The Book Nook
The hunter or the hunted?
For readers who enjoy intrigue novels, especially those that focus on the human aspect of war, I’d like to suggest Kate Quinn’s “The Huntress”. Set mainly in Russia during World War II and post-war Boston, this powerful story features remarkably determined characters. Quinn’s earlier publication, “The Alice Network” was very popular and many fans expressed delight that she’s focusing again on courageous people during wartime.
The novel starts with a brief prologue in Austria and is followed by a newspaper article penned by one of the characters. Ian Graham is a famous British war correspondent writing about a Nazi murderess. He wryly notes that the number of people she killed wasn’t high enough for officials to justify pursuing her, and he wonders who will bring people like her to justice.
From here we move to Boston in 1945, where seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride has specific hopes for the future. She wishes her long-widowed father would give love another chance and is thrilled to learn he’s been secretly dating someone. The lady is an Austrian widower who emigrated to the U.S. with her daughter Ruth. Jordan is relieved to find her potential stepmother is a lively and likeable woman and can easily envision herself as a big sister to the unnaturally quiet and shy little girl.
Jordan’s other wish involves her love of photography, which for her is more than a mere hobby. She daydreams of improving her skills at college before going on to become a famous photographer who travels the world. That dream may never be realized as she’s being pushed towards a different future, but for now she’s occupied by an equally thorny problem. A candid photo she took of someone is so intriguing she longs to know more, but is unsure how to get the details she wants.
From Boston we move to the second of three voices in this narrative. Ian Graham’s desire for justice has caused him to abandon journalism in pursuit of Nazis who have eluded capture. His discipline, intelligence and dedication have yielded a satisfying number of successes, but he’s frustrated by limited funds. Part of Ian’s motivation stems from a haunting eye-witness account of his younger brother’s death in the war.
Joining him is a multi-lingual American named Tony Rodomosvsky, who wants to avenge his lost Jewish relatives. Tony can charm anyone, and the two have forged an effective team in spite of being opposites in other ways.
Teen-aged Nina Markova is the final narrator, and her story is possibly the most interesting. Urged by older siblings to follow their lead in escaping their depressing home life, she’s unsure exactly how to manage that. A harrowing clash provides the motivation to flee Siberia and make her way to Moscow, where she discovers an overwhelming hunger to be a pilot.
She’s willing to do anything to find her place in the sky and joins a newly-formed regiment of female pilots. Their job is to fly ancient biplanes at night, dropping bombs on the unseen enemy. Their eventual success earned them the nickname of Night Witches. As you can imagine, this was an extremely dangerous job, and many were killed or downed behind enemy lines.
From the intertwined stories, readers will surmise that everyone will eventually find their way to Boston, where Jordan has made a surprising discovery. While trying to find enough proof to be taken seriously, her life takes an unexpected turn. But Jordan can’t give up her suspicions, which could put them all in danger. The story comes to a dramatic conclusion and includes some interesting twists.
There were a few times when I felt the story dragged a bit, but the author’s note about basing her characters on real people explained why the story was so plot-heavy. It serves as a reminder that while people committed horrific acts based on a charismatic leader’s flawed philosophy, many knew what they did was wrong.
We share Ian’s frustration at forever hearing denials and excuses from wicked people and those who turned a blind eye. It was difficult to get a bead on the title character’s motivation, but again, the author’s notes help. The huntress was actually based on two real-life women punished for war crimes. Even after hours of research, Quinn was unable to determine their motivations.
The author’s ability to create realistic characters is equaled by the thrilling situations she creates for them. She juggles multiple backstories and timelines in a clear-cut and provides enough detail that we feel part of the story. Another plus is her ability to move easily back and forth in time or smoothly transition between narrators.
Her focus on the aftermath of war gives it the perspective of hindsight. With the rise of racial intolerance both at home and abroad, “The Huntress” reminds me of the phrase “Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Others must agree as many readers said they hoped this will be the anchor to a sequel. Those who may find history a boring subject will find in Quinn’s hands it comes to life.
