William Morrow
Featuring: Nina Markova; Ian Graham; Jordan McBride
560 pages ISBN: 0062740377 EAN: 9780062740373 Kindle: B079DPN9S4 Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
The most notorious Nazi war criminals were tried at the
Nuremberg trials, while the small fry went free. So after
WWII, former journalist Ian Graham formed the Vienna Refugee
Documentation Center, a small operation dedicated to the
prosecution of
Nazi criminals. In order to capture THE
HUNTRESS, first, he must find Nina Markova, the only
survivor to escape the elusive murderess. Is it a
coincidence that Boston teenager Jordan McBride has become
suspicious of her new German stepmother?
Based on the book description, I expected a taut thriller,
but THE HUNTRESS is in fact Women's Fiction, more
specifically Nina Markova's life. As a story on the Soviet
women pilots - the Night Witches - thus Nina's, it is
stellar. THE HUNTRESS takes place mostly in 1946 and 1950,
going back in time when needed; this works very well, and
the transitions are smooth. Kate Quinn's research into
Soviet women pilots is impressive, but it feels like the
author got carried away with her research, and Jordan's and
Ian's storylines merely act as a background for Nina's
story.
The several characters are exceptionally well drawn, the
writing is solid, and the dialogues really stand out,
particularly Nina's. The pace is steady, but it took an
excruciatingly long time to get anywhere. It seemed like the
purpose of the book was to stretch Nina's story for as long
as humanly possible and, in my opinion, it backfired as far
as the suspense is concerned. A crucial plot point seemed
highly implausible; some events, when exposed in the
minutest details, lost their credibility and the fabric of
the plot unraveled. One character made an unfortunate
decision that caused the story to drag even more. Several
romances, and various superfluous details padded the
narrative. I also wondered if a character's bisexuality was
to make the novel "trendier" and add to the page count;
other than that, it brought little to the story. What I
found most disconcerting is that THE HUNTRESS is partly
based on some real people. Ultimately, as a thriller, THE
HUNTRESS left me frustrated, exasperated, and wholly
unsatisfied. Had I expected a Women's Fiction novel focusing
on the life of a Soviet woman pilot, I might have enjoyed it
more.
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.