The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones (book review)

GENRE: YA Fantasy

LENGTH: 417 pages

 

PLOT

Every five years the mortal king of Dyfed and the immortal fairy Otherking jointly host the Wild Hunt. Little is known about the hunt as those who previously participated are not allowed to speak of it. Whoever wins will be granted a wish by the Otherking. Branwen, Gwydion, and Pryderi all enter the hunt with different motives.

 

CHARACTERS

Branwen is known as the huntress and she is hired by Gwydion to help him win the hunt. She agrees as she needs the money he’s paying her to treat her mother who has a memory illness (dementia). Branwen has one mortal eye and one eye capable of seeing magic.

Gwydion is the youngest nephew of the king of Gwynedd. He joins the hunt after making a bet with his uncle. He fears his uncle’s chosen heir, Gwydion’s elder brother who is cruel, and hopes to instead convince his uncle to put his elder sister on the throne. Gwydion is considered a trickster (he also calls himself a spymaster without pay). He also is a Diviner who can speak to and control plants and nature.

Pryderi is the only child of the king of Dyfed. He was kidnapped as an infant by an afanc (a monster from Welsh mythology) who raised him until he was 7. After this , he was raised by a foster family who were farmers. He feels out of place in court and hopes to win the hunt to prove to himself that he can be a good king and not the monster he fears he will be.

The three characters all ally with each other. Each of them are likable and easy to root for. None enters the Hunt for selfish reasons but rather to protect their loved ones and their kingdoms. Their teamwork reminded me of the characters from Mai Corland’s The Broken Blades series. Though at the novels’ start they are strangers, they instantly mesh with each other. They all become good friends and their relationships makes them even more endearing to the reader. You start to not only care for them as individuals but for them as a unit.

There is a romance between Branwen and Gwydion. I liked how their romantic feelings evolved from friendship and developed gradually. If you like a heavy romance subplot in your fantasy novels, however, this isn't going to be for you, as it’s a very minor aspect of the novel.

One final character to mention is Palug, who is Branwen’s loyal cat. It is hinted at several times in the novel that Palug, unbeknownst to Branwen, is some kind of magical being of which the Tywyth Teg (Welsh fairies) are intimidated. It’s never really further explored, but if you Google Palug’s name you’ll find the Welsh mythological inspirations for the character.

 

WRITING

The novel is divided into three parts: The Huntress (Branwen), The Monster (Pryderi), and The Trickster (Gwydion). All three main characters are POV characters in each part. Something I really liked, however, was how each part focused on its titular character. Their individual parts are when we learn the most about them.

The novel is set in the same universe as Lloyd-Jones other novels The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods. The creatures within the novel are from Welsh mythology. My favorite part of the magic system was Branwen’s magical eye and Gwydion’s divining abilities. Both prove useful to them during the Hunt. Gwydion’s power in particular was well executed. On the surface plants seem relatively harmless when compared to someone like Gwydion’s brother who can divine fire. Lloyd-Jones’ storytelling proves that not only can Gwydion’s magic be just as dangerous, but it is also very versatile.

The novel doesn’t really have a set antagonist nor does it have a high stakes conflict like a war at its heart. So, at first, it may sound like it would be a relatively boring fantasy story. I can assure you that it is most definitely NOT the case. The main characters’ individual stakes are what gives the novel its beating heart. It's also brimming with magic that leads to scenes that are a masterful blend of enchanting and frightening.

The final fourth of the novel diverges greatly from the first 3/4th. The direction it takes the characters in is sure to be divisive among the book’s readers. I myself had to take some time after I finished reading to process my feelings. I wanted to be able to examine the ending with as much objectivity as possible – from the perspective of if it made sense for the characters and story rather than whether I personally liked the characters’ fates. I personally came to the conclusion that, even if there were parts that I selfishly didn’t like, it was the ending that made the most sense.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I loved Lloyd-Jones’ books The Hearts We Sold and The Bone Houses. When I read The Drowned Woods, however, that one was a total dud for me. I was disappointed by it because I knew based on my past experiences with this author that she was capable of better. I was somewhat apprehensive going into this book given that most recent reading experience with her. However, I find myself drawn to books with magical/enchanted forest settings and I still believed in Lloyd-Jones’ talents. I’m so happy I finally did pick up this book and give it a chance because it restored any lost faith I had in Lloyd-Jones. I definitely recommend this book. Even if you haven’t read either The Bone Houses or The Drowned Woods you won't be lost or confused about the characters or plot. Please know that there is violence, death, and dismemberment in this book.

 

FINAL RATING: 5⭐️