Tor, Jun 2002, 14.95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0312875059
Marie Penthievre de Chalandrey enjoys her serene convent life as a novice. However, her idyllic existence ends when she learns her sibling died while on a Crusade and with her father still overseas she must leave her current abode to take up residency at the court of her guardian, the Duke of Normandy. Knights arrive to escort her to her new residence, but they are rivals of her guardian, owing allegiance to the Duke of Brittany.
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Marie escapes to the woods, but Tiarnan of Talensac saves her life from thugs, but returns her to Brittany's men. Still she falls in love with Tiarnan, but he hurts her again when he marries Eline instead. Marie and Eline become friends and the latter admits her husband frightens her, as he is a werewolf. When he vanishes, everyone thinks Tiarnan died except Marie, who believes he lives and that his people need his return more than she does.
THE WOLF HUNT is an interesting medieval fiction novel that blends vivid descriptions of the life and culture of the various French classes with a supernatural romance. The story line is rather simplistic yet filled with an incredible feel for the era and the belief that werewolves are real. Marie is a strong heroine, who refuses to be a victim though the male dominated world she lives in would force her otherwise. Tiarnan is probably the most complex aspect of the tale with his duality showing up in more ways than just wolf-human. Fans of a colorful paranormal historical fiction will want to read Gillian Bradshaw's powerful novel.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner