Early Review – The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: June 2, 2026
ASIN: B0FPL1PXN6
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Anne of Brittany was a child when France invaded and drove her royal father to his death. Now she is a young woman, sovereign duchess of an occupied realm, and France means to crown their conquest by marrying her to their king. Such an alliance would put her title, her lands, and her body forever in the hands of her enemies.

But Anne refuses to be the last duchess of Brittany.

Her only hope of resisting conquest is another alliance sealed with marriage, so Anne arranges a daring last gambit: a secret betrothal to Charles of France’s greatest rival. But secrets are hard to keep in a world where rival courts spy on each other with diviners.

The forest of Brocéliande was once the haunt of Merlin the Enchanter and the long-lost faerie queen. But magic is long gone from Broceliande, except for the occasional sight of a unicorn and one critical quirk: This ancient forest is completely hostile to divination.

While pretending compliance with France, Anne plans a unicorn hunt in Brocéliande. A bit of pointless pageantry. A diversion so she can wed in secret.

Or so she thinks.

In this rich and epic novel, the author of the acclaimed Winternight trilogy turns the real history of a remarkable woman into an unforgettable tale of mystery, enchantment, and the price of power.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook from NetGalley.com.

Thoughts: This was an amazing fantasy read. It reminds me of a more classic fantasy read with kings and duchesses, wars and adventures, faerie and sorcerers. This was impossible to put down, and I absolutely loved the characters and world here. Prior to reading this I had read Arden’s Winternight Trilogy (loved it), Small Spaces series (liked it) and “The Warm Hands of Ghosts” (loved it). So I was thrilled to read this book as well.

Anne of Brittany was a child when France invaded, and then her father passed away. Now Anne is doing all she can to come up with a strategy to keep Brittany independent from France. She has a plan to delay the machinations of the French, who want to force her to marry their king. She has arranged a secret betrothal to France’s greatest enemy and convinced France’s general to go hunting for unicorns while she sets things in motion. Unfortunately, she never could have planned for some of the magical elements she accidentally set in motion; the unicorn is real and a man who was lost for hundreds of years has returned from the haunted forests of Broceliande.

This was a wonderful read. I love the world here; this is very much historical fiction with a touch of faerie magic. I also really love the characters. Anne is saddled with a big task, and she performs her duties with intelligence, grace, kindness, and a toughness that most don’t expect. I loved how supportive everyone is of each other and enjoy that Anne does find people to help support her. This really tackles the issue a strong woman faces when having to stand on her own and support a whole kingdom while being limited to the bounds of her era.

This is beautifully written; the plot keeps you guessing, the characters are intricate, and the writing flows seamlessly. I enjoyed every second of reading this book. I have really enjoyed all of Arden’s books, and this one was another fantastic story by her.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved everything about this book. The beautiful writing, the complex characters, the world, and the story were all masterfully done. I would highly recommend this read, especially if you enjoy a more classic historical fantasy featuring a strong female lead. I can’t wait to see what Arden comes up with next.