I really enjoyed Sistersong and this one was just as good. A fantasy historical novel Holland weaves a dark fantasy tale with British folklore figures such as Herla the Hunter (in this case female instead of the traditional male). There are hints towards a Merlin-esq figure in the form of Emrys. I enjoyed the nods towards Sistersong and the lore weaved into Song of the Huntress like a tapestry.

My favourite characters to follow in this book were Ine and Herla, and Holland is very talented at ensuring that each pov character feels distinctly different.

The prose is poetic and lyrical, whilst being unafraid of going into brutal graphic detail.

Lucy Holland’s historical fantasy novel Song of the Huntress takes us back to the English West Country that was also the setting for her previous novel, Sistersong, in an epic, gender-swapped reimagining of the story of King Herla, leader of the Wild Hunt.

As hinted at by the title, Song of the Huntress leads on from and bears many similarities to Sistersong; however, it is far from a mere replication of its predecessor. As in Sistersong, the story emerges through the perspectives of three different characters – the Saxon King Ine, his warrior wife Aethelburg, and Herla, the eponymous Huntress. This time round, however, most of the story is told in the third person, which frees the narration up for Holland’s often fiercely poetic prose to fully unfurl: the Folk of the Otherworld are ‘wasps in the nest of their chief’s heart’; the Dumnonian king’s eyes are ‘the peeling bark of a hazel’; and Herla, having been lured by Otherworld lord Gwyn ap Nudd’s promises of power, finds herself wielding a ‘sword with a blade darker than the space between stars’.

Huntress also plays with time in different ways from Sistersong. Two hundred years have passed since the time of King Constantine and his sisters, and the part of what was previously the Kingdom of Dumnonia we find ourselves in now belongs to the Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. Gone are the days when the pagan festivals that also structured the plot of Sistersong used to dominate the year, having been overlaid by those of the by now firmly established Christian faith. Instead, Huntress presents us with two characters who exist in two times at once: ripped from her own time and forced by Gwyn to spend centuries gathering the souls of those slain by her and her Hunters, Herla struggles to navigate the present, whereas Ine is bewildered by his visions of a past whose connection with him is not immediately apparent. Imbued with the magical powers of the Otherworld and the Land respectively, both Herla and Ine are creatures of more than one world – and both of them love Aethelburg, albeit in dramatically different ways. This mirroring draws Ine more closely into the heart of the story and cleverly establishes a connection between him and Herla, with whom his story arc otherwise overlaps very little.

While Herla struggles to remember her past, Ine seeks to repress his unbidden ancestral memories of it, and Aethelburg feels nostalgic for it (she wishes she could be a ‘proper’ warrior queen like Herla’s long-lost lover Boudica). In a similar vein, the story recalls echoes of the present to the reader in the almost-familiar names of places (Glestingaburg, Scirburne…), as well as the familiar-made-strange story of Herla the Hunter. In bringing this story to life, Holland makes use of not only a huge amount of historical research, but also the multiplicity of Wild Hunt narratives, versions of which exist over large parts of northern and central Europe. The forces of Gwyn ap Nudd, leader of the Hunt in some British versions, clash with those of the humans at a place called Wodnesbeorg (‘Woden’s Barrow’), the Germanic god Woden also being a figure often said to lead the Wild Hunt. By turning Herla, a legendary Britonic king sometimes identified with Woden who is tricked by a dwarven king to ride in the eternal Hunt, into a woman, Holland taps into yet another version of the myth: that of Perchta, an Alpine goddess of Midwinter, whom the folklorist Jacob Grimm saw as another incarnation of the Wild Hunter.

Storytellers in Holland’s books are magical, and she herself is no different. Huntress hits the perfect balance between fast-paced and reflective, and if the reader should ever be tempted to think they have the story all figured out, Holland always manages to throw them off again with her wonderfully surprising plot developments and often ‘shifty’ characters. There are two potential baddies from the start, but which one will turn out to be the main villain (or perhaps both, or neither) is not to be guessed until much later. And just perhaps, those villains might turn out to have motivations that go beyond any straightforward ‘evilness’. Nor are the protagonists as straightforward as all that – driven as much by anger and her own need to prove herself as a warrior as by her sense of duty, Aethelburg is quite happy to kill people for her husband, whereas peace-loving Ine, who prefers words to swords, is quite happy to let her. By the end, each of the three main characters will come to realise that what they each perceived to be their weaknesses may just turn out to be their biggest strengths, on the way making the reader question the meanings of concepts such as love, fertility, and identity.

Reading a book by an author whose previous book one has admired can feel like a bit of a gamble because the potential for disappointment is so much greater when the expectations are already high, and I admit I approached Huntress with a degree is wariness. But this is Lucy Holland, and I need not have worried. Huntress pretty much started for me the same way Sistersong finished: with goosebumps. If there is one thing to criticise about this book, it is perhaps that Holland still relies on familiar film tropes a little too readily, but I am disinclined to hold that against her. In fact, whereas in Sistersong, I sometimes found the movie-effect-like imagery a little jarring, Huntress’s opening chapters pulled me in so completely I not only wanted to see the film adaptation, I wanted to direct it, so clear were the images in my mind.

With Song of the Huntress, Holland has given us a hero epic for the 21st century, and in Herla a hero who, I suspect, will ignite the imagination of readers for a long time to come.

I am grateful to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

An amazing book which has benefitted from extensive research from the author. Having been a big fan and advocate of Sistersong, I had high hopes for this novel, too high possibly. I confess that I did find it difficult to get into and hard going in some places, but I think the cliché, "It's not you, it's me", applies here. I do feel that one needs to be in the right headspace to fully appreciate the intricacies and rich detail of this story. A definite recommend, but only if you have the time to fully do it justice.

A bit of a branch out into a new genre, but one I enjoyed nonetheless! There were some interesting themes discussed throughout, and I loved the Saxon setting. AEthel was by far my favourite character, and they journey she went on throughout was great to read. There were parts where I felt my attention waning but it soon recaught and I got through relatively quickly

A beautifully written book with a cast of compelling characters. I was charmed by the way in which the author blurred the lines between mythology and reality and, although I had little prior knowledge of the historical context this book retells, I found myself easily immersed into the story.

3.5


The first thing to be said about 'The Song of the Huntress' is that it presents a plot too intriguing to ignore: eighth-century Britain combined with elements of folklore. For those interested in both the historical and folkloric aspects, this book was the perfect combination, and I still couldn't believe it when I had the chance to read the ARC of the story.

First of all, I would like to emphasize the author's historical focus. I appreciate her efforts to give the reader as complete a picture as possible through the language used, where she pays particular attention to pronunciation, and through the details of the characters' costumes and daily lives.

The narration was unique and I think it perfectly fits this type of story: lyrical and often captivating prose. However, although it was beautiful at first, I found it hard to keep reading the book. I often felt like parts slipped through my fingers, and certain scenes should have been faster and focused more on the situations than the characters' thoughts. I like this kind of narrative, but given the dense plot, it might be beneficial to give space to the surrounding world to enrich the narrative context and offer a break from the character's POV.
As other readers have mentioned, I expected to find two prevailing voices: Æthelburg and Herla. However, it's also true that while Ine was a less interesting character at first, towards the end, I began to appreciate him a bit more. Still, I find his POV not very well characterized despite his role.
Æthelburg and Herla. I can't help but talk about them together despite coming from different situations. I adored them both, although Herla was the one who captivated me the most. While both are well-characterized, I felt the change better in Herla than in Æthelburg. Herla comes from a situation where she was transformed into a monster against her will and seeks a way to save herself and her companions. On the other hand, Æthelburg’s character shows us that despite the epochs, even if you are a formidable warrior, you remain a woman. This is why she prefers the battlefield rather than facing her enemies at home. I had hoped that the author would allow Æthelburg to redeem herself and show a different dimension to her character, but I didn't get much of that.

I don't know what idea the author had for the characters' relationship, but the one between Herla and Æthelburg is well worked out: subtle, like a thread that thickens after many windings. This also applies to the relationship between the two warriors. Although Æthelburg is a strong warrior, she is incredibly human, and this quality will be a magnet for Herla as she tries to remember what she was like before her conviction.

As I mentioned at the beginning, Ine was the character I struggled to read about. Firstly because I didn't understand why he was given a POV when his wife and Herla would have been sufficient, but as the story progressed, I saw that he indeed had his role: Herla and Æthelburg reason with their feelings, meanwhile Ine is the mind. The transitional phases where Ine finds himself to become the Heir against his will make sense, but the fact that the author focused more on thoughts than on the magical aspect left me unenthusiastic.

Personally, the flaw in this book was the magical aspect, which didn't have the opportunity to be expanded upon. I'm not saying I didn't appreciate the world shown by the author, but at the same time, I believe more could have been done.
The ending seemed rushed to me, and to be honest, I still don't understand how the protagonists defeated the enemy. The way Ine's brother was disposed of surprised me the most. He was the traitorous character I appreciated because he played his role well, and I expected his exit to be more "dignified". Instead, his sudden fear, confession, and death were so confusing and quick that I can't even remember what happened.

All in all, I don't regret reading this story because thanks to the author, I'm curious to read more stories with this setting. Even so, there was some struggle with the narration and the character could be more characterized. I will be glad to read a sequel if the author decides to return to talk about these characters because I need to know if Herla has found her companions if Aed and Ine have started a new Era, and if there will be new characters to keep them company.


Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for allowing me to read the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is a very enjoyable ‘sort of’ sequel to ‘Sistersong’. I say ‘sort of’ because to begin with the link between the two books isn’t obvious. I found it quite a slow start, unlike ‘Sistersong’, which hooked me right from the beginning. However, once it gets going, it really flies.

The chief characters in the story are Herla, the leader of the Wild Hunt, and Aethelburg, the queen of Wessex. They each have their own struggles, although I felt that the story of Aethelburg and her husband Ine was more interesting. Despite its’ Dark Age setting, this is a very modern story: Aethelburg falls head over heels in love with Herla, and Ine – well he has his own struggles with sexuality.

Whilst I didn’t enjoy it as much as ‘Sistersong’, ‘Song of the Huntress’ is definitely worth a read.

Song of the Huntress by :Lucy Holland is an epic tale of historical fantasy that puts a unique spin on the legend of the Wild Hunt.
Beautifully written , it tells the story of Herla, a compatriot of Boudica , who makes a desperate bargain with the Otherworld King that costs her her soul and makes her Lord of the Hunt, destined to reap the souls of wanderers for centuries. One fateful night she meets Queen Æthelburg of Wessex, a warrior in her own right whose husband's court is turning against her for several reasons, not the least of which is the plotting of his brother. The two women are immediately drawn to each other causing the Queen to question her relationship with her husband who has issues of his own -and not just the treachery of this brother and rebellion in his kingdom, but a secret in his blood that could change the future of the country.
This is a complex story with many characters and factions, most of whom are introduced within the first couple of chapters and I am not going to lie it was a challenge to get to grips with them all and keep them straight at first. The pacing is also slow, especially in the first half of the book, which I know will frustrate some readers , though it did pick up from the midpoint on. I was immediately drawn to the characters of Herla and Æthelburg, I loved Æthelburg's strength and determination. Initially I felt like the chapters written from her husband King Ine's perspective were less interesting but by the end of the book his was a character I had really fallen in love with. I was not expecting to find ACE representation in the book, but I thought it was beautifully handled and was probably one of the standout features of the book for me.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

It’s been a while since I had a book surprise me, but Song of the Huntress managed to creep up on me and tug at my heartstrings. 

I loved the historical setting for this one ( Britain, 60AD) and its blending in of Welsh folklore.

We’re treated to three POVs, King Ine of Wessex, his Queen Æthelburg and Herla, Lord of the Wild Hunt!

When I first read the blurb for this book, it was the Warrior Queen and the fae-cursed Herla who initially piqued my interest, but as the book progressed, it was the character of Ine that began to worm his way into my heart. 

While it did take me a little while to fully get into this book, once I did, I found it hard to put down. I don’t want to spoil the twists and turns of this story for you, but I will say that the way that themes of love, passion, and betrayal were portrayed and woven into each character’s story arc really resonated with me.

I also adored the way this was written in flowing, lyrical, and often enthralling prose. Though there are quite a lot of archaic words in this book, many of which are old Saxon or Welsh words, there is a handy reference section (though fans of The Last Kingdom will be familiar with some of them). 

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of historical fiction with elements of folklore and magic. I’m now keen to read Lucy Holland’s other work, and I’ve got Sistersong ready to go on my Kindle!

Song of the Huntress is a dark, feminist, historical/fantasy novel set in Ancient Britain, inspired by the famous myths and legends of The Wild Hunt. In 60AD, after making a desperate deal with the King of the Otherworld, Herla is cursed to be the new Lord of the Wild Hunt. For centuries she has ridden in battle, collecting the souls of those she has slain…that is until she meets Æthelberg, Queen of Wessex, one night on the battlefield. A fierce female warrior like herself, Herla is sure it is no coincidence that hers and Æthel’s paths have crossed. However, tensions are rising between Christian and Pagan beliefs, strange deaths are occurring, Æthel’s husband King Ine is battling his own brother, and the Otherworld is seeking to rise up. Sides must be taken, magic must be summoned, and battles must be fought, but who will conquer and come out victorious?

Sistersong was and still is a firm favourite of mine, so when I heard Lucy Holland had written another spellbinding, feminist tale, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Beautifully crafted with so much history and knowledge seamlessly weaved into it, Song of the Huntress is an epic story of everything mythical, magical and beyond. Once I picked this book up, I simply could not put it down. I was just so completely enthralled and drawn in by the story and characters. (Plus this book has some brilliant representation, including bi and ace rep <3). My only critique is that at times it can get a bit confusing with all the characters, particularly at the beginning, but I honestly just adored this book so much.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the ARC!

I’d enjoyed Sistersong a lot when I read it, and so was excited to see this new Lucy Holland title pop up. Equally as mythical and epic, Holland takes the Ancient Briton story of the Wild Hunt and turns it into a story of power, desire, and greed. Holland’s prose is so lyrical, and her imagery is so vivid. I struggled a bit with the pacing, but the characters kept me pushing to the end. 3/5!

I just finished reading Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland- I was such a fan of Sistersong so I was so excited for this book.

And I loved it!

Lucy Holland has beautifully blended mythology, folklore, history and fantasy in this book, it feels so poetic, the language is beautiful and at times you can almost imagine a bard singing this tale of love and loyalty and land!

Song of the Huntress is set in a very tumultuous Britain in 60AD The history behind this book is at a time where Christianity is taking root in Britain and the magic of nature and links to the land is being broken.

As I was reading this book (and it shouldn’t really have been a surprise given my tastes) how much I love reading books set in this period- send me all your recs please?

At the core of the story we have the mythology and lore of the Wild hunt with a feminist twist- Herla originally of the Iceni makes a deal with the King of the Underworld to save their tribe and is bound to run with Annwn and the hunt for eternity.

Our other major players are King Ine and his Queen Aethelburg (who was my favourite) - Ine struggles with his position, identity and beliefs and Aethelburg is a powerhouse who defies the courts expectations to be the warrior that the kingdom really needs- while Ine and Aethelburg have love for each other their relationship lacks any intimacy and Aethelburg blames herself.

I thought this book was wonderfully crafted , for me the pacing worked so well and I appreciate Lucy Holland’s vast knowledge of the period.

There is a sapphic romance and it is so slow burn, I often think when I say slow burn is it that or is it a realistic timeline of a romance forming? I also loved the exploration of Ine and Aethelburg’s relationship and both of their identities - it felt very honest.

I really appreciated the Welsh pronunciation guide and the Welsh pronunciation on the audio was beautiful- I love the Welsh language and it was done so well!

I found myself fully immersed in this tale - epic battles, earth magic, honest representation and exploration of identity pulled together with history and mythology- Lucy Holland is 100% an auto buy author for me and I’m not even cross at them for making me bawl my eyes out at the end of this book!

This was 4.5 stars

3.5 round up

I’m glad I read Hild recently: there were some helpful pronunciation guides and a glossary that familiarised me with some of the language used in the book.

It’s a mythologically rich tale, but also a fantasy about what happens when the world of the fair folk, which is also (as in many old myths) related to the world of the dead, begins to bleed over to ours.

Set in Wessex, 60AD, Holland weaves the political tensions tight with a weft of gaslight (performed expertly by Ingild), gatekeep (bishop Hædda) girlboss (Æthelburg) and a warp of wights, fairy bargains, and the Wild Hunt.

The characters are excellently done; the lack of communication and the gaslighting drove me absolutely wild. The relationships were well drawn too, especially the tenderness and bitterness of a long-standing but sexless marriage, and a passionate sapphic romance that blossoms amidst a war.

The focus was less on the Wild Hunt than I had expected and the outcome felt a little rushed - there’s very little exploration of it and it leans more into the historical fiction, but with bad fairy influence. If something is marketed as a Wild Hunt fantasy I would hope for more on this, with deeper exploration of the myth and the Lord of Annwn, but as a historical fantasy with some otherworldly elements it’s pretty good.

If you've been swept up in the Greek myth craze, why not try British mythology? 🇬🇧🐎

🦌 'Song of the Huntress' by Lucy Holland is set after the Romans have left Britain, leaving the British tribes & the Saxons to fight each other. It tells the story of an unlikely alliance between the king & queen of Wessex, and an immortal cursed huntress, who must try & defeat the king of the Otherworld.

⚔️ My favourite character in this was the Queen of Wessex, Aethelburg. The leadership dilemmas she experiences were really well written - she struggles to be taken seriously by the court because of her childlessness, & can't seem to get the credit she deserves even though she's an expert strategist & fearless warrior. I would have preferred the whole book to be from her perspective - wasn't too fussed about her husband's point of view!

💔 There's a sapphic romance at the heart of 'Song of the Huntress.' It's very slow-burn & takes a back seat to the politics / warfare in the book, so definitely suitable for readers who don't usually go for romance.

✨ The plot revolves around finding out who has inherited the power to access magic from the land - a similar type of magic system to Lucy Holland's first book, 'Sistersong' - so that they can fight the forces of darkness. It akes ages for the other characters to find out who it is & could have been wrapped up MUCH earlier if people just spoke to each other, so if you find miscommunication / lack of communication storylines frustrating, this might irritate you.

📖 Found this book quite hard to get into & slow to start. Could really have used a map (maybe there is in the final version of the book?) to help visualise where things are happening. However, it definitely picks up in the last quarter & the final conflict is really worth reading!

🐺 Overall, an impressive blend of mythology & history. Personally I much preferred 'Sistersong,' but this is well worth a read if you're after a wild & warry novel with a dose of magic!

🗓️ Publishes on 19 March, NEXT WEEK!

🎁 Thankyou for my advance copy!

- Katie

(REVIEW POSTED TO INSTAGRAM : @katiespencey, REVIEW TO BE POSTED TO X ON PUB DATE: @katiespencey

Thank you macmillan for the eARC!

I gave song of the huntress 3 stars!
Don’t get me wrong, I can recognise that the writing is good and the story has been heavily researched and I did enjoy myself but I don’t think Saxon lore and stories are for me!

I LOVED the romances and the fantasy elements but the names and places were so confusing for me.

I thought the first 40% was very very slow but it definitely picked up after that once the magical elements were introduced.

I would definitely recommend if this sounds interesting to you!

While I enjoyed "Song of the Huntress" more than "Sistersong", there's a feeling that the book isn't quite finished, that something is missing - and I can't quite put my finger on what. Again, there's a great story, nice writing, and good characters. Much more could have been made of the setting, in my view, and this could have been a deeper, more enticing read. This is a great book if you want something gentle to read.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

This amazing tale inhabits the borders between myth and history.

We start in Wessex in the so called Dark Ages at the court of King Ine. His wife Aethelburg will not conform to the court's expectations and has long rode out to defend the kingdom.

On one of these journeys she meets Herla, Lord of the Hunt, and a bond is formed. Herla was originally of the Iceni, but in a desperate bid to save her tribe/clan, has made a pact with the terrible King of the Underworld , Annwn. This pact has cost her dearly, as she is then bound to serve Annwn as Lord of the Hunt ( this element is based on the Wild Hunt myth with its origins in Celtic Myth and other ballads/legends)

History- wise this is at an intersection between the native Britons and the Anglo Saxons. The Britons are being uprooted, despite Ine's more compassionate approach . Christianity is establishing itself more firmly in the land ( compare with Lucy's Sistersong) . The unique connection to the land and its "magic"/power is being broken.

Herla is impelled by her oath/pact to slay warriors in a Berserkr sort of way, but finds she cannot slay the strong Aethelburg. The ensuing relationship is beautifully drawn, with lots of telling details. The depiction has the real ring of truth about relationships.

However Aethelburg is married to King Ine. Although there is a loving relationship between the two, there is little intimacy for which Aethelburg blames herself.

Ine, meanwhile is finding his own challenges religiously, politically and a very fundamental challenge to his identity and power.

Themes of identity (gender and racial ), power, religion, loyalty, love and connection to the land (in a Tolkienesque way) are interwoven. The style is at times deeply lyrical and Lucy's style seems ever more confident and increasingly assured.

The stage setting at the beginning of the court with its rivalries means a "slower" start than Sistersong, but Lucy provides a useful "cast" for reference.

I feel it is a pity that other books in this genre of a lesser quality receive more publicity. I wonder if they will have the staying power . This is a book of a rare quality and I hope that will be appreciated.



There were so many moments that stopped me in my tracks to draw breath. As I said in my review of Sistersong, Lucy has
"an elusive raw quality( which you find in ballads, myths and fairy tales) which seems to connect directly to the subconscious in the way the best fantasy does.”

Lucy has created a "Secondary World" in which every detail is carefully chosen to add to the story and characters, not because she wants to demonstrate all the research she's done. (As a Welshwoman I also appreciated the pronunciation guide provided)

My personal reaction to the book is that appeals to my love of myth (especially Celtic) and fantasy of the heroic/epic type like Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin and Pullman. I felt like I was wrapped in an elven cloak of spells as I read it. Utterly enchanting.

A rare 5 stars from me.

Song of the Huntress begins with the tale of Herla who was tricked by the King of the Underworld to wield his blade as the lord of the Hunt. Under every old moon Herla and her army kill without discrimination until Herla misses her kill and looks in to the eyes of a fierce warrior.

Queen Æthelburg never meets the demands of courts and favour because she does not behave like a typical Queen and instead takes herself to battle and fights for her King and Kingdom. Her character is constantly twisted by the courts, blinding the King and bringing a greater divide between them. Despite everything she faces, she continues to fight for what she knows is for her family, her country. I loved her strength and her character, her unwavering resolve to do her best.

When a neighbouring King is murdered, King Ine is thought to be the killer and must leave to save his kingdom from evils trying to take over. During this he begins to feel he is losing his mind as he develops strange abilities.

There is epic battles, intriguing mythology, fierce warriors, sapphic romance, strong, beautiful woman!

I really loved Songs of the Huntress and the World that Lucy holland created rich with politics, mythology, strong female main characters and strength that conquers all.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

In early Anglo-Saxon Britain the various Kingdoms and clans vie against each other for ascendency. When Queen Æthelburg of Wessex leads her forces into a bloody battle she meets the Lord of the Wild Hunt, a harbinger of change.

Holland's expertise in this period of British history is much to the fore, and the underlying story blended with mythology is intriguing. However, the author's choice of writing in the style of an archaic text falls flat. The reading experience is as though glimpsing the slow-paced narrative through sackcloth.

I have always loved Britain in this historical period and especially I loved how the author integrated the folklore of the period within the political and fantasy elements thus managing to create a well-balanced world building. In addition, the author's writing was poetic ,fairy-tale-like and vivid enough to immerse me in the story without difficulty. I also loved every single POV and honestly couldn't choose my favorite character!