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FindingJane
Aug 12, 2017FindingJane rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Spellbinding, captivating and lyrical, “Hunted” reminds you of the forceful power of old fairy tales, of those ancient stories steeped in wonder, trickery and occasionally bathed in gore. Ms. Spooner places her version of “Beauty and the Beast” in a Russian setting. She also gives the story a twist by combining it with the noviny “The Firebird” which features one of those foolish, chuckleheaded princes who flub everything by failing to heed advice but still manage to win the princess and the fortune. Yeva is contemptuous of such a prince, which is all in keeping with her nature. Here is a woman who doesn’t yearn for a rich husband, a glittering palace or the company of high society. This take on “Beauty and the Beast” features a lovely lass who is only fully alive when she’s traipsing through the forest, plying her hunting skills and knowing the land around her as well as the back of her hand. No simpering animated maiden, she. She’s not off singing to the birds or having wild animals do her favors or perform household tasks. Yeva is more likely to shoot and kill a partridge, duck or rabbit than sing to it. She’s tough, hardy, resourceful, skilled, resilient and primed for vengeance against the monster she believes has killed her beloved father. The novel is stealthy with how it leads its reader and its Beauty through the tangled maze of the Beast’s minds, teasing out its story and motivations little by little. Happiness too isn’t necessarily on the menu; the chase for joy is shown to be as elusive, treacherous and crippling as the search for truth can be. “Hunted” brims with a wild and yearning fierceness at its core, as both Beauty and Beast hunt their bliss. This is a re-interpretation of a classic with glory and heartache to spare. Whether you love or loathe Disney princesses, this novel is one to be savored.