse—before it’s too late.
Britain, 60AD. Hoping to save her lover, her land, and her people from the Romans, Herla makes a desperate pact with the king of the Otherworld. But years pass unheeded in his realm, and she escapes to find everyone she loved long dead. Cursed to wield his blade, she becomes Lord of the Hunt. And for centuries, she rides, leading her immortal warriors and reaping wanderers’ souls. Until the night she meets a woman on a bloody battlefield—a Saxon queen with ice-blue eyes.
Queen Æthelburg of Wessex is a proven fighter. But when she leads her forces to disaster in battle, her husband’s court turns against her. Yet King Ine needs Æthel more than ever. Something dark and dangerous is at work in the Wessex court. His own brother seeks to usurp him. And their only hope is the magic in Ine’s bloodline that’s lain dormant since ancient days.
The moment she and Æthel meet, Herla knows it’s no coincidence. The dead kings are waking. The Otherworld seeks to rise, to bring the people of Britain under its dominion. And as Herla and Æthel grow closer, Herla must find her humanity—and a way to break the curse—before it’s too late.
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First published March 19, 2024
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About the author
Lucy Holland
2 books559 followersLucy Holland is the bestselling author of SISTERSONG, a reimagining of the folk ballad ‘The Twa Sisters’. The book was a finalist for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award and the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 2022. SONG OF THE HUNTRESS, her second historical fantasy novel, is published in 2024.
As Lucy Hounsom, she wrote the Worldmaker Trilogy. Her first book, STARBORN, was shortlisted in the 2016 Gemmell Awards for Best Fantasy Debut. She worked twelve years in corporate account sales for Waterstones Booksellers before becoming a full-time author.
Lucy co-hosts the intersectional feminist podcast ‘Breaking the Glass Slipper’, which combines her passion for elevating the voices of women and marginalised creators with a love of speculative fiction. The podcast won Best Audio in the 2019 British Fantasy Awards.
She holds a BA (Hons) in English & Creative Writing from the University of London and completed the MA in Creative Writing in 2010.
Lucy has given talks, participated in panels and hosted workshops at various events and venues, including the Science Museum London, the British Library, MCM ComicCon, Barcelona Festival 42, and Cymera Festival on topics ranging from myth, folklore and fantasy worldbuilding to public speaking for authors. She has given readings and discussed her work at the universities of Exeter, Bath Spa, and Royal Holloway.
Lucy lives in Devon with a black cat and a bedroom full of books. The landscape of the UK’s West Country is very much a part of her writing.
As Lucy Hounsom, she wrote the Worldmaker Trilogy. Her first book, STARBORN, was shortlisted in the 2016 Gemmell Awards for Best Fantasy Debut. She worked twelve years in corporate account sales for Waterstones Booksellers before becoming a full-time author.
Lucy co-hosts the intersectional feminist podcast ‘Breaking the Glass Slipper’, which combines her passion for elevating the voices of women and marginalised creators with a love of speculative fiction. The podcast won Best Audio in the 2019 British Fantasy Awards.
She holds a BA (Hons) in English & Creative Writing from the University of London and completed the MA in Creative Writing in 2010.
Lucy has given talks, participated in panels and hosted workshops at various events and venues, including the Science Museum London, the British Library, MCM ComicCon, Barcelona Festival 42, and Cymera Festival on topics ranging from myth, folklore and fantasy worldbuilding to public speaking for authors. She has given readings and discussed her work at the universities of Exeter, Bath Spa, and Royal Holloway.
Lucy lives in Devon with a black cat and a bedroom full of books. The landscape of the UK’s West Country is very much a part of her writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 591 reviews
February 22, 2024
The stronger aspect of this book is also its biggest weakness: the writing is pretty and has a good rhythm overall, but it's also prone to archaisms and the occasional purple-prosery; and it uses third person present tense narration for a POV, too, which some readers don't enjoy, me amongst them. On top of that, the pace of the story is so painfully slow it's very tempting to abandon the book for the slow-as-molasses progress and the unnecessary roundabouts. It makes the book easy to put down and resume later, yes, but also very easy to forget.
Set in 8th century Britain, Song of the Huntress has a trio of protagonists: Herla, the leader of the Wild Hunt, Æthelburg, Queen of Wessex, and Ine, King of Wessex, and pretends to be a character-driven story of struggle, personal growth, and power, faith, and politics in times when Anglo-Saxons vie for the rule of the new lands they conquer and conflict arises between the old and the new religions. If you're interested in this time period, the historical novel with low magic feel of this book should be far more enjoyable to you than if you aren't, as is my case. But regardless of personal investment in the period, it's probably the characters that'll hold your interest most, although for me it didn't work that way either as it was very hard to connect or care about them for how unrelatable and distant they felt. I did find Ine a tad more interesting as a character than either Herla or Æthelburg, though, who are a bit more stereotypical (in the "strong women" cliché sense), mainly because it's the first time I see a man of that era struggling with asexuality and it was intriguing to see. Historically accurate? No, not really, pre-modern views and understanding of sexuality weren't like ours, which is why I find the much-lauded queer representation here rather forced, but your mileage may vary, as they say.
There's really not much else to say, it really was this dull for me personally; little happening, much describing, and characterisation that could've been much more fetching.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Set in 8th century Britain, Song of the Huntress has a trio of protagonists: Herla, the leader of the Wild Hunt, Æthelburg, Queen of Wessex, and Ine, King of Wessex, and pretends to be a character-driven story of struggle, personal growth, and power, faith, and politics in times when Anglo-Saxons vie for the rule of the new lands they conquer and conflict arises between the old and the new religions. If you're interested in this time period, the historical novel with low magic feel of this book should be far more enjoyable to you than if you aren't, as is my case. But regardless of personal investment in the period, it's probably the characters that'll hold your interest most, although for me it didn't work that way either as it was very hard to connect or care about them for how unrelatable and distant they felt. I did find Ine a tad more interesting as a character than either Herla or Æthelburg, though, who are a bit more stereotypical (in the "strong women" cliché sense), mainly because it's the first time I see a man of that era struggling with asexuality and it was intriguing to see. Historically accurate? No, not really, pre-modern views and understanding of sexuality weren't like ours, which is why I find the much-lauded queer representation here rather forced, but your mileage may vary, as they say.
There's really not much else to say, it really was this dull for me personally; little happening, much describing, and characterisation that could've been much more fetching.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2024
4.25/5
We were bound together long before he bound us.
I really enjoyed this book. I adored the setting of ancient Britain and I've always loved the folklore of the Wild Hunt. I loved learning more about Celtic mythology and the Celtic Britons, I thought that Holland wove her vast knowledge on the subject into the story flawlessly.
The characters were so compelling and, despite being set in such a different time, they were so real.
My favourite character all-throughout was Æthelburg, she was just incredible. She's fierce and brave and unyielding. She fights all throughout the story, as fighting is always what she has had to do. She fights the weaponised rumours of the court and escapes to pick up the familiar weight of her sword whenever she is able. She is such a strong and interesting character. I loved getting to watch the various new relationships she formed, as well as her old relationships that were forced to change.
Ine is a fascinating character as well. I adored how well-realised he was, how he held fast to his empathy and good nature, even when it meant he would suffer for it. It's such brilliant characterisation that it had me banging my head against the wall at times, wishing he would be selfish so that bad things would not befall him. But he was true to his character until the very end, and that's all to show how phenomenal Holland's storytelling is.
Herla was the most spell-binding of them all. She is tricked by the king of the Otherworld into picking up his reaping blade and is bound to the duty of Lord of the Hunt. For centuries, she rides, leader of the Wild Hunt. Herla is steeped in mythology and all the fantastical aspects of this story, and I couldn't help but become enamoured with every detail we were given of Annwn, the Otherworld. Herla's is a centuries-long struggle for freedom and I adored watching her strength wax and wane with the power of the old moon.
'You know that many call me death.'
'I am a warrior. I have never been afraid of death.'
I absolutely adored the politics of the land; I liked seeing the different Saxon factions and the Witan's slow poisoning, I liked seeing the church's influence spread and fester, I loved seeing the bravery of the Britons as they fought for the land that had always belonged to them. The history of so many invaders permeates the story. It's a story that is still so resonant, from ancient Britain to our world today.
Even as corpses, we are not equal.
It feels so epic. It feels this way because the history is such a strong factor, but also because the mythology is so strong. You cannot separate them. And it's incredible to watch unfold.
I loved this book, I had such an amazing time reading it. Everything about it is so engaging. I desperately want to find so many other stories set within this time period. I also can't wait to read Sistersong by Lucy Holland and anything else she ends up writing! What an enchanting world, what an incredible book.
Thank you Pan Macmillan for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Tell your stories, Folk of Annwn, but do not make them here, from the blood and bones of our people.
We were bound together long before he bound us.
I really enjoyed this book. I adored the setting of ancient Britain and I've always loved the folklore of the Wild Hunt. I loved learning more about Celtic mythology and the Celtic Britons, I thought that Holland wove her vast knowledge on the subject into the story flawlessly.
The characters were so compelling and, despite being set in such a different time, they were so real.
My favourite character all-throughout was Æthelburg, she was just incredible. She's fierce and brave and unyielding. She fights all throughout the story, as fighting is always what she has had to do. She fights the weaponised rumours of the court and escapes to pick up the familiar weight of her sword whenever she is able. She is such a strong and interesting character. I loved getting to watch the various new relationships she formed, as well as her old relationships that were forced to change.
Ine is a fascinating character as well. I adored how well-realised he was, how he held fast to his empathy and good nature, even when it meant he would suffer for it. It's such brilliant characterisation that it had me banging my head against the wall at times, wishing he would be selfish so that bad things would not befall him. But he was true to his character until the very end, and that's all to show how phenomenal Holland's storytelling is.
Herla was the most spell-binding of them all. She is tricked by the king of the Otherworld into picking up his reaping blade and is bound to the duty of Lord of the Hunt. For centuries, she rides, leader of the Wild Hunt. Herla is steeped in mythology and all the fantastical aspects of this story, and I couldn't help but become enamoured with every detail we were given of Annwn, the Otherworld. Herla's is a centuries-long struggle for freedom and I adored watching her strength wax and wane with the power of the old moon.
'You know that many call me death.'
'I am a warrior. I have never been afraid of death.'
I absolutely adored the politics of the land; I liked seeing the different Saxon factions and the Witan's slow poisoning, I liked seeing the church's influence spread and fester, I loved seeing the bravery of the Britons as they fought for the land that had always belonged to them. The history of so many invaders permeates the story. It's a story that is still so resonant, from ancient Britain to our world today.
Even as corpses, we are not equal.
It feels so epic. It feels this way because the history is such a strong factor, but also because the mythology is so strong. You cannot separate them. And it's incredible to watch unfold.
I loved this book, I had such an amazing time reading it. Everything about it is so engaging. I desperately want to find so many other stories set within this time period. I also can't wait to read Sistersong by Lucy Holland and anything else she ends up writing! What an enchanting world, what an incredible book.
Thank you Pan Macmillan for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Tell your stories, Folk of Annwn, but do not make them here, from the blood and bones of our people.
February 11, 2024
This book is gorgeously written but the story never rose from like to love for me.
I am still trying to figure why. It may come down to my personal wiring. It has all that I love in a fantasy. Many of the characters are my ancestors. I've read Beowulf in the original language. It features strong women characters who know their way around a fight (physical and political.) Creepy eldritch magic. I can see why this is revered and maybe I will try it again in the future.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I am still trying to figure why. It may come down to my personal wiring. It has all that I love in a fantasy. Many of the characters are my ancestors. I've read Beowulf in the original language. It features strong women characters who know their way around a fight (physical and political.) Creepy eldritch magic. I can see why this is revered and maybe I will try it again in the future.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Read
November 5, 2023This was so good, I can tell I’m going to have a hangover from it
April 16, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
While this didn't emotionally destroy me in the way that Sistersong did, Song of the Huntress is still an excellently written historical fantasy, retelling the myth of the Wild Hunt in 60AD Britain. I also love the project of what the author is doing here- finding spaces where queerness might have existed in history and filling in those blank spaces.
In this case, we have the leader of the Wild Hunt who was once the human lover of Boudica. Now she's caught in curse and takes many lives. But things begin to change when she encounters another warrior queen - Æthelburg of Wessex. A woman who doesn't fit expectations at court and has yet to bear a child though she and her husband love each other. (as it turns out, it's because he's on the asexual spectrum, though that term appropriately is never used)
This involves political plots, conspiracies, enemies, and old magic. It took awhile for the story to really suck me in, but once it did I was very invested and was never sure how it was going to end. Especially because I know this author can write tragedy in a way that brings me to tears. If you liked Sistersong, I would recommend giving this one a try as well! I received a copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
While this didn't emotionally destroy me in the way that Sistersong did, Song of the Huntress is still an excellently written historical fantasy, retelling the myth of the Wild Hunt in 60AD Britain. I also love the project of what the author is doing here- finding spaces where queerness might have existed in history and filling in those blank spaces.
In this case, we have the leader of the Wild Hunt who was once the human lover of Boudica. Now she's caught in curse and takes many lives. But things begin to change when she encounters another warrior queen - Æthelburg of Wessex. A woman who doesn't fit expectations at court and has yet to bear a child though she and her husband love each other. (as it turns out, it's because he's on the asexual spectrum, though that term appropriately is never used)
This involves political plots, conspiracies, enemies, and old magic. It took awhile for the story to really suck me in, but once it did I was very invested and was never sure how it was going to end. Especially because I know this author can write tragedy in a way that brings me to tears. If you liked Sistersong, I would recommend giving this one a try as well! I received a copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
March 24, 2024
Lucy Holland’s “Song of the Huntress” is one of those mesmerizing tales that stay with you long after the story has ended! By combining mythology, historical fantasy, love, loyalty, and magic, Lucy Holland creates an novel, while Kristin Atherton brings the characters to life through her stellar narration.
The story takes place in ancient Britain when Herla, desperate to save her lover, land, and people from the encroaching Romans, strikes a perilous deal with the king of the Otherworld. As time flows differently in the Otherworld, she finds upon her return that centuries have passed, leaving all her loved ones long gone. Cursed to lead the Wild Hunt, she roams, collecting the souls of wanderers. On one fateful night, Herla encounters Queen Æthelburg of Wessex, a formidable warrior with a troubled reputation at court. As tensions escalate within Wessex and the dead kings awaken, King Ine, facing threats from within his own family, seeks to harness the dormant magic in his bloodline.
While the story involves a handful of characters, with narrations from multiple viewpoints, the characters are richly drawn, each dealing with their own complexities and motivations, which are left for the reader/listener to discover through the pages. Along with the myriad of characters, the novel explores themes ranging from power, love, sacrifice, and identity, all in the context of a tumultuous historical period for ancient Britain.
On the audio side, Kristin Atherton's narration is impeccable, capturing the essence of ancient Britain and the characters' emotions with finesse. With her versatile voice brings depth to each character, making them distinct and memorable, her skillful narration enhances the storytelling, drawing listeners deeper into the enchanting world of Song of the Huntress.
The combination of Atherton's narration and Holland's storytelling created a spellbinding experience, weaving together history, mythology, and romance into a captivating narrative!
From its vivid characters to its evocative setting, the audiobook captivates listeners with its blend of history and myth. Whether in audiobook or print form, I highly recommend “Song of the Huntress” as a must-read for fans of historical fantasy and mythology!
Special thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan UK Audio, Macmillan, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #SongOfTheHuntress #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning
The story takes place in ancient Britain when Herla, desperate to save her lover, land, and people from the encroaching Romans, strikes a perilous deal with the king of the Otherworld. As time flows differently in the Otherworld, she finds upon her return that centuries have passed, leaving all her loved ones long gone. Cursed to lead the Wild Hunt, she roams, collecting the souls of wanderers. On one fateful night, Herla encounters Queen Æthelburg of Wessex, a formidable warrior with a troubled reputation at court. As tensions escalate within Wessex and the dead kings awaken, King Ine, facing threats from within his own family, seeks to harness the dormant magic in his bloodline.
While the story involves a handful of characters, with narrations from multiple viewpoints, the characters are richly drawn, each dealing with their own complexities and motivations, which are left for the reader/listener to discover through the pages. Along with the myriad of characters, the novel explores themes ranging from power, love, sacrifice, and identity, all in the context of a tumultuous historical period for ancient Britain.
On the audio side, Kristin Atherton's narration is impeccable, capturing the essence of ancient Britain and the characters' emotions with finesse. With her versatile voice brings depth to each character, making them distinct and memorable, her skillful narration enhances the storytelling, drawing listeners deeper into the enchanting world of Song of the Huntress.
The combination of Atherton's narration and Holland's storytelling created a spellbinding experience, weaving together history, mythology, and romance into a captivating narrative!
From its vivid characters to its evocative setting, the audiobook captivates listeners with its blend of history and myth. Whether in audiobook or print form, I highly recommend “Song of the Huntress” as a must-read for fans of historical fantasy and mythology!
Special thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan UK Audio, Macmillan, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #SongOfTheHuntress #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning
March 27, 2024
I usually enjoy prose-heavy books. I love to get lost in the words and admire authors writing such beautifully written novels.
After reading Song of the Huntress, I've concluded I only like short prosy books that are more vibes than plot. This book numbers just over 400 pages, an average length of fantasy/historical fiction. But the sheer amount of prose hid any character development or plot. It was a slog to get through. It's truly a shame, considering how interesting the world and character dynamics could have been, but it was never strong enough to truly invest in.
If you love lengthy prose novels, this will work for you! Just be aware the meat of the story gets lost in the flowery words.
Thank you, Netgalley and Redhook books, for the advance copy, in exchange for an honest review.
After reading Song of the Huntress, I've concluded I only like short prosy books that are more vibes than plot. This book numbers just over 400 pages, an average length of fantasy/historical fiction. But the sheer amount of prose hid any character development or plot. It was a slog to get through. It's truly a shame, considering how interesting the world and character dynamics could have been, but it was never strong enough to truly invest in.
If you love lengthy prose novels, this will work for you! Just be aware the meat of the story gets lost in the flowery words.
Thank you, Netgalley and Redhook books, for the advance copy, in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2024
"Run fast and don't look back."
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 3.5✶
TW: acephobia, animal death, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, grief, infidelity, injury/injury detail, murder, sexual assault, sexual content, violence, war.
Poetically written and thoroughly researched, 'Song of the Huntress' felt more like an experience than a book.
Even for someone with admittedly little knowledge on the historical events this novel retells, I found myself completely immersed in the politics and setting, due to the author's lyrical and yet concise prose. The Wild Hunt has always been a part of mythology that has fascinated me and it was easily my favorite aspect of this book, though I wish that it had been given more time.
As it was, this is a slow-paced, dense book that focuses more heavily on character development than anything else. Which was fine, but also quite tedious at times. I found myself struggling to connect with the story, whenever the chapters started to feel like a repetition of conversations we had already had and emotions we had already felt, just slightly reworded for the new context.
Though I found the character development monotonous at times, I can't deny that it produced vivid, three-dimensional, and compelling characters. Æthel particularly was such a fascinating character to follow, as her intensity and courage weren't excuses to keep her from tenderness and vulnerability. Ine and Herla were also extremely interesting (as were their dynamics with each other), but Æthel was easily my favorite of the three protagonists.
Without giving any spoilers, in the beginning, I struggled with the developing romance between Herla and Æthel. I understand that one of the characters was supposed to be regaining a sense of self, but having them secretly watch the other character bathe (only to never bring it up again) was both bothersome and unnecessary. I had to pretend that it hadn't happened by the time their romance was a prevalent part of the book.
On a more positive note, I was particularly fond of how this story blended historical fiction with fantasy, blurring the line between mythology and reality in such a dreamlike way. I see the comparison to "The Bear and the Nightingale" though I feel like this book was much less whimsical and more... academic leaning when it came to the power-struggle between paganism and Christianity.
Overall, I enjoyed this! Though I wouldn't recommend it to someone trying to fight a reading slump, I do think this was an incredibly well-crafted, interesting story that many people will enjoy. I'm grateful for the chance to have read it.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 3.5✶
TW: acephobia, animal death, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, grief, infidelity, injury/injury detail, murder, sexual assault, sexual content, violence, war.
Poetically written and thoroughly researched, 'Song of the Huntress' felt more like an experience than a book.
Even for someone with admittedly little knowledge on the historical events this novel retells, I found myself completely immersed in the politics and setting, due to the author's lyrical and yet concise prose. The Wild Hunt has always been a part of mythology that has fascinated me and it was easily my favorite aspect of this book, though I wish that it had been given more time.
As it was, this is a slow-paced, dense book that focuses more heavily on character development than anything else. Which was fine, but also quite tedious at times. I found myself struggling to connect with the story, whenever the chapters started to feel like a repetition of conversations we had already had and emotions we had already felt, just slightly reworded for the new context.
Though I found the character development monotonous at times, I can't deny that it produced vivid, three-dimensional, and compelling characters. Æthel particularly was such a fascinating character to follow, as her intensity and courage weren't excuses to keep her from tenderness and vulnerability. Ine and Herla were also extremely interesting (as were their dynamics with each other), but Æthel was easily my favorite of the three protagonists.
Without giving any spoilers, in the beginning, I struggled with the developing romance between Herla and Æthel. I understand that one of the characters was supposed to be regaining a sense of self, but having them secretly watch the other character bathe (only to never bring it up again) was both bothersome and unnecessary. I had to pretend that it hadn't happened by the time their romance was a prevalent part of the book.
On a more positive note, I was particularly fond of how this story blended historical fiction with fantasy, blurring the line between mythology and reality in such a dreamlike way. I see the comparison to "The Bear and the Nightingale" though I feel like this book was much less whimsical and more... academic leaning when it came to the power-struggle between paganism and Christianity.
Overall, I enjoyed this! Though I wouldn't recommend it to someone trying to fight a reading slump, I do think this was an incredibly well-crafted, interesting story that many people will enjoy. I'm grateful for the chance to have read it.
March 19, 2024
I initially rounded up on this one but as I sat a little longer with my feelings and considered how long I struggled with this one, despite trying to convince myself I was feeling invested, I just.. well. I couldn't quite do it here.
I'm starting to think that no matter how much I enjoy historical fiction and mythology, maybe I don't quite like experiencing this particular time period. Because this is the second book with a similar setting that just didn't pan out for me and maybe I need to stop trying (or maybe it's just bad luck?). Plus y'know getting through The Last Kingdom was generally an effort in stubbornness with little overall reward, so, yeah, that makes three. Or it's just a string of bad and coincidental luck.
But this could've worked and I think that's why I'm rounding down because I'm sad that it didn't as the potential is just maddeningly out of reach. The story in here, the relationship dynamics, the magic, it all glimmered but felt muffled, as if trapped just under the surface, and whether it was the writing or the tense or the fact that only one of the three POVs felt remotely interesting (and having said that it was only in the latter half because in the first half he is painfully brutal to watch but I guess that was the cost of his character development or something).. either way there was something holding this hostage from greatness.
There is a strong feminist angle and acknowledgement of the lack of equal representation from women throughout history but by the same token the two female characters we have are basically just.. angry warrior cliches and it got tired (again, this is why my favourite of the three was not one of the women, making me a sad panda). Equally, while the slowburn between them was starting to work for me, I'm not sure I bought the big love story. But, again, the way it informed the overall dynamics of the three main characters was interesting. Or at least angsty. Maybe I'm confusing the two.
Unfortunately, the slow pace and disconnect of the writing worked against me but I definitely think (hope) this will find success in the hands of other readers.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I'm starting to think that no matter how much I enjoy historical fiction and mythology, maybe I don't quite like experiencing this particular time period. Because this is the second book with a similar setting that just didn't pan out for me and maybe I need to stop trying (or maybe it's just bad luck?). Plus y'know getting through The Last Kingdom was generally an effort in stubbornness with little overall reward, so, yeah, that makes three. Or it's just a string of bad and coincidental luck.
But this could've worked and I think that's why I'm rounding down because I'm sad that it didn't as the potential is just maddeningly out of reach. The story in here, the relationship dynamics, the magic, it all glimmered but felt muffled, as if trapped just under the surface, and whether it was the writing or the tense or the fact that only one of the three POVs felt remotely interesting (and having said that it was only in the latter half because in the first half he is painfully brutal to watch but I guess that was the cost of his character development or something).. either way there was something holding this hostage from greatness.
There is a strong feminist angle and acknowledgement of the lack of equal representation from women throughout history but by the same token the two female characters we have are basically just.. angry warrior cliches and it got tired (again, this is why my favourite of the three was not one of the women, making me a sad panda). Equally, while the slowburn between them was starting to work for me, I'm not sure I bought the big love story. But, again, the way it informed the overall dynamics of the three main characters was interesting. Or at least angsty. Maybe I'm confusing the two.
Unfortunately, the slow pace and disconnect of the writing worked against me but I definitely think (hope) this will find success in the hands of other readers.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
June 21, 2024
Once more, Lucy Holland set her story in the magic-filled world of ancient Britain.
Herla, a brave warrior makes a deal with the lord of the Otherworld to save her beloved queen. Instead, she and her warriors end up trapped and cursed, sleeping inside a hill until called out to ride as Lord of the Hunt and her host. They reap souls for centuries, oblivious to the world changing around them, until one night Herla meets her match in Æthelburg, a Saxon queen determined to protect her people.
However, Æthelburg bears her own curse, too. Although she is a renowned warrior, her husband's court turns against her because she is childless. Bound by loyalty to her ace husband Ine, she protects his secret, while dreaming of love and passion. At the same time Ine, pestered by a treacherous brother and unending conflict in his kingdom, is riddled by self doubt and guilt because he is unable to fulfil his role as a warrior and husband.
In this 3-POV story, Holland manages to portray three flawed, complex, sympathetic and deeply human characters. Each of them makes mistakes and inevitably fails and is punished by the unforgiving world around them. Each of them doesn't fit - the cursed Lord of Hunt, the warrior queen, the ace king - and each of them can't conquer their enemies until they find peace within.
The book blends the complex history of the world divided between the Britons and the Saxons with the otherwordly magic of the Annwn and its trickster king. Just like Sistersong, it's filled with deep yearning and sorrow and heartbreak. I've learned to love the way Holland subtly uses folklore and magic - not to offer easy solutions, but to emphasize our purely human flaws. Magic is as much a curse as it is a blessing here, and it's the people who wield it that shape the story and the destinies of those around them.
Herla, a brave warrior makes a deal with the lord of the Otherworld to save her beloved queen. Instead, she and her warriors end up trapped and cursed, sleeping inside a hill until called out to ride as Lord of the Hunt and her host. They reap souls for centuries, oblivious to the world changing around them, until one night Herla meets her match in Æthelburg, a Saxon queen determined to protect her people.
However, Æthelburg bears her own curse, too. Although she is a renowned warrior, her husband's court turns against her because she is childless. Bound by loyalty to her ace husband Ine, she protects his secret, while dreaming of love and passion. At the same time Ine, pestered by a treacherous brother and unending conflict in his kingdom, is riddled by self doubt and guilt because he is unable to fulfil his role as a warrior and husband.
In this 3-POV story, Holland manages to portray three flawed, complex, sympathetic and deeply human characters. Each of them makes mistakes and inevitably fails and is punished by the unforgiving world around them. Each of them doesn't fit - the cursed Lord of Hunt, the warrior queen, the ace king - and each of them can't conquer their enemies until they find peace within.
The book blends the complex history of the world divided between the Britons and the Saxons with the otherwordly magic of the Annwn and its trickster king. Just like Sistersong, it's filled with deep yearning and sorrow and heartbreak. I've learned to love the way Holland subtly uses folklore and magic - not to offer easy solutions, but to emphasize our purely human flaws. Magic is as much a curse as it is a blessing here, and it's the people who wield it that shape the story and the destinies of those around them.
July 17, 2025
I was abit disappointed by this novel, tho mostly I think cos of my expectations and anticipation, and cos I didn't enjoy it as much as the authors previous novel 'Sistersong'.
there were, tho, also alot of bits I did enjoy 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
📖 I liked the historical note, describing Western Britain, populated by Anglo Saxons, Dumnonians... and that it incorporated elements of Welsh myth too!
📖 and within the opening quotes it drew on books I know! Red book of Hergest, The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
⚔ I enjoyed the Prologue, with the warriors in Annwn from the time of Boudica, until 300 years later! I thought this was a nice take on the tale... tho sad for them.
🏇🏾 riding til the hound gets down, and he shows no sign.
they (Herla and her warrior band) become the band of warriors who ride from the mound - the Wild Hunt.
another three centuries...
until the night the hound of Annwn leapt down...
...and onto/into chapter 1 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🌀 chapters by Herla, Æthelburg, and Ine tell the story - it's present, background, history, perspectives...
🎼 and a storyteller... the story of the Boar, the story of the Jugs, the story of the Harp... all conjuring images in Ine's eye/mind. Gwyn, is needed to hunt the Boar, "his skill his horse, his red-eared hound"...
🌀 you can kinda see where all this is going, but I enjoyed the mixing of myth, history, tale, and time... the blending of Old Wales and the Mabinogi, the Celts in the time of the Romans, the Celts in the time of the Saxons... hints even of Myrddin/Merlin(*), in the storyteller... who is also telling/structuring/pacing this story... in the way a play might be progressed by (I can't remember who it's called). and in many ways the main characters are like characters in a play, destined/doomed to play out old parts...
(*they appear later, in a conversation with Ine, as Emrys, pronouns they/them 😉)
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
👑 I liked the inclusion of a seeming asexual/graysexual king 🙂
👑 and a king who has visions... 🙂
👑 but a King who's been away from his kingdom too long, to see what's going on, and how Britons are being treated...
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🗿 I enjoyed a giant in the landscape, as part of the landscape 🙂 something I very much relate to 😊
📝 I really liked some of the writing, and imagery 🙂
🐶 and I grew to like the dog Dormac, and his kinda grumpy obedience 😉🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🥱 I got abit bored by the court politics, hierarchies, and some antagonistic relationships... but... 🙃🙄
🥱 and I could have done without the angsty repetition of some things, and the drawn out secrets of things. just get on with it! and maybe talk to each other! 🙄
and the self loathing angst too, and self reproach 🙄 I was easily bored of that 🥱🙄
🌟 🌟 🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, read by Kristin Atherton, with a historical note read by the author 🙂
there were, tho, also alot of bits I did enjoy 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
📖 I liked the historical note, describing Western Britain, populated by Anglo Saxons, Dumnonians... and that it incorporated elements of Welsh myth too!
📖 and within the opening quotes it drew on books I know! Red book of Hergest, The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
⚔ I enjoyed the Prologue, with the warriors in Annwn from the time of Boudica, until 300 years later! I thought this was a nice take on the tale... tho sad for them.
🏇🏾 riding til the hound gets down, and he shows no sign.
they (Herla and her warrior band) become the band of warriors who ride from the mound - the Wild Hunt.
another three centuries...
until the night the hound of Annwn leapt down...
...and onto/into chapter 1 🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🌀 chapters by Herla, Æthelburg, and Ine tell the story - it's present, background, history, perspectives...
🎼 and a storyteller... the story of the Boar, the story of the Jugs, the story of the Harp... all conjuring images in Ine's eye/mind. Gwyn, is needed to hunt the Boar, "his skill his horse, his red-eared hound"...
🌀 you can kinda see where all this is going, but I enjoyed the mixing of myth, history, tale, and time... the blending of Old Wales and the Mabinogi, the Celts in the time of the Romans, the Celts in the time of the Saxons... hints even of Myrddin/Merlin(*), in the storyteller... who is also telling/structuring/pacing this story... in the way a play might be progressed by (I can't remember who it's called). and in many ways the main characters are like characters in a play, destined/doomed to play out old parts...
(*they appear later, in a conversation with Ine, as Emrys, pronouns they/them 😉)
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
👑 I liked the inclusion of a seeming asexual/graysexual king 🙂
👑 and a king who has visions... 🙂
👑 but a King who's been away from his kingdom too long, to see what's going on, and how Britons are being treated...
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🗿 I enjoyed a giant in the landscape, as part of the landscape 🙂 something I very much relate to 😊
📝 I really liked some of the writing, and imagery 🙂
🐶 and I grew to like the dog Dormac, and his kinda grumpy obedience 😉🙂
🐶⛰🏇🏇🏾🌳⚔🧙🏼♂
🥱 I got abit bored by the court politics, hierarchies, and some antagonistic relationships... but... 🙃🙄
🥱 and I could have done without the angsty repetition of some things, and the drawn out secrets of things. just get on with it! and maybe talk to each other! 🙄
and the self loathing angst too, and self reproach 🙄 I was easily bored of that 🥱🙄
🌟 🌟 🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, read by Kristin Atherton, with a historical note read by the author 🙂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2024
Reseña completa: https://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/20...
Britania. Año 60 d.C. Herla realizó un pacto desesperado con el rey del Otro Mundo para salvar a su amante y su tierra de los romanos, pero cae en la trampa y se convierte en la señora de la Cacería, lo que la lleva a cabalgar durante siglos recolectando almas, hasta que conoce a una mujer en un sangriento campo de batalla: la reina Aethelburg de Wessex, una guerrera que acaba de descubrir que la corte de su marido se ha vuelto en su contra. Aun así, hará lo que pueda por ayudar al rey Ine: los antiguos reyes vuelven a caminar sobre la tierra e Ine deberá dominar la magia ancestral para asegurar la supervivencia de su gente. Cuando los caminos de los tres se crucen, no resultará una coincidencia, y deberán trabajar para encontrar una forma de romper la maldición antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Buf, menudo viaje. Desde luego que no ha sido una novela ligera, de esas que se leen en un día: hay que leerla despacito, para apreciar cada matiz, cada paso del camino, los personajes, la ambientación y la magia tan enrevesada que rodea todo.
Contamos con una trama compleja, llena de secretos, de giros, de magia, maldición de por medio, intrigas y traiciones que muchas veces no quedan claras hasta el final del todo, entrelazado con leyendas britanas... ha sido una tremenda delicia de lectura que, más de una vez, me ha hecho sufrir.
Britania. Año 60 d.C. Herla realizó un pacto desesperado con el rey del Otro Mundo para salvar a su amante y su tierra de los romanos, pero cae en la trampa y se convierte en la señora de la Cacería, lo que la lleva a cabalgar durante siglos recolectando almas, hasta que conoce a una mujer en un sangriento campo de batalla: la reina Aethelburg de Wessex, una guerrera que acaba de descubrir que la corte de su marido se ha vuelto en su contra. Aun así, hará lo que pueda por ayudar al rey Ine: los antiguos reyes vuelven a caminar sobre la tierra e Ine deberá dominar la magia ancestral para asegurar la supervivencia de su gente. Cuando los caminos de los tres se crucen, no resultará una coincidencia, y deberán trabajar para encontrar una forma de romper la maldición antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Buf, menudo viaje. Desde luego que no ha sido una novela ligera, de esas que se leen en un día: hay que leerla despacito, para apreciar cada matiz, cada paso del camino, los personajes, la ambientación y la magia tan enrevesada que rodea todo.
Contamos con una trama compleja, llena de secretos, de giros, de magia, maldición de por medio, intrigas y traiciones que muchas veces no quedan claras hasta el final del todo, entrelazado con leyendas britanas... ha sido una tremenda delicia de lectura que, más de una vez, me ha hecho sufrir.
April 28, 2024
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I am blown away by the clear amount of research that the author has put into this book! I know truly next to nothing about this time period or these historical figures, and I loved getting to know them through this story. This is a slow-paced, dense book that really requires your attention and it was lovely to immerse myself into the book, despite it feeling at times a struggle to fully connect with the characters. There is so much to unpack in this book - conspiracies, political plots, old magic, the Wild Hunt, ancient British kingdoms... power, love and sacrifice all meld together to create a truly epic story. I also loved how the author imagines queerness fitting into history, with discussions of asexuality and sapphic characters. It didn't quite hit a 5 star rating for me, but this was an incredible book and I really really want to read Sistersong now!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I am blown away by the clear amount of research that the author has put into this book! I know truly next to nothing about this time period or these historical figures, and I loved getting to know them through this story. This is a slow-paced, dense book that really requires your attention and it was lovely to immerse myself into the book, despite it feeling at times a struggle to fully connect with the characters. There is so much to unpack in this book - conspiracies, political plots, old magic, the Wild Hunt, ancient British kingdoms... power, love and sacrifice all meld together to create a truly epic story. I also loved how the author imagines queerness fitting into history, with discussions of asexuality and sapphic characters. It didn't quite hit a 5 star rating for me, but this was an incredible book and I really really want to read Sistersong now!
February 14, 2024
Thankfully this was exactly the kind of book I needed to read after my January of disappointments. Not as good as Sistersong (I found the relationships between the siblings in that book more heart-wrenching but maybe that's because I have siblings of my own) but this is an excellent historical fantasy set in early Britain. I loved the exploration of both the ace and sapphic characters whose identities are a key point to the narrative; I loved the discussion around asexuality especially, though not give these terms it's clear to see what they're representing.
I may do a full review of this eventually once I've processed my thoughts.
I may do a full review of this eventually once I've processed my thoughts.
January 28, 2024
3 stars
As someone who has shouted about SISTERSONG from the rooftops, I am admittedly a bit disappointed in this. I read it over the course of 2 weeks, when typically I would read something like this in a few days. I just couldn’t read more than a few % at a time.
I love Lucy’s writing style and the setting of her books, as the “historical fantasy/mythology/folklore” market has historically been overwhelmingly Greek, so I love when books focus elsewhere. Ancient Britain is a time period I am particularly interested in, so I appreciate that Lucy writes in the era.
You can tell that as an author, Lucy takes great care in doing in-depth research to provide a solid historical basis before taking creative liberties for her stories, which is great. The three main characters- Ine, Æthelburg, and Herla were enjoyable and it was nice to have a multi-pov once again.
I love that Lucy explores the struggle of women in history, and her prose during Æthel and Herla’s POV capture it beautifully. As a woman, it is very powerful to see these powerful women but to also recognize how the patriarchal societies diminish everything about them.
I also appreciated the complex and diverse identities Lucy gave the characters: asexual, bi-sexual, non-binary, and lesbian. It is refreshing to see the representation and existence in a historical setting.
My main gripe was the pacing, and that is why it took me so long to get through this book. It was so. slow. By the point things did start to pick up, I was feeling apathetic towards the characters and their struggles; I just wanted to get to the end of the book. This really disappointed me because I was so excited for another Lucy Holland book in ancient Britain and Welsh folklore and magic.
Speaking of Welsh, I would have really appreciated a pronunciation guide for all of the characters and places, because it took me out of the story to be searching the correct phonetic pronunciations. I understand it’s difficult to phonetically translate Welsh to English, but something would have been better than nothing. I say that I still greatly appreciate that she used Welsh and Old English to add to the historical truthfulness, but it did add complexity without a complete pronunciation guide.
I also disliked the third person present tense, at times it read like a movie script or screenplay, which was not immersive at all. Third person past tense or first person would have been much better, in my opinion.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship subplot between Herla and Æthel, and Æthel and Ine. While I always wish everyone to have a happily ever after, the resolutions to the relationships were well executed.
I think at some point I would like to give this a re-read, after having read it once and having better understood how ambitious of a project this book was, especially after SISTERSONG.
Overall, while there were many things I enjoyed, I do wish the story overall could have been executed and explored a little better, especially with a team of editors.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook/Orbit US for the e-arc!
I’m looking forward to what Lucy does next.
As someone who has shouted about SISTERSONG from the rooftops, I am admittedly a bit disappointed in this. I read it over the course of 2 weeks, when typically I would read something like this in a few days. I just couldn’t read more than a few % at a time.
I love Lucy’s writing style and the setting of her books, as the “historical fantasy/mythology/folklore” market has historically been overwhelmingly Greek, so I love when books focus elsewhere. Ancient Britain is a time period I am particularly interested in, so I appreciate that Lucy writes in the era.
You can tell that as an author, Lucy takes great care in doing in-depth research to provide a solid historical basis before taking creative liberties for her stories, which is great. The three main characters- Ine, Æthelburg, and Herla were enjoyable and it was nice to have a multi-pov once again.
I love that Lucy explores the struggle of women in history, and her prose during Æthel and Herla’s POV capture it beautifully. As a woman, it is very powerful to see these powerful women but to also recognize how the patriarchal societies diminish everything about them.
I also appreciated the complex and diverse identities Lucy gave the characters: asexual, bi-sexual, non-binary, and lesbian. It is refreshing to see the representation and existence in a historical setting.
My main gripe was the pacing, and that is why it took me so long to get through this book. It was so. slow. By the point things did start to pick up, I was feeling apathetic towards the characters and their struggles; I just wanted to get to the end of the book. This really disappointed me because I was so excited for another Lucy Holland book in ancient Britain and Welsh folklore and magic.
Speaking of Welsh, I would have really appreciated a pronunciation guide for all of the characters and places, because it took me out of the story to be searching the correct phonetic pronunciations. I understand it’s difficult to phonetically translate Welsh to English, but something would have been better than nothing. I say that I still greatly appreciate that she used Welsh and Old English to add to the historical truthfulness, but it did add complexity without a complete pronunciation guide.
I also disliked the third person present tense, at times it read like a movie script or screenplay, which was not immersive at all. Third person past tense or first person would have been much better, in my opinion.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the relationship subplot between Herla and Æthel, and Æthel and Ine. While I always wish everyone to have a happily ever after, the resolutions to the relationships were well executed.
I think at some point I would like to give this a re-read, after having read it once and having better understood how ambitious of a project this book was, especially after SISTERSONG.
Overall, while there were many things I enjoyed, I do wish the story overall could have been executed and explored a little better, especially with a team of editors.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook/Orbit US for the e-arc!
I’m looking forward to what Lucy does next.
March 26, 2024
Rep: bi mc, lesbian mc, ace mc, nonbinary side character
Galley provided by publisher
something of a review here , but to add to that there were aspects of this that just felt anachronistic and not helped by the fact it was in present tense (the writing, for instance, being one of those aspects). in the 3 years since i read sistersong, clearly my tastes have changed, so i probably won't ever be able to reread that one now haha
Galley provided by publisher
something of a review here , but to add to that there were aspects of this that just felt anachronistic and not helped by the fact it was in present tense (the writing, for instance, being one of those aspects). in the 3 years since i read sistersong, clearly my tastes have changed, so i probably won't ever be able to reread that one now haha
March 12, 2024
Song of the Huntress begins with the tale of Herla who was tricked by the King of the Underworld to wield his blade as the lord of the Hunt. Under every old moon Herla and her army kill without discrimination until Herla misses her kill and looks in to the eyes of a fierce warrior.
Queen Æthelburg never meets the demands of courts and favour because she does not behave like a typical Queen and instead takes herself to battle and fights for her King and Kingdom. Her character is constantly twisted by the courts, blinding the King and bringing a greater divide between them. Despite everything she faces, she continues to fight for what she knows is for her family, her country. I loved her strength and her character, her unwavering resolve to do her best.
When a neighbouring King is murdered, King Ine is thought to be the killer and must leave to save his kingdom from evils trying to take over. During this he begins to feel he is losing his mind as he develops strange abilities.
There is epic battles, intriguing mythology, fierce warriors, sapphic romance, strong, beautiful woman!
I really loved Songs of the Huntress and the World that Lucy holland created rich with politics, mythology, strong female main characters and strength that conquers all.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Queen Æthelburg never meets the demands of courts and favour because she does not behave like a typical Queen and instead takes herself to battle and fights for her King and Kingdom. Her character is constantly twisted by the courts, blinding the King and bringing a greater divide between them. Despite everything she faces, she continues to fight for what she knows is for her family, her country. I loved her strength and her character, her unwavering resolve to do her best.
When a neighbouring King is murdered, King Ine is thought to be the killer and must leave to save his kingdom from evils trying to take over. During this he begins to feel he is losing his mind as he develops strange abilities.
There is epic battles, intriguing mythology, fierce warriors, sapphic romance, strong, beautiful woman!
I really loved Songs of the Huntress and the World that Lucy holland created rich with politics, mythology, strong female main characters and strength that conquers all.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2024
Tremenda fantasía histórica 🖤
Me moría por leerlo porque la anterior historia de la autora me fascinó, y no ha defraudado: una trama trepidante, llena de acción, de leyenda y magia, y unos personajes complejos magníficamente desarrollados.
Me moría por leerlo porque la anterior historia de la autora me fascinó, y no ha defraudado: una trama trepidante, llena de acción, de leyenda y magia, y unos personajes complejos magníficamente desarrollados.
July 12, 2025
Este libro tenía todos los elementos que podrían haber funcionado para mí. ¿Novela de fantasía histórica que tiene a la Cacería Salvaje como punto de partida? Realmente pensé que me iba a gustar mucho, pero la verdad es que no fue así.
Antes que nada, me gustaría hacer especial énfasis en lo terrible que fue la traducción de este libro. No sé si fue una falla particular de la traducción o de la corrección de estilo, pero la edición en español tiene DEMASIADOS errores ortográficos y de redacción. DEMASIADOS. A ver, entiendo que no es una labor fácil corregir un libro extenso, pero éste pareciera que lo hubiesen mandado a imprimir así no más. Y tomando en consideración que la prosa de la autora ya de por sí es complicada, no podía evitar sentir que esos errores me sacaban por completo de la historia. Varias frases ni se entendían.
Por otra parte, la trama en sí estuvo floja, en mi opinión. En un punto hasta consideré abandonar el libro, porque sentía que no terminaba más, pero bueno, finalmente llegué al final y si bien remonta un poco pasando la mitad, no logré conectar del todo con ningún personaje en ningún momento.
Realmente me entristece mucho escribir esta reseña porque realmente esperaba disfrutar mucho esta historia. Pero bueno, a veces puede fallar.
Obviamente, tengan en consideración que ésta es mi opinión personal. Si quieren leer el libro y descubrir qué les parece por su cuenta, es totalmente válido, ya que las opiniones son subjetivas y varían de persona a persona.
Antes que nada, me gustaría hacer especial énfasis en lo terrible que fue la traducción de este libro. No sé si fue una falla particular de la traducción o de la corrección de estilo, pero la edición en español tiene DEMASIADOS errores ortográficos y de redacción. DEMASIADOS. A ver, entiendo que no es una labor fácil corregir un libro extenso, pero éste pareciera que lo hubiesen mandado a imprimir así no más. Y tomando en consideración que la prosa de la autora ya de por sí es complicada, no podía evitar sentir que esos errores me sacaban por completo de la historia. Varias frases ni se entendían.
Por otra parte, la trama en sí estuvo floja, en mi opinión. En un punto hasta consideré abandonar el libro, porque sentía que no terminaba más, pero bueno, finalmente llegué al final y si bien remonta un poco pasando la mitad, no logré conectar del todo con ningún personaje en ningún momento.
Realmente me entristece mucho escribir esta reseña porque realmente esperaba disfrutar mucho esta historia. Pero bueno, a veces puede fallar.
Obviamente, tengan en consideración que ésta es mi opinión personal. Si quieren leer el libro y descubrir qué les parece por su cuenta, es totalmente válido, ya que las opiniones son subjetivas y varían de persona a persona.
Want to read
June 21, 2021my og twisted faerie mythology loving heart is beating so fast for this book
June 2, 2025
Me gusta que la autora ambiente sus libros en periodos históricos de los que conozco absolutamente nada, en este caso Britania siglo VII. En general, me gustó el libro, aunque se volvió medio caótico para el final y sí que resultó ser algo lento por momentos.
La guerrera Herla hizo un trato con el rey del Otro Mundo para salvar a su amante y eliminar a los romanos, pero engañada terminó en la Cacería Salvaje por más de 300 años. La reina Æthelburg de Wessex es una guerrera, pero después de años de matrimonio sigue sin dar un heredero. La relación con su esposo flaquea y debe enfrentar el desprecio constante de la corte, así que se enfoca en pelear las guerras de su esposo. Cuando Herla se vea, momentáneamente, libre del poder del rey del Otro Mundo, se acercará a Æthelburg.
El libro tuvo tres narradores; Æthelburg, Ine, su esposo, y Herla. Cada uno de ellos resultó ser un personaje importante en la historia y en todo lo que estaba pasando en el libro. Fue muy divertido ir leyendo el cómo sus historias se entremezclaban y conectaban, más allá del componente personal. Æthelburg era una guerrera, amaba a su esposo, pero se sentía dejada de lado por él y debía enfrentar sola a una corte que la despreciaba. Sin embargo, era fiel a su gente y se tomaba en serio su rol de reina. Ine era un rey noble que buscaba lo mejor para los sajones y su propia gente, debía manejar un delicado equilibrio entre sus hombres y lo que creía correcto. Finalmente, Herla pensaba que era menos humana después de 300 años liderando la Cacería Salvaje creía que ya no era capaz de volver a sentir hasta que conoció a Æthelburg.
El libro recordó un poco a Lady Hotspur, fue una novela de ambientación histórica, pero con un componente fantástico asociado más a la mitología galesa, una magia más ancestral. Además, tenía representación LGBTIQ+ y personajes que vivían sus sentimientos de forma intensa y angustiosa, anhelaban y sufrían con todo su corazón. A pesar de que la historia está dominada por la trama y sus personajes, sí que el romance tuvo un foco importante.
Al inicio, la autora aclaró que intentó ser lo más fiel posible a la historia real, pero que no se tenía demasiada información de esos años y de los personajes, Ine y Æthelburg de Wessex. De esta forma, si bien la autora habló del avance de los sajones y todo el tema político de Wessex, el componente fantástico ocupó gran parte de la trama. A pesar de ser un libro más denso, se leía bastante rápido debido a la prosa de la autora, era entretenido de leer, sobre todo porque la historia comenzó en un momento políticamente tenso. Aun así por momentos se sentía que no estábamos avanzando mucho o solo dábamos vueltas en círculos.
Confieso que el final se sintió bastante anticlimático, como si no estuviera a la altura de toda la tensión que fue construyendo a lo largo del libro. No era lo que esperaba y no sé si tuvo tanto sentido, fue más el caso de cuando un personaje descubre su verdadero poder y luego todo se soluciona. Aun así admito que el cierre me sacó una lágrima, fue bastante emotivo y un final emotivo para los personajes.
La canción de la cazadora es una novela autoconclusiva ambientada en un contexto histórico real, así como sus protagonistas, mezclado con mitología galesa y la Cacería Salvaje. En un relato entretenido y centrado tanto en política de Wessex como en la lucha por liberarse por parte de una guerrera con siglos de edad.
“Sospecha que ofende a mucha gente simplemente por ser ella misma”.
La guerrera Herla hizo un trato con el rey del Otro Mundo para salvar a su amante y eliminar a los romanos, pero engañada terminó en la Cacería Salvaje por más de 300 años. La reina Æthelburg de Wessex es una guerrera, pero después de años de matrimonio sigue sin dar un heredero. La relación con su esposo flaquea y debe enfrentar el desprecio constante de la corte, así que se enfoca en pelear las guerras de su esposo. Cuando Herla se vea, momentáneamente, libre del poder del rey del Otro Mundo, se acercará a Æthelburg.
“Las historias cruzan fronteras cuando nosotros no podemos. Países, religiones… tiempo”.
El libro tuvo tres narradores; Æthelburg, Ine, su esposo, y Herla. Cada uno de ellos resultó ser un personaje importante en la historia y en todo lo que estaba pasando en el libro. Fue muy divertido ir leyendo el cómo sus historias se entremezclaban y conectaban, más allá del componente personal. Æthelburg era una guerrera, amaba a su esposo, pero se sentía dejada de lado por él y debía enfrentar sola a una corte que la despreciaba. Sin embargo, era fiel a su gente y se tomaba en serio su rol de reina. Ine era un rey noble que buscaba lo mejor para los sajones y su propia gente, debía manejar un delicado equilibrio entre sus hombres y lo que creía correcto. Finalmente, Herla pensaba que era menos humana después de 300 años liderando la Cacería Salvaje creía que ya no era capaz de volver a sentir hasta que conoció a Æthelburg.
“Me he convertido en una extraña para la vida”.
El libro recordó un poco a Lady Hotspur, fue una novela de ambientación histórica, pero con un componente fantástico asociado más a la mitología galesa, una magia más ancestral. Además, tenía representación LGBTIQ+ y personajes que vivían sus sentimientos de forma intensa y angustiosa, anhelaban y sufrían con todo su corazón. A pesar de que la historia está dominada por la trama y sus personajes, sí que el romance tuvo un foco importante.
“¿Por qué recordar las hazañas de las mujeres cuando podemos elogiar las de los hombres?”.
Al inicio, la autora aclaró que intentó ser lo más fiel posible a la historia real, pero que no se tenía demasiada información de esos años y de los personajes, Ine y Æthelburg de Wessex. De esta forma, si bien la autora habló del avance de los sajones y todo el tema político de Wessex, el componente fantástico ocupó gran parte de la trama. A pesar de ser un libro más denso, se leía bastante rápido debido a la prosa de la autora, era entretenido de leer, sobre todo porque la historia comenzó en un momento políticamente tenso. Aun así por momentos se sentía que no estábamos avanzando mucho o solo dábamos vueltas en círculos.
“Todos encontramos la manera de lidiar con un mundo que no entiende. Que no entiende que no deseamos lo mismo que otra gente”.
Confieso que el final se sintió bastante anticlimático, como si no estuviera a la altura de toda la tensión que fue construyendo a lo largo del libro. No era lo que esperaba y no sé si tuvo tanto sentido, fue más el caso de cuando un personaje descubre su verdadero poder y luego todo se soluciona. Aun así admito que el cierre me sacó una lágrima, fue bastante emotivo y un final emotivo para los personajes.
“—Mi corazón no puede regalarse como una baratija —protesta Æthel—. Sigue siendo mío”.
La canción de la cazadora es una novela autoconclusiva ambientada en un contexto histórico real, así como sus protagonistas, mezclado con mitología galesa y la Cacería Salvaje. En un relato entretenido y centrado tanto en política de Wessex como en la lucha por liberarse por parte de una guerrera con siglos de edad.
“El dolor no es nada para los guijarros y corrientes de la Tierra. Él es la Tierra. Toda la gente allí reunida lo es. Todas las vidas son diminnutas en el corazón de la soberanía. No tiene otro nombre para ello: incluso dios parece quedarse pequeño. Una majestad en el agua, en la forma del viento y los aleteos. Es la pendiente de oscuridad que desciende sobre ellos y las estrellas que continúan brillando, aun así. Es tan enorme que todo lo demás retrocede”.
March 16, 2025
4/5
En el mes de enero me estrené con Lucy Holland leyendo Sistersong: La balada del arpa de hueso y me gustó muchísimo. Cuando vi en las novedades de la editorial que la autora sacaba nuevo libro no me lo pensé dos veces y lo pedí. Y me ha vuelto a conquistar. Pero antes quiero comentar una cosa.
Este libro se presenta como autoconclusivo y apto para leer sin haber pasado antes por Sistersong, pero… digamos que eso es una verdad a medias. Después de haber leído ambos, creo que pueden disfrutarse por separado, pero la experiencia es mucho más rica si se empieza por el otro.
Para mí, este libro es, sin duda, una secuela directa. Hay personajes que vuelven a salir y menciones a otros personajes importantes del primer libro y a acontecimientos ya sucedidos. Así que recomiendo empezar por el primero.
Puntos Positivos
🌹Volvemos a encontrarnos con una novela de Fantasía Histórica ambientada en la antigua Britania, unos 300 años después de los acontecimientos del primer libro. En esta ocasión, la historia gira en torno al ancestral mito de la Cacería Salvaje, una leyenda que ha sido reinterpretada en el folclore europeo desde la Edad Media.
🌹Uno de los ejes centrales de la novela es la lucha territorial entre los sajones, ya establecidos, y los britanos, que buscan recuperar sus tierras ancestrales. Todo ello se entrelaza con la magia arraigada en la tierra y el folclore del Rey de las Hadas y el Otro Mundo, añadiendo un aire místico y legendario a la historia.
🌹La ambientación vuelve a ser uno de los grandes aciertos de la novela. Hay un aura de misticismo que lo impregna todo, donde las leyendas y los mitos cobran vida, y la magia ancestral fluye a través de una tierra habitada por criaturas y seres de otro mundo. La autora recrea esta época con tanta precisión y detalle que es imposible no sentirse transportado/a a través del tiempo.
🌹Los personajes me han encantado. Una vez más, la historia se narra desde tres perspectivas: Herla, Ine y Æthelburg, cada uno con una voz única que enriquece la trama. Sus visiones contrastan y aportan matices muy interesantes, pero si hay alguien que realmente me ha fascinado, ese es Herla.
🌹Es una historia tan bonita como desgarradora. La conexión entre los personajes es profunda y se percibe en cada página. No podía soltar el libro, completamente atrapada por la manera tan cautivadora en la que escribe la autora.
Puntos Negativos
🌹Al igual que en Sistersong, el ritmo de la novela es pausado y no brilla precisamente por su acción. Es una historia delicada y envolvente, pero avanza con calma, lo que podría resultar un inconveniente para algunos lectores.
Me ha parecido una novela preciosa, con una combinación perfecta de historia, magia, folclore y un toque de política. La historia de amor está muy bien desarrollada, y los personajes tienen una gran profundidad y fortaleza. Por ahora, esta autora no decepciona.
-Ig:https://www.instagram.com/p/DHRP18NM8...
-Blog: https://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.c...
En el mes de enero me estrené con Lucy Holland leyendo Sistersong: La balada del arpa de hueso y me gustó muchísimo. Cuando vi en las novedades de la editorial que la autora sacaba nuevo libro no me lo pensé dos veces y lo pedí. Y me ha vuelto a conquistar. Pero antes quiero comentar una cosa.
Este libro se presenta como autoconclusivo y apto para leer sin haber pasado antes por Sistersong, pero… digamos que eso es una verdad a medias. Después de haber leído ambos, creo que pueden disfrutarse por separado, pero la experiencia es mucho más rica si se empieza por el otro.
Para mí, este libro es, sin duda, una secuela directa. Hay personajes que vuelven a salir y menciones a otros personajes importantes del primer libro y a acontecimientos ya sucedidos. Así que recomiendo empezar por el primero.
Puntos Positivos
🌹Volvemos a encontrarnos con una novela de Fantasía Histórica ambientada en la antigua Britania, unos 300 años después de los acontecimientos del primer libro. En esta ocasión, la historia gira en torno al ancestral mito de la Cacería Salvaje, una leyenda que ha sido reinterpretada en el folclore europeo desde la Edad Media.
🌹Uno de los ejes centrales de la novela es la lucha territorial entre los sajones, ya establecidos, y los britanos, que buscan recuperar sus tierras ancestrales. Todo ello se entrelaza con la magia arraigada en la tierra y el folclore del Rey de las Hadas y el Otro Mundo, añadiendo un aire místico y legendario a la historia.
🌹La ambientación vuelve a ser uno de los grandes aciertos de la novela. Hay un aura de misticismo que lo impregna todo, donde las leyendas y los mitos cobran vida, y la magia ancestral fluye a través de una tierra habitada por criaturas y seres de otro mundo. La autora recrea esta época con tanta precisión y detalle que es imposible no sentirse transportado/a a través del tiempo.
🌹Los personajes me han encantado. Una vez más, la historia se narra desde tres perspectivas: Herla, Ine y Æthelburg, cada uno con una voz única que enriquece la trama. Sus visiones contrastan y aportan matices muy interesantes, pero si hay alguien que realmente me ha fascinado, ese es Herla.
🌹Es una historia tan bonita como desgarradora. La conexión entre los personajes es profunda y se percibe en cada página. No podía soltar el libro, completamente atrapada por la manera tan cautivadora en la que escribe la autora.
Puntos Negativos
🌹Al igual que en Sistersong, el ritmo de la novela es pausado y no brilla precisamente por su acción. Es una historia delicada y envolvente, pero avanza con calma, lo que podría resultar un inconveniente para algunos lectores.
Me ha parecido una novela preciosa, con una combinación perfecta de historia, magia, folclore y un toque de política. La historia de amor está muy bien desarrollada, y los personajes tienen una gran profundidad y fortaleza. Por ahora, esta autora no decepciona.
-Ig:https://www.instagram.com/p/DHRP18NM8...
-Blog: https://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.c...
May 28, 2025
Well written, well researched, and overall a great read. Be forewarned that the author does not ease you into this world and there are a lot of names and loyalties to keep track of. But by the second half of the book I felt I had a good grasp and I was very drawn in, finding it hard to put down by that point.
The first half of this book is unfortunately very slow going, which is why I could not in good conscience give this book five stars. But the pacing issues are rectified in the second half, where the action really starts to pick up and the pieces start to fall into place. The characters felt very grounded and real and I fell in love with every one of them.
The first half of this book is unfortunately very slow going, which is why I could not in good conscience give this book five stars. But the pacing issues are rectified in the second half, where the action really starts to pick up and the pieces start to fall into place. The characters felt very grounded and real and I fell in love with every one of them.
May 14, 2025
2'5 🌟
El mito de la Cacería Salvaje es mi favorito, y por eso me duele darle esta nota, pero no he podido tirar más hacia arriba. La idea me ha encantado y la ejecución no es mala, pero me parece un poco inconsistente. La prosa es preciosa, pero es cierto que por veces es muy densa y dificulta avanzar. Por otra parte, pretender que una historia avance o mantener la tensión entre los personajes con el plot de la falta de comunicación, me parece un recurso más bien frustrante y pobre, al menos tal y como se desarrolla en este libro. Además, no me gusta que me vendan una historia de amor cuando en realidad es deseo desesperado. Una pena.
El mito de la Cacería Salvaje es mi favorito, y por eso me duele darle esta nota, pero no he podido tirar más hacia arriba. La idea me ha encantado y la ejecución no es mala, pero me parece un poco inconsistente. La prosa es preciosa, pero es cierto que por veces es muy densa y dificulta avanzar. Por otra parte, pretender que una historia avance o mantener la tensión entre los personajes con el plot de la falta de comunicación, me parece un recurso más bien frustrante y pobre, al menos tal y como se desarrolla en este libro. Además, no me gusta que me vendan una historia de amor cuando en realidad es deseo desesperado. Una pena.
November 26, 2024
Lucy Holland you have done it; I am speechless.
This book brought me into 60AD, Britain for nearly 19 hours (highly recommend the audiobook!) and I was surprised when it was over. 19 hours just flew past me.
This book brought me into 60AD, Britain for nearly 19 hours (highly recommend the audiobook!) and I was surprised when it was over. 19 hours just flew past me.
April 2, 2024
3.5/5
Review to come after I think about it for a bit and get through an extremely hectic day.
Review to come after I think about it for a bit and get through an extremely hectic day.
February 16, 2024
"Song of the Huntress" by Lucy Holland is a brilliant historical mythology inspired novel about the Wild Hunt. Set in the same world as her novel, "Sistersong," this book is an incredible masterpiece on merging fantasy, history, and mythology.
It also has Sistersong Easter eggs, which made me very happy reading them.
It's a multiple POV book that follows Herla, the Lord of the Hunt, Æthel who is the Queen of Wessex, and Ine, her husband and the King. I loved all three characters, and each offered its own unique stamp on the wider story. We get to be devastated by Herla's nearly hubric curse. Her choice of searching for dark powers is also so very human and costs her so dearly. Æthel's desire to be loved is contrasting with her sense of duty and the love she already feels for her husband. Finally, Ine, my favourite character, has his own unique arc, during which he needs to accept himself and share his truth with those he loves while also facing the consequences of his earlier fearful ruling.
Despite the characters finding themselves in battle very often, the book is about peace. I really liked that it explored peace in a more nuanced way and perhaps in some not very agreeable to me ways. It explores the very political idea of where the line between peace and inaction really is. For Ine, especially the novel forces him to answer and face a very tough and painful question. Is it peace he truly wants or to avoid conflict?
The theme of peace is further explored in Herla's story. She is looking for peace, too. Not the end of all strife but the end of her personal strife and pain. It's the more spiritual peace and the escape from her curse and deep felt guilt for being a woman out of time.
Æthel is searching for war because she can not find happiness in the made-up peace of her court life. Unable to feel love and contentment as she needs, she goes to battle. In a bizarre way her constant eagerness for battle is a search of inner peace and a cowardice (although that word might be too harsh) of facing the problems in her life that cannot be solved with a sword.
Then, on a higher level, there is the contrast of peace and war between two kingdoms, the living and the dead, and two faiths, which as the story is explored prove they share a lot of similarities. This is for me, especially highlighter through Ine and Cadwy. These two characters interplay with each other, and through their growing relationship, the similarities between Wessex and Dumnonia are further highlighted. Both cultures need to face their own past, from where their enmity and their similarities originate, and I think they do that best through Ine and Cadwy and their interchanging positions.
An exceptional book, clever which exposes some very dark themes, hopeless situations but also ends on a note of quiet hope, which makes it further real.
I received an ARC through NetGalley to provide an honest review.
It also has Sistersong Easter eggs, which made me very happy reading them.
It's a multiple POV book that follows Herla, the Lord of the Hunt, Æthel who is the Queen of Wessex, and Ine, her husband and the King. I loved all three characters, and each offered its own unique stamp on the wider story. We get to be devastated by Herla's nearly hubric curse. Her choice of searching for dark powers is also so very human and costs her so dearly. Æthel's desire to be loved is contrasting with her sense of duty and the love she already feels for her husband. Finally, Ine, my favourite character, has his own unique arc, during which he needs to accept himself and share his truth with those he loves while also facing the consequences of his earlier fearful ruling.
Despite the characters finding themselves in battle very often, the book is about peace. I really liked that it explored peace in a more nuanced way and perhaps in some not very agreeable to me ways. It explores the very political idea of where the line between peace and inaction really is. For Ine, especially the novel forces him to answer and face a very tough and painful question. Is it peace he truly wants or to avoid conflict?
The theme of peace is further explored in Herla's story. She is looking for peace, too. Not the end of all strife but the end of her personal strife and pain. It's the more spiritual peace and the escape from her curse and deep felt guilt for being a woman out of time.
Æthel is searching for war because she can not find happiness in the made-up peace of her court life. Unable to feel love and contentment as she needs, she goes to battle. In a bizarre way her constant eagerness for battle is a search of inner peace and a cowardice (although that word might be too harsh) of facing the problems in her life that cannot be solved with a sword.
Then, on a higher level, there is the contrast of peace and war between two kingdoms, the living and the dead, and two faiths, which as the story is explored prove they share a lot of similarities. This is for me, especially highlighter through Ine and Cadwy. These two characters interplay with each other, and through their growing relationship, the similarities between Wessex and Dumnonia are further highlighted. Both cultures need to face their own past, from where their enmity and their similarities originate, and I think they do that best through Ine and Cadwy and their interchanging positions.
An exceptional book, clever which exposes some very dark themes, hopeless situations but also ends on a note of quiet hope, which makes it further real.
I received an ARC through NetGalley to provide an honest review.
May 26, 2024
As a huge fan of Sistersong, I wanted to love this way more than I did. Lots of purple prose that sometimes went to incomprehensible levels, some very frustrating plot lines (just TALK to each other, oh my god?!), and overall just left with a feeling of “meh”. The LGBT representation was great and some of the prose was so good, though.
April 16, 2025
Beginning in 60AD, then moving quickly to about 600AD, author Lucy Holland melds political intrigue amongst real historical figures, war, and myth together in this novel.
Herla, a fierce warrior and lover of Boudicca, begs the king of the Otherworld, Gwyn ap Nudd for help so she can fight the Romans at Boudicca's side. Gwyn tricks Herla, and keeping her in the Otherworld for three hundred years, and saddling her with a deadly duty: lead the Wild Hunt. For three hundred years, Herla and her all -female fighters take souls.
On one battlefield, she sees an incredibly fierce woman, a Saxon queen named Æthelburg of Wessex. Æthelburg sees Herla, and is entranced. Though Æthelburg is not successful during the battle, she does capture Geraint of Dumnoni, and his son. Though Æthel tries to keep the man alive, he's murdered and Æthel manages to narrowly avoid Prince Cadwy's death.
Herla quietly follows Æthel to Wessex and gets to know the woman, Æthel finds herself captivated and intrigued by Herla, while Ine hides all that is going on with him: the reasons behind his lack of interest in sex, and a growing magical power within him.
Æthel though a highly successful warrior, is constantly undermined within her husband King Ine's Court, and particularly by his brother, the jealous Ingild. Though the two have been married for years, Ine's and Æthel's marriage is not in good shape, as the Court is disgusted that Æthel has not produced an heir, and Ine has not consistently backed her during discussions and arguments during political discussions with the Court.
When it slowly is revealed that something malign, and from the Otherworld, is killing people both in Wessex and in Dumnoni, the human factions must find a way to set aside their quarrels, while Æthel must convince Herla to oppose Gwyn, if the humans are to succeed, and Herla to find a way out for her and her warriors from their unhappy immortality.
I remember learning a little about the politics of early Britain many years ago, so I was interested in the machinations between the Saxons and Britons, as well as the intrigue in Ine's Court.
Æthel proves to be incredibly tough and always ready to help and protect Wessex, garnering her much loyalty from the farmers and others of the land, despite Ine's Court's derision. Ine was interesting, but I confess to being incredibly frustrated with this character, who refused to see the dangers growing amongst those supposedly loyal to him, the bigoted influence of both the Church and other Saxons against the Britons, and impact of his actions and inaction on Æthel.
I liked the way the Wild Hunt was reconceived as an all-female band of fierce and fell warriors, and I also enjoyed the way Holland conceived of the Wessex Kingdom and the pressures within it.
I enjoyed the first half of this book a lot, but the longer it went on the less my interest was held. I wavered between Herla and Æthel as my favourite characters, but never really warmed to Ine, despite his opening up to Æthel far into the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Herla, a fierce warrior and lover of Boudicca, begs the king of the Otherworld, Gwyn ap Nudd for help so she can fight the Romans at Boudicca's side. Gwyn tricks Herla, and keeping her in the Otherworld for three hundred years, and saddling her with a deadly duty: lead the Wild Hunt. For three hundred years, Herla and her all -female fighters take souls.
On one battlefield, she sees an incredibly fierce woman, a Saxon queen named Æthelburg of Wessex. Æthelburg sees Herla, and is entranced. Though Æthelburg is not successful during the battle, she does capture Geraint of Dumnoni, and his son. Though Æthel tries to keep the man alive, he's murdered and Æthel manages to narrowly avoid Prince Cadwy's death.
Herla quietly follows Æthel to Wessex and gets to know the woman, Æthel finds herself captivated and intrigued by Herla, while Ine hides all that is going on with him: the reasons behind his lack of interest in sex, and a growing magical power within him.
Æthel though a highly successful warrior, is constantly undermined within her husband King Ine's Court, and particularly by his brother, the jealous Ingild. Though the two have been married for years, Ine's and Æthel's marriage is not in good shape, as the Court is disgusted that Æthel has not produced an heir, and Ine has not consistently backed her during discussions and arguments during political discussions with the Court.
When it slowly is revealed that something malign, and from the Otherworld, is killing people both in Wessex and in Dumnoni, the human factions must find a way to set aside their quarrels, while Æthel must convince Herla to oppose Gwyn, if the humans are to succeed, and Herla to find a way out for her and her warriors from their unhappy immortality.
I remember learning a little about the politics of early Britain many years ago, so I was interested in the machinations between the Saxons and Britons, as well as the intrigue in Ine's Court.
Æthel proves to be incredibly tough and always ready to help and protect Wessex, garnering her much loyalty from the farmers and others of the land, despite Ine's Court's derision. Ine was interesting, but I confess to being incredibly frustrated with this character, who refused to see the dangers growing amongst those supposedly loyal to him, the bigoted influence of both the Church and other Saxons against the Britons, and impact of his actions and inaction on Æthel.
I liked the way the Wild Hunt was reconceived as an all-female band of fierce and fell warriors, and I also enjoyed the way Holland conceived of the Wessex Kingdom and the pressures within it.
I enjoyed the first half of this book a lot, but the longer it went on the less my interest was held. I wavered between Herla and Æthel as my favourite characters, but never really warmed to Ine, despite his opening up to Æthel far into the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Lucy Holland for the ARC!
This was an incredibly written sapphic, poetic, and mythological tale. Holland does a wonderful job of immersing you in the landscape; rolling hills and lush scenery, contrasted by the harshness of ancient Britain. This had the same feeling as Circe by Madeline Miller (a favourite read of mine). I really enjoyed being thrown into the complex history and I found myself searching terms and places to learn more as I read along. We follow a Saxon queen, the cursed leader of the Wild Hunt, and the troubled King of Wessex through their extraordinary journey to understand themselves and their love for each other. We see the tension between Christianity and Paganism, the struggles of misunderstandings, and the burden of the human soul. The conflict arises with the plague that is Gwyn ap Nudd and Annwn (the underworld), with their ghastly creatures and soul stealing abilities. We see the importance of land and magic in Welsh lore and get teasers of the ancient stories of the Wild Hunt.
I was sad to leave this world…I could have spent ages reading more about Herla, Æthelburg, and Ine. There’s so much more I’d love to see of all the characters. I want to know Gweir and Cadwy more!! And I would have loved a POV of Ingild and his traitorous dealings.
This was an excellent story of love, loyalty, and betrayal. This was definitely a book where I had to use my whole brain to read it, especially when it got more detailed. But I loved every second of it and would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in folklore, ancient Britain, and humanly flawed characters.
“If her scars must remind her of anything, it should be that mistakes are part of living”
I was already deep into my love for Celtic folklore and mythology, and this book really brought my interest in Welsh history to the forefront. I cannot wait to learn more! And I thank Lucy Holland immensely for this inspiration. I’ve already purchased Sistersong, and can’t wait to read that too!
This was an incredibly written sapphic, poetic, and mythological tale. Holland does a wonderful job of immersing you in the landscape; rolling hills and lush scenery, contrasted by the harshness of ancient Britain. This had the same feeling as Circe by Madeline Miller (a favourite read of mine). I really enjoyed being thrown into the complex history and I found myself searching terms and places to learn more as I read along. We follow a Saxon queen, the cursed leader of the Wild Hunt, and the troubled King of Wessex through their extraordinary journey to understand themselves and their love for each other. We see the tension between Christianity and Paganism, the struggles of misunderstandings, and the burden of the human soul. The conflict arises with the plague that is Gwyn ap Nudd and Annwn (the underworld), with their ghastly creatures and soul stealing abilities. We see the importance of land and magic in Welsh lore and get teasers of the ancient stories of the Wild Hunt.
I was sad to leave this world…I could have spent ages reading more about Herla, Æthelburg, and Ine. There’s so much more I’d love to see of all the characters. I want to know Gweir and Cadwy more!! And I would have loved a POV of Ingild and his traitorous dealings.
This was an excellent story of love, loyalty, and betrayal. This was definitely a book where I had to use my whole brain to read it, especially when it got more detailed. But I loved every second of it and would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in folklore, ancient Britain, and humanly flawed characters.
“If her scars must remind her of anything, it should be that mistakes are part of living”
I was already deep into my love for Celtic folklore and mythology, and this book really brought my interest in Welsh history to the forefront. I cannot wait to learn more! And I thank Lucy Holland immensely for this inspiration. I’ve already purchased Sistersong, and can’t wait to read that too!
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