Review: The Hunters by David Wragg
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Introduction:
Ree is a woman with a violent past – a past she is eager to put behind her. After years of wandering, she and her niece, Javani, have built a small farm in mining country, at the edge of the known world, and Ree is keeping her head down.
But one day two groups of professional killers arrive in town, looking for a young girl and an older woman. A deadly chase through deserts, mountains, and mines begins. And Ree will have to discover her former self if she is to keep them both alive.
Review:
If I were to summarize The Hunters by David Wragg I’d describe it as a fast paced, action packed getaway adventure that’s filled with humor and its fair share of heart wrenching moments. Narrated in multi-povs this book has no dull moments. This incredibly explosive story that explores the meaning of motherhood, freedom and self discovery is a great beginning to Wragg’s Tales of the Plains trilogy. While The Hunters marks my initial encounter with his work, it is abundantly clear that he is an exceptionally adept author who’s capable of weaving a beautifully chaotic story filled with memorable characters that subtly delivers a touching message to the readers through them.
Even though the fantasy elements in The Hunters were sparse and infrequent, I was impressed by the intricate world building present in this book. The depiction of The Plains and the Mining Country of Kazeraz was richly detailed, offering a comprehensive portrayal of these settings. All the characters were unique and in most cases morally grey. The plot was solid and the mystery surrounding Javani’s birth and Ree’s past was beautifully integrated to the story, making the reader wants to know more. The adrenaline pumping action scenes were brilliantly executed.
Ree’s character was beautifully crafted. She’s mysterious, emotionally stunted, practical and fiery but the way Wragg explores the meaning of motherhood through her characters and how daunting it can be was truly touching. I adored Aki and Anashe. These siblings brought humor and laughter into the book, especially Aki. He had me laughing out loud at times. Their continuous bickering and banter was beautifully written. Through their characters Wragg managed to show the reader the true bond of siblings. Javani was sullen and demanding as much you’d expect from a pre-teen but deep down there was a beautiful layer of innocence to her that was looking for love.
My only qualms with The Hunters was that at times I felt Javani’s narrative read as an adult instead of a adolescent and the ending of the book read as a stand alone novel instead of beginning of a series.
Despite these miniscule things that didn’t really take away much from my reading experience The Hunters was an immensely enjoyable book. I loved every moment of this action packed, funny, thrilling yet heart wrenching story.
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