Huntress (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Huntress Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor Lo, Malinda. Huntress. Little, 2011. [372p]. ISBN 978-0-316-04007-5 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 9–12. For centuries, the border between the Kingdom and the land of the Fairy Queen has been closed, keeping the magical race of the Xi folk on one side and mortals on the other. Now, however, strange creatures have been spotted in the Kingdom and the land has been locked in a perpetual winter for years, leaving many to believe the treaty has been broken. As apprentice sages at the insular Academy, Taisin and Kaede know little of this struggle, but when the Council sends them to accompany the Prince on his journey to Tanlili, the Fairy Queen’s home, the two girls are thrown into an adventure that will have them risking their lives for the security of their people. Traveling across a barren landscape fraught with danger and magic, Taisin is forced to reconcile her feelings for Kaede with her ultimate goal of becoming a sage while Kaede must learn to move beyond her physical self if she is to save the Kingdom. Lo expands from the lush, foreboding backdrop of the Wood found in her debut Ash (BCCB 10/09) to the rest of the Kingdom while offering up a compelling history and two cleverly conceived new heroines. Taisin’s pious, astute demeanor provides a perfect foil to Kaede’s almost reckless physicality, and as the third-person narration shifts focus between the two, readers become aware that the girls are essentially each other’s perfect complement. Subplots occasionally feel extraneous, paling in comparison to the heartbreaking sensuality that blossoms between the female leads. Beyond romance, however, stunning action sequences abound, including one literal cliffhanger and a breathtaking confrontation with the villain. Fans who found themselves entranced by Lo’s previous work will be pleased to know that the magic has returned to the Wood. Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois