This book was written beautifully, but for me the story never got to the point where I loved it.

I have put off this review because I was trying to figure out why I did not love this story more than I did. I think it was due to personal preferences, and not anything to due with the book itself. This book is prose heavy, and I think this book made me realize that I like short prose books. I noticed myself getting lost in the words, and I couldn't fully grasp the plot or character development in the way that I like to. I felt that this was a chore to get through, which is a shame because I really did find the world super interesting and the characters beautifully dynamic. I have never read a book that so artfully captured a relationship that of Herla, Ine, and Æthelburg shared.

Thank you to Lucy Holland, Redhook Books, and Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC. Release date March 19, 2024.

It's beautiful. It's tragic. It's everything you want in an epic tale.

If you're a fan of The Song of Achilles, I think you will also enjoy Song of the Huntress.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Redhook for providing me with advanced reading copy for review.

I love a book with good, strong prose, and Lucy Holland delivers on that front. The entirety of this book, however, just didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the words were lovely, the story felt a little clunky. At times, the story was progressing quite quickly, and other times it felt long and drawn out, never seeming to quite find the right pacing. I liked the characters well enough, but never really felt all that connected to them. So inevitably the book never had me completely invested in the story, and the back half, combined with it's pacing, felt like such a slog to get through. It was a bummer because I really wanted to like Æthel. She was a strong woman who was supported by Ine, rather than him just placating her. There was a particular line too when she is reflecting on children that really stood out to me.

"Do I want a child? She does not know. In her younger days, it rarely crossed her mind. But the whispers in court are louder now. People no longer lower their voices when she passes by. She is supposed to hear. She is supposed to reflect on her failure."

A very human struggle, but we can see her strength in the mere fact that she stops to question whether it's what she wants or what she is supposed to want.

"It is the restlessness in her, a savagery born of anger that drives her again and again to the battlefield, to search for an answer among the thrusts and cuts, the desperate struggle for survival. She wished she knew the question."


So many beautiful and thoughtful quotes in this book. I want to like it so much more than I do.

I did grow frustrated with Æthel though. And Ine. It was so obvious that Ine loved her, I wasn't really sure how she could question that as much as she did, and I really hated the fact that she tempted herself from Ine. But also I didn't see why Ine's big secret was such a secret. If it's not taboo for a woman to be with another woman in this time period, why would it be so awful to be asexual? Just seemed silly to me.

Another side note (and I didn't let this effect my rating because I know we were drawing on people and figures from history here) was the names. A lot of them were really similar, and in the beginning I kept getting them mixed up which just made the story more confusing to me.

I'm nearing the end of this review and I haven't even mentioned Herla once. Which isn't great since she and the Wild Hunt are the reason I wanted to pick up this book to begin with. But again, I just didn't find myself caring.

At the end of the day, I think if you're interested in the characters and the time period this is based around - and you really like lots of pretty prose in your writing - you'd probably enjoy this. It just missed the mark for me, personally.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland is a Queer genderbent historical fantasy retelling of the Wild Hunt from Northern European folklore and set after the Anglo-Saxons have come to Britain and started to spread Christianity. Queen Æthelburg of Wessex and her husband, King Ine, have no heir and Æthelburg is greatly disliked by the courts for this and for her loss in battle. When she meets Herla, Lord of the Hunt, Æthelburg struggles to choose between her growing passions for Herla and continuing to fight for her husband and their people.

One thing I really liked was how Lucy Holland approached Asexuality. While I am not Ace myself, many of my closest friends are and it’s really, really nice to find a book with Ace rep that I feel like I can recommend to them. Ine struggles with telling Æthelburg that he isn’t interested in sex but does love her and while this miscommunication is part of their relationship arc, I felt that it was handled quite well and it wrapped up in a way that felt meaningful and as a positive step forward.

Another thing I liked was the integration of Boudica and other historical figures as part of Herla’s past and Ine and Æthelburg’s present. As a history fan, I love seeing those references in historical fantasy.

We flip between Ine, Æthelburg, and Herla’s POVs, giving us various glimpses of the conflict between the Britons and the Saxons from various sides and how things need to change. Herla was probably my favorite POV for her raw emotions and the yearning that leaped off the page every time we were in her head.
I would recommend this to fans of historical fantasy using Celtic and Gaelic history, readers of Queer fantasy, and those looking for Asexual romantic interests in fantasy books.

Thank you Lucy Holland, Redhook Books, NetGalley, and all involved for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book.

If you love these ->
*Historical fantasy
*Strong FMC’s
*Feminism themes
*LGBTQIA2S+ themes
*Slow-burn romance
*Multiple POV’s
…then you will love Song of the Huntress!

The story is set in historic Britain, highlighting the folklore and mythology of the times. The writing style is almost poetic, capturing and communicating detail in a way that brings the story to life. While the detail continued to draw me back in, I did find that the story progressed at a slower pace for a fantasy read. With that being said, I really loved the direction each of the characters ended up taking - it felt real and true to the development of each character along the way.

I would absolutely recommend this read. Although, I would recommend picking this one up when you’re in the headspace to thoroughly immerse yourself into the complexities of the world Lucy Holland builds for you. You won’t be disappointed!

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland is a retelling of the Germanic (King) Herla and the Wild Hunt with a feminist/ fantasy spin.
The story flows well, and the characters are complex and passionate.
Herla, desperate to save her people, makes a deal with the King of the Otherworld just to me tricked and spit out 300 years later and bound to serve the Otherworld. As Lord of the Hunt, she wanders with her immortal warriors taking the souls of those she crosses. Until she comes across a woman who makes her want to live again.
Æthelburg, Queen of Wessex, refuses to be tied down by gender roles. She has taken to fighting over knitting, and for years, works hard to defend her kingdom. Little by little, her people start to turn against her, and her King.... but is she at fault? Or is there an unforeseen enemy?
Just as the Otherworld starts to rise in power, Herla and Æthelburg are thrown together, and they soon realize that they mean more to each other than they ever imagined. Is it enough to stop the rise of the Otherworld and certain death for them all....?
Thank you #NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Lucy Holland, for a fascinating read. I've always been drawn to mythological retellings, and it was a nice change of pace to read a Germanic one.

Lucy Holland’s “Song of the Huntress” grabbed my attention from the first couple pages and and held it firmly until the last.

Queen Æthelburg and Herla of the Wild Hunt are the sort of characters I enjoy reading about. They are both strong women who know what they want, know what they need to do, and know when something has to give.

The writing is poetic and descriptions are vivid. Action scenes are well thought out and emotional reactions are described beautifully.

I've not yet read "Sister Song" by the same author, but since reading this one, I did purchase it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read "Song of the Huntress" in return for an honest review.

I usually enjoy prose-heavy books. I love to get lost in the words and admire authors writing such beautifully written novels.

After reading Song of the Huntress, I've concluded I only like short prosy books that are more vibes than plot. This book numbers just over 400 pages, an average length of fantasy/historical fiction. But the sheer amount of prose hid any character development or plot. It was a slog to get through. It's truly a shame, considering how interesting the world and character dynamics could have been, but it was never strong enough to truly invest in.

If you love lengthy prose novels, this will work for you! Just be aware the meat of the story gets lost in the flowery words.

Thank you, Netgalley and Redhook books, for the advance copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for this ARC copy!

Song of the Huntress is a gender-bent story about the Herla of the Wild Hunt, the Warrior Queen Æthelburg and King Ine and shows each of their POV.

This is not a light and fluffy fantasy by any means, it is very heavy both in content as well as language. It takes some time to process so it is not a quick read but I do think it is worth it.

Seeing how the King of the Otherworld created the Wild Hunt and learning his reasonings behind it were very interesting. Also, the dynamics between Hurla, and the King and Queen was well written and captivating.

It is a very heavy and dense read so it was a challenge to get though in parts and the story can drag on a bit in parts, but all in all it was definitely worth finishing. The story will stay with me for a long time.

Being an avid listener of The British History Podcast, I was intrigued by a story set in Wessex in the early years of the Saxons when they were still fighting against the Britons. I came into this book with a base knowledge of the world and the vocabulary, although I would struggle occasionally with words because I'd only heard them spoken, not written down. I didn't remember Ine and Aethelburg specifically, although I did know the basic history of the Saxon kingdoms, Wessex in particular.

The story pulled me in and I genuinely cared about the characters, I didn't always agree with the choices Ine, Aethel and Herla made, but I understood why they made them. I cheered for them to figure things out, resolve their conflicts and find their version of peace.

The story was confusing for the first quarter or so, and that was already knowing about this point in history. I'm not sure how someone who didn't have a basic understanding of early Saxon England would find the book. Once Ine starts to get some answers, things make a lot more sense, and I'm glad I stuck with it. I'll definitely be checking out this author's other works!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Told from multiple viewpoints, Song of the Huntress took me a while to connect with and sink into the narrative. Once I did, however, I was more than rewarded for sticking with it. The prose is stunning and lyrical, the characters are well-drawn and compelling, and the worldbuilding is utterly immersive. Both powerful and devastating, this is a novel that I will seek out again, next time as an audiobook.

If you loved Holland's Sistersong (fans will love the references they find in Song of the Huntress) or Samantha Shannon's Priory of the Orange Tree, you should definitely add this one to your TBR list.

This was such an anticipated 2024 release for me. When it came down to brass tacks, I had to force myself to continue and push through this book. The pacing was slow and I struggled with feeling completely immersed in the story and connected to the characters.

A lyrical Celtic folklore retelling, dense with prose and magic.

The theme of female rage, and women stepping into their power is really well done in this story. I love that our two women main characters strong, independent and capable warriors. I also love the beautiful prose and excellent way that Lucy Holland describes the time/land that the story takes place on. I felt like I was really there, riding on horseback beside these characters. If you resonate with these themes, then you'll really enjoy this story.

"Wild-eyed men are tumbling from the fortress as the flames spread, and she cuts them down, her anger at Leofric turning her blows savage. It is only after a dozen have fallen that she remembers they ought to take prisoners."

Where the story falters for me is the interpersonal relationships between characters. Almost every conflict arises from an intentional miscommunication or withholding of information. I wish this storytelling device has been used more sparingly.

I think the marketing of this book lead to a mismatch of my expectations and the story itself. The cover is a picture of two women in profile, the description say, "stunning tale of two great warriors", however this book has three main characters, the two women warriors AND the king, who has about 1/3 of the real estate in this book and who is essential to the storyline. So I was surprised when his first POV chapter popped up, then confused when it kept coming up, asking myself 'why are we hearing so much from this person in a story centering two women?' His character is deep, and authentic and drives the story forward. He's a great character, but the marketing removes him in a big way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for this advanced reader copy.

This book is best read in a grand hall filled with warriors from both sides of a battle. Remember, if they have a cup in their hand, they can't hold a sword.

I really enjoyed this book! The writing was beautiful, and the characters were well developed. I love a feminist mythology retelling.
This book takes place in a post Roman/ early Middle Ages Britain. A time when Christianity was new to the region but remnants of the old religion still lingered. It is a retelling of Herla and the Wild Hunt. But in this retelling Herla is an Iceni warrior. She makes a deal with the lord of the otherworld in an attempt to save she loves.
This book just had to much going for it. Including two absolutely bad ass FMC, A Saphic romance, and so much political intrigue. The Characters were so intriguing and well written. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. If you like a good historical fantasy I highly recommended this book.

I hate to say it but this book was just not for me. The prose while very captivating in some moments was dense and slow for the majority of the time. I thought about DNFing it and then said I’ll try another chapter.

It was a fine story but nothing to write home about sadly.

This book was so good. It kept me on the edge of my seat with the political machinations and intrigue, the budding romance, a marriage that could be saved with simple honesty, mythical powers, and the Wild Hunt. The pacing was good and I never felt like the information was being dumped on me. The characters gradually learn things, some things we know, some things we don't.

We get three different viewpoints and I thought they were done well. My favorite, of course, was Æthelburg. Æthel is a badass, I don't care what anyone says. Herla may be immortal and she may be a fierce warrior, but she's got nothing on my girl Æthel. Now, if only Æthel and Ine could have an actual conversation, that would have been great. I think a lot could have been avoided if there wasn't such a lack of communication.

The side characters were great in supporting the story and adding flavor. Several of them made me laugh and I was just as invested in them as with our main characters. Excellent.

I received an eARC of this book. Thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this gorgeous book!

After reading Sistersong a few months ago, I jumped at the chance to grab this one. This one is so damn good! Truly breathtaking and engaging

You know that feeling when you've just finished a book and you need a moment? That was me upon finishing Song of the Huntress!

Lucy Holland's epic tale of of battles and love and fierce loyalty grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I devoured the last 250 pages in a day, relishing every battle and savoring every tense moment between King Ine and Queen Æthelburg of Wessex. I was swept up in the lives of the Britons and the Saxons, feeling the tension between the pagans and the Christians.

This feminist re-imagining of the tale of King Herla and the Wild Hunt will take you back to a time when kings and kingdoms were less about jewels and pageantry and all about power and intrigue. I loved learning about medieval folklore and ended up doing a deeper dive into the stories that sparked Song of the Huntress. Isn't it a beautiful thing when books inspire us to learn more about the world and cultures around us?

Read this if you like:
• Dark, moody vibes
• Fierce women warriors
• Historical fantasy/folklore

The acclaimed author of Sistersong transforms the story of Herla and the Wild Hunt into a rich, feminist fantasy in this stunning tale of two great warriors, a war-torn land, and an ancient magic that is slowly awakening.

Lucy Holland is one of my favorite writers of historical fiction/mythology. Song of the Huntress is another feather in her cap. Well done!

I really wanted to like this but unfortunately it was more historical than fantasy so it was not the book for me. It felt more like reading a textbook than reading a fantasy novel.