Wren hates Christmas time. Every year she gets “hunted” down by the boys that live in her Irish village because of her name. However, there’s a deeper meaning to their hunt. You see, Wren is an Augur—a group of people who are able to discern patterns in order to use their talents. However, Wren’s people remain in hiding because of the Judges, people similar to the Augurs, but whose talents lie within nature itself. The Judges have forced Wren’s people into hiding, and when they begin to destroy the Augur’s sources of power, Wren must go undercover to infiltrate their enemies stronghold to save her people.
She finds herself the intern of Cassa Harkness, a powerful woman in the Judge world, and Wren suddenly finds herself in a web of lies in order to save her from a potentially deadly fate. However, not all is as it seems. As Wren begins to unravel the threads of truth for herself she finds herself unstable and unsure of who or what she might be. On top of that, she’s also managed to capture the interest of one of Cassa’s bodyguards, and she can’t help but return that interest. This story will have you on the edge of your seat as you try to unravel the mystery of Wren and the Judges and Augurs.
This story is captivating from the very beginning. You experience everything from Wren’s point of view—the fear, worry, and frustration as these boys chase her through the woods. The fear that she feels as she realises that their chase is no longer just a game, but that it means something more.
This tale is set in Ireland and looks at the mysticism of this land. I love how the tale of the Wren is woven into a much larger fantasy that involves a lot of Irish myth and folklore. Not only that, but the fact that you’re following Wren on this mysterious mission, and that you’re essentially racing against the clock to find all the pieces of the puzzle makes this story all the more thrilling. Each chapter comes with an excerpt from a diary that is relevant to the story, and leaves you wanting to figure out the story before you’re even halfway there. Then there’s the romance, I feel that it’s definitely approached well, and I would have loved to see it developed a little more.
Wren’s personality in this story is unstable, but it really works. She’s in a world with a lot uncertainty and hidden meaning, on top of being cursed with an ability that could possibly leave her mad. Although quite a chunk of her story takes place between her Irish village and the Harkness house, Mary Watson did very well in defining both places to make them distinct, I love being able to visualise the places in my stories.
The Wren Hunt has some interesting characters, all of them hiding secrets. If there’s a character that you’ll want to know more about once you’ve read and finished this story is Sibeal. Something about her personality drew her to me in the story, and although it might be nothing, I would have loved to see more interactions between her and Wren. Her sister Aisling paled in comparison, although she was the opposite of Wren and made to shine in social situations, unlike our protagonist, I felt that Aisling’s depth was rather shallow. Her motivations didn’t sit right with me, although others might disagree with that. David is the character that everyone will love to hate, as he tends to antagonise Wren quite a bit in this story. However, if there’s anything this story can be described as, it could definitely be described as unexpected. All of the characters have these hidden depths and humanities that make the characters more relatable to the readers. I don’t doubt that everyone will find a favourite.
If I had to decide on anything to complain about it would be that I wanted more of this story. The end left me feeling like I needed to find out more, if there’s going to be a sequel and if there’s not, there needs to be. The story left a lot of questions unanswered, many of them spoilers, so I’ll leave them unsaid in this review. This story might also be a little triggery for those who have experienced assault, so I would say approach this story with caution.
Watson’s descriptions can be vivid at times, which is excellent, but not always for those who have really vivid imaginations. Other than that, this story would definitely be perfect for those who’ve read the Raven Cycle and Wink Poppy Midnight. I feel that this story deserves 10 out of 10! It’s been a while that I’ve read a thriller this good. Honestly, this story cannot come out soon enough for those of us in the states! Definitely pick it up when it’s released!
The Wren Hunt is available on Book Depository, Amazon, and at other good book retailers depending on your location.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Every Christmas, Wren is chased through the woods near her isolated village by her family’s enemies—the Judges—and there’s nothing that she can do to stop it. Once her people, the Augurs, controlled a powerful magic. But now that power lies with the Judges, who are set on destroying her kind for good.
In a desperate bid to save her family, Wren takes a dangerous undercover assignment—as an intern to an influential Judge named Cassa Harkness. Cassa has spent her life researching a transformative spell, which could bring the war between the factions to its absolute end. Caught in a web of deceit, Wren must decide whether or not to gamble on the spell and seal the Augurs’ fate.
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