There are some authors I’ll read without even checking what the book is about. Katherine Arden is one of them.
Ever since I fell in love with The Winternight Trilogy, I’ve been waiting for another book that gives me that same feeling of stepping into an old folktale. So when I heard she was writing a historical fantasy inspired by Anne of Brittany, complete with politics, ancient magic and unicorns (yes, you had that right!), I knew I had to pick it up.
And, it was such a magical reading experience!
Before anything else, a huge thank you to Penguin India for sending this proof copy my way. It was such a joy to discover this story before publication.
Author: Katherine Arden
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Themes: Historical fiction, Political intrigue, Court politics, Folklore & mythology
Trigger Warnings: War and invasion, Violence, Death, Forced marriage
**This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission- likely spent on more books, obviously!
Book Review: The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden
Anne of Brittany is faced with an impossible choice. Marry King Charles VIII of France and lose her duchy’s independence, or somehow outwit one of Europe’s most powerful monarchs.
To buy herself time, she announces a grand unicorn hunt.
From there, the story slowly unfolds into one filled with political ambition, secret alliances, old folklore and just enough magic to make you wonder where history ends and legend begins.
The first hundred pages absolutely flew by.
I was completely absorbed in Anne’s world and found myself wanting to know what she would do next. Katherine Arden has such a gift for building atmosphere that I felt like I’d been transported straight into medieval Brittany.
The pacing did slow down a little in the middle, more than I would have liked, but I never found myself losing interest. I was still fascinated by the political tensions, the historical details and the way Arden reimagines real events through the lens of folklore.
One of my favourite things about this book was how naturally history and magic blended together. Nothing ever felt forced. Instead, you can genuinely feel where history ends and legend quietly begins.
Anne completely stole my heart
Anne was easily my favourite character.
She’s clever, kind, witty and fiercely courageous. Every decision she makes carries so much weight, and yet she never loses sight of the people she’s trying to protect.
I also loved the friendships between the women in the story. That quiet sense of sisterhood added so much warmth to a novel that’s otherwise filled with political manoeuvring and impossible choices.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the romance as much as I did, but it fit beautifully into the story and gave the characters moments to simply breathe amidst everything else that was happening.
Katherine Arden’s writing is still pure magic
If you’ve read any of Katherine Arden’s books before, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say her writing feels almost spell-like.
Did you know I made this book aesthetic edit on Canva? Check out my bookstagram post for behind the scenes.
Few authors create atmosphere the way she does. Every page feels steeped in history, folklore and quiet wonder.
While The Winternight Trilogy is still my favourite of her works, The Unicorn Hunters reminded me why she’s one of those authors I’ll always keep coming back to.
In a gist, here’s what you can expect from this book.
💫duty💫magic💫freedom💫courage
Absolutely.
If you love historical fantasy, rich folklore, strong female characters and beautifully atmospheric writing, this one’s for you.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced fantasy packed with action, this may feel a little slow in places. But if you’re happy to settle into a story and let it unfold at its own pace, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
📖 Rating: 4/5
Where to buy The Unicorn Hunters
You can grab a copy of The Unicorn Hunters from Amazon
Find all my book reviews here.
Like it? Pin it!
You can follow me on my Bookstagram at ReadingWithMuffy.
Have you read anything by Katherine Arden before?
And if you could step into one mythical legend for a day, would you choose a unicorn hunt, a dragon quest or the faerie realm? I’d love to know.Have you read This Weekend Doesn’t End Well For Anyone? Or is there another murder mystery set in an exotic place? Tell me in the comments. I’d love to discover more.
That’s all for now!
Share and connect with me on social media.
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Mister Tikku.
Leave a Reply