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dani_reviews 's review for:
The Wren Hunt
by Mary Watson
Trigger warning for physical and psychological abuse of the main character by a group of young men.
I think I want to rate this 4.5 stars? But I'm not sure? My head is such a mess right now!
Basically, this book was one giant mindfuck. At first, that wasn't in a good way, as there was a bit too much detail on the world and druid culture without explanation. I felt lost and confused for a while. BUT THEN... it all very slowly started coming together, and I realised I was being played by the author. If you read the book, you'll learn what wickering is. And you will realise that you have unknowingly been drawn into a trap and bespelled.
(I'm so glad, reading other reviews, that I'm not the only one who was utterly lost in the beginning.)
I read the whole thing with a growing sense of unease, a constant unsettled feeling. Wren felt uneasy and unprepared and uncertain of who and what to trust, especially as time went on, and so did I. And then, when it all came to an end, when I thought I'd figured it all out, everything went topsy turvy, and I was stunned. That ending – just how it turned everything upside down – deserves an applause.
I've already said the start was confusing because there wasn't enough explanation or context initially. (I also felt like I needed a pronunciation guide for this book...) That being said, the world-building did become something spectacular. I loved the ties to the old druids, as well as how the different kinds had different types of abilities. I loved the stories passed through generations. I have a thing for all things fae, especially those stemming from the Great British Isles, and while this didn't talk to much about the fae, except in stories, the druids satisfied my love just as well. If anything, this felt new and fresh, as I've never read a story about druids in our time, only seen them mentioned in histories or referred to in historical fantasies.
Because I seemingly can't enjoy anything with at least a smidgen of romance (I'm one of those people), I can assure you there is some grade A star-crossed lovers shenanigans going on in this book. The initial attraction that slowly grew into more, with both parties tentative and hiding things from each other, but ultimately drawn together by something greater? YESSS. I loved it. But it also broke my poor little heart.
I'm very nervous right now, as I'm looking at the Goodreads page, and there isn't any mention of a book 2. While the end could be the end, there is so much left to do, so much to explain and unravel and sort out. I don't want it to be the end! I'm sure the author has done this on purpose to play even more tricks on my brain, as now I'll be thinking about and trying to imagine what happened after and rereading just so that I can notice how things fell into place knowing the ending.
Overall, an incredible debut with the prettiest cover, perfect for fans of folklore, Ireland, and eerie settings!
PS - PAY ATTENTION TO THE QUOTES AT THE START OF CHAPTERS.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think I want to rate this 4.5 stars? But I'm not sure? My head is such a mess right now!
Basically, this book was one giant mindfuck. At first, that wasn't in a good way, as there was a bit too much detail on the world and druid culture without explanation. I felt lost and confused for a while. BUT THEN... it all very slowly started coming together, and I realised I was being played by the author. If you read the book, you'll learn what wickering is. And you will realise that you have unknowingly been drawn into a trap and bespelled.
(I'm so glad, reading other reviews, that I'm not the only one who was utterly lost in the beginning.)
I read the whole thing with a growing sense of unease, a constant unsettled feeling. Wren felt uneasy and unprepared and uncertain of who and what to trust, especially as time went on, and so did I. And then, when it all came to an end, when I thought I'd figured it all out, everything went topsy turvy, and I was stunned. That ending – just how it turned everything upside down – deserves an applause.
I've already said the start was confusing because there wasn't enough explanation or context initially. (I also felt like I needed a pronunciation guide for this book...) That being said, the world-building did become something spectacular. I loved the ties to the old druids, as well as how the different kinds had different types of abilities. I loved the stories passed through generations. I have a thing for all things fae, especially those stemming from the Great British Isles, and while this didn't talk to much about the fae, except in stories, the druids satisfied my love just as well. If anything, this felt new and fresh, as I've never read a story about druids in our time, only seen them mentioned in histories or referred to in historical fantasies.
Because I seemingly can't enjoy anything with at least a smidgen of romance (I'm one of those people), I can assure you there is some grade A star-crossed lovers shenanigans going on in this book. The initial attraction that slowly grew into more, with both parties tentative and hiding things from each other, but ultimately drawn together by something greater? YESSS. I loved it. But it also broke my poor little heart.
I'm very nervous right now, as I'm looking at the Goodreads page, and there isn't any mention of a book 2. While the end could be the end, there is so much left to do, so much to explain and unravel and sort out. I don't want it to be the end! I'm sure the author has done this on purpose to play even more tricks on my brain, as now I'll be thinking about and trying to imagine what happened after and rereading just so that I can notice how things fell into place knowing the ending.
Overall, an incredible debut with the prettiest cover, perfect for fans of folklore, Ireland, and eerie settings!
PS - PAY ATTENTION TO THE QUOTES AT THE START OF CHAPTERS.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.