Review: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Publication Date: February 26, 2019

William Morrow

Genre: Historical Fiction

From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, THE ALICE NETWORK, comes another fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted…

Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina’s bravery and cunning will keep her alive.

Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. Yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Growing up in post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is determined to become a photographer. When her long-widowed father unexpectedly comes homes with a new fiancée, Jordan is thrilled. But there is something disconcerting about the soft-spoken German widow. Certain that danger is lurking, Jordan begins to delve into her new stepmother’s past—only to discover that there are mysteries buried deep in her family . . . secrets that may threaten all Jordan holds dear.

In this immersive, heart-wrenching story, Kate Quinn illuminates the consequences of war on individual lives, and the price we pay to seek justice and truth.

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been a fan of Kate Quinn's ever since she released her first novel, Mistress of Rome, and it's been amazing to watch her grow as a writer. With every new book she releases you think that surely she's peaked, but then the next book comes out and it blows you away even more! If you thought Quinn's The Alice Network was big, just wait and see The Huntress explode across the book world!

"She was not used to being hunted."

Thus begins The Huntress, a novel that will grab you from the start and not let go until you reach the final page.

In Quinn's latest we follow Ian, a war correspondent, his partner, and his wife, Nina as they start their mission to track down a war criminal only known as "the Huntress". Switching between past and present, readers are also taken back to Nina's time during the war and her aviatrix career with the Night Witches, a group of female pilots and bombers. This regiment, comprised of young Russian women in their late teens and early 20s, flew in the dead of night to drop bombs on the German military. Could they be any more badass? I think not! And Nina is just about as badass as they come! I loved her!

"Maybe that was another reason Nine liked the U-2, because it had been designed without brakes. So was I."

"I cut her thumbs off," Nina said cheerfully, flicking her straight razor. "Then she talks. Carrot, then stick, then razor. Is simple." 

I swear, about 75% of my highlighted passages in this book were from Nina. As I was reading I was picturing Jodie Comer from Killing Eve playing her in a movie. Hollywood seriously needs to option this for a movie, it would be amazing!

Told with Quinn's signature style of sass and wit, The Huntress is the ultimate historical fiction read. It had everything that a reader looks for - danger, intrigue, mystery, romance, history, and most of all...Night Witches!

I inhaled it in one sitting and though I own an early copy of the book I went out today and bought another one, which I plan on reading again soon. Yep, it's that good!

Go forth and pick up a copy of The Huntress today! You can thank me later :)

Thanks to the fine folks at William Morrow for my review copy.

Available on Amazon