The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson

The Wren Hunt

by Mary Watson

NOMINATED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS TEEN/YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018

'Beautiful, eerie, dark and dreamy' MELINDA SALISBURY
'Watson’s writing has the sort of poise rarely found in a debut' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE
'Thrilling and otherworldly' SUNDAY TIMES

Every winter, Wren Silke is chased through the forest in a warped version of a childhood game. The boys who haunt her are judges, powerful and frightening pursuers, who know nothing of her true identity. If they knew she was an augur, their sworn enemy, the game would turn deadly.

But Wren is on the hunt, too. Sent undercover as an intern to the Harkness Foundation – enemy headquarters – her family's survival rests on finding a secret meant to stay hidden. As the enmity between two ancient magics reaches breaking point, Wren is torn between old loyalties and new lies. And trapped in the most dangerous game of her life.

Part thriller, part love story, this captivating debut novel will leave readers spellbound.

Reviewed by nightingalereads on

4 of 5 stars

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This book is different from anything I've ever read before. I think if you like The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, you'll like this story. It's the type of story that doesn't make a lot of sense until you read it. A group of magic boys chase the protagonist, Wren, once a year in a deadly game on St. Stephen's Day, but they don't know that she belongs to the Augurs, an enemy class of magic users. Things get tense when Wren has to secretly infiltrate the boys' home to search for a magical artifact, and then finds herself unwillingly falling for one of them. Basically, think Raven Cycle and Romeo & Juliet, mixed with Irish mythology and history. I really enjoyed The Wren Hunt and will definitely be reading more of Mary Watson's work.

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  • 11 January, 2019: Reviewed