Huntress by Malinda Lo is a fantasy novel that follows the journey of two young women, Kaede and Taisin, along with the king's son, as they travel to the realm of the Fairy Queen in response to a mysterious invitation. The story unfolds as they face dangers and hardships, develop a romantic attraction to each other, and work together to restore the balance of nature in the human world. The writing style is described as well-paced, engaging, and filled with rich character interactions that bring depth to the storyline.
The plot of Huntress centers around themes of love, adventure, self-discovery, and the complexities of relationships. The narrative explores the characters' growth and the challenges they face as they navigate a world filled with magic and mythical creatures. The book is praised for its beautiful and engaging storytelling, highlighting the journey of Kaede and Taisin as they embark on a quest that tests their courage, friendship, and the strength of their bond.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include mild violence due to fantasy elements and themes revolving around challenging relationships.
Has Romance?
The romance between Kaede and Taisin is a significant and integral part of the narrative, central to their character development.
From The Publisher:
Nature is out of balance in the human kingdom. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. And the people's survival hangs in the balance.
To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.
The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo's highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.
Ratings (4)
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (10):
Read It (4) | |
Want To Read (5) | |
Not Interested (1) |
2 comment(s)
Huntress excels at demonstrating how a lesbian affair doesn't have to be tawdry and how everything can work out well. What it doesn't excel at, however, is pacing. The first part was very well done...and then she rushed through the end. The climax, in particular, was lacking. Sad to say, after I finished reading it, I had no concern for what happened to the characters after the book was done.
Malinda Lo might not have been able to relinquish Kaede and Taisin...but I was.
A wonderful adventure/quest story, and once again, I love that Malinda Lo doesn't make this a gay issues book. It isn't a big deal that Kaede is attracted to women, just as it isn't a big deal that women are guards to the king. It just is.
A beautiful romance, a deeply moral tale, and characters you root for until the very end...but that end was tough for me. I'm going to be puzzling over it for a while. Obviously I won't give it away but if you've read it....what the heck? The quest goes right up until the last pages, so there isn't a lot of time for wrap up, but still. Not sure how I feel about it.
Lo writes lyrical prose and characters that will stay with you.
What can you read after
Huntress?
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