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El último unicornio
Elayne thinks the old family story that one of her ancestors stepped through a tapestry into a world of mythical beasts makes a great fireside tale. But she lives in the real world. In New York City. And she's outgrown that kind of fantasy.
Until she finds herself in front of a unicorn tapestry at the Cloisters museum and sees her initials woven into the fabric. And hears a unicorn calling to her. And slips and falls—into that other world.
Suddenly the line between fantasy and reality isn't so clear. But the danger is real enough. Almost before she can think, Elayne is attacked by a ferocious beast, rescued by a unicorn, and taken prisoner by a tyrant king. Each of them seems to have an idea about her—that she's a hero, a villain, dinner!
But Elayne has a few ideas of her own. She wants to overthrow the king; she wants to tame the unicorn. She wants to go home! And she's willing to become both hero and villain to do it.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2011
36 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
About the author
C.C. Humphreys
29 books429 followersaka Chris Humphreys
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys was born in Toronto, lived till he was seven in Los Angeles, then grew up in the UK. All four grandparents were actors, and since his father was an actor as well, it was inevitable he would follow the bloodline.
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander. He has written eleven adult novels including The French Executioner, runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers; Chasing the Wind; The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad – The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon and Shakespeare’s Rebel – which he adapted into a play and which premiered at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, in 2015. Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. His epic fantasy series the Immortals’ Blood Trilogy, beginning with Smoke in the Glass' has just been published by Gollancz. He also published his other fantasy series, The Tapestry Trilogy, beginning in August 2020 with ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’. His foray into modern crime, 'One London Day' was published in 2021. Hie new novel, the World War Two epic romance, 'Someday I'll Find You' is published by Doubleday in Canada on June 6, 2023.
Several of his novels are available as Audiobooks - read by himself! Find him here:
https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/...
He is translated into thirteen languages. In 2015 he earned his Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of British Columbia.
Check out his website: http://authorchrishumphreys.com
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys was born in Toronto, lived till he was seven in Los Angeles, then grew up in the UK. All four grandparents were actors, and since his father was an actor as well, it was inevitable he would follow the bloodline.
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander. He has written eleven adult novels including The French Executioner, runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers; Chasing the Wind; The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad – The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon and Shakespeare’s Rebel – which he adapted into a play and which premiered at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, in 2015. Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. His epic fantasy series the Immortals’ Blood Trilogy, beginning with Smoke in the Glass' has just been published by Gollancz. He also published his other fantasy series, The Tapestry Trilogy, beginning in August 2020 with ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’. His foray into modern crime, 'One London Day' was published in 2021. Hie new novel, the World War Two epic romance, 'Someday I'll Find You' is published by Doubleday in Canada on June 6, 2023.
Several of his novels are available as Audiobooks - read by himself! Find him here:
https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/...
He is translated into thirteen languages. In 2015 he earned his Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of British Columbia.
Check out his website: http://authorchrishumphreys.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
October 9, 2012
This fantasy has it all. A great division of the two different worlds. Mythical creatures such as the Cerberus, Cyclops, and of course the Unicorn. A heroine who just doesn’t know what she’s capable of. A tyrant king. The list goes on.
I found that the book was quick in it’s pacing and kept moving the storyline along. There were no dull moments at all. Both boys and girls will like this book as it has something for everyone. Between the small moments of romance there are many more moments of danger and fighting to keep the excitement going.
There weren’t a lot of overwhelming characters with hard to pronounce (or hard to remember) names as in many fantasy books, and that was a very welcome change to this girl. I often get discouraged and just stop reading the names all together when I read books like that. This one was completely readable, nothing to fret over or wonder about. I’d love to see a follow up novel!
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
I found that the book was quick in it’s pacing and kept moving the storyline along. There were no dull moments at all. Both boys and girls will like this book as it has something for everyone. Between the small moments of romance there are many more moments of danger and fighting to keep the excitement going.
There weren’t a lot of overwhelming characters with hard to pronounce (or hard to remember) names as in many fantasy books, and that was a very welcome change to this girl. I often get discouraged and just stop reading the names all together when I read books like that. This one was completely readable, nothing to fret over or wonder about. I’d love to see a follow up novel!
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
December 29, 2012
Is it possible to give unicorns a dark side?
I've come to the conclusion that unicorns are probably the hardest sell of all magical creatures. Sure, they are right up there with rainbows and butterflies on the popularity scale for most females under the age of fourteen (or at least they used to be before Edward came along), but the mythology of unicorns is pretty simple. In the same way vampires are an embodiment of darkness, unicorns are an embodiment of purity. A unicorn is a healing creature with a thing for virgin girl companions. I guess when I ask if unicorns can have a dark side, what I'm really asking is: Is there an interesting story to be found within the mythology?
Unfortunately, I'm not totally convinced. Although The Hunt of the Unicorns is a perfect example of a really great attempt the story here was just too... tame for me.
This isn't the sort of thing I would normally choose to read, but I got this book after meeting C.C. Humphreys in 2011 and have put off reading it till now. Confined to my bed I had only the books in front of me to choose from and I wanted something I knew I could read through quickly. The Hunt of the Unicorns fit the bill, so I started reading, and got incredibly bored, incredibly quickly. If I was reading this under different circumstances I can almost guarantee that I would have set it down for a looooong time before continuing, but desperate for entertainment I pressed on.
To give the author credit, he put a lot of work into creating an interesting magical world for his story to take place in. The imagination and variety of beasts that he uses was oddly fascinating and I feel he succeeded in what he was trying to achieve in that world. However, it was also very touch and go. In some places I feel he didn't take things far enough, in others you can see the development of the world getting to broad and getting in the way of the development of the characters and the plot. For me, the characters are the most important part of any story. In the Hunt of the Unicorn it was more about the world building then it should have been.
Our protagonist Elayne is a great character in concept, but not in execution. It wasn't till I finished the book that I realized that she wasn't really a character, but a story device. I had no idea of who she really was. She had plenty of motivation, but very little substance. She's sort of just a teenage girl who gets swept up in a adventure, which is fine, but I ask for a little more.
On the other hand I was happy to see that the unicorn character, Moonspill, was a character in his own right and not just a horse with a horn. He had his own motivations and of all the characters in the story he stands out as one of the more rounded. Also very noteworthy is the character of Amphisbaena. A two-headed snake with mouths like no other. Amphisbaena is a surprisingly funny character gifted with all languages of man, beast, and magical creature alike.
Overall, everything was pretty good. There wasn't anything I hated or disliked and I finished the book without many complaints. Then of course I sat down to write this review and really thought about it.
I realized two things.
First off, near the beginning of the book there is a scene that is central to the unicorns role in Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast. The role of the unicorn is to apparently purify the water so all the animals in and around Goloth can drink from the rivers because of course the humans have f-ed it all up. Normally, I would have considered mentioning this to be a spoiler because at the time it seemed like a pretty big deal. I thought that it was going to be part of the central plot of the story, but it isn't. It actually amounts to nothing. I can understand wanting to showcase the unicorns powers, however there are quite a few moments later in the book where this water-purification thing should be brought up again, but it isn't.
Then my second problem, the big, giant, plot hole problem. Later on in the book, when talking about the unicorns, it is mentioned by Moonspill that there is a place that is far away, over mountains yonder, where his children are safe from the dangers of Goloth. In this magical world, or at least in Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast all creatures are hunted, hunting is what everything is all about, the book is called The Hunt of the Unicorn. So if there is a place that is safe, why don't all the creatures just leave and go there? If the forest is on fire, you leave the forest.
I will say, before I put a cap on this review turned unexpected rant, that while I was reading The Hunt of the Unicorn it was an enjoyable experience, but the more thought I put into it the more I'm disappointed. For a book that I went into with very low expectations it did pretty well! Now however, I just find myself wanting to move on.
If I were to recommend this to someone it would be to younger YA readers. If I was just coming into the YA genre and I loved adventure fantasy then this would have blown me away!
I've come to the conclusion that unicorns are probably the hardest sell of all magical creatures. Sure, they are right up there with rainbows and butterflies on the popularity scale for most females under the age of fourteen (or at least they used to be before Edward came along), but the mythology of unicorns is pretty simple. In the same way vampires are an embodiment of darkness, unicorns are an embodiment of purity. A unicorn is a healing creature with a thing for virgin girl companions. I guess when I ask if unicorns can have a dark side, what I'm really asking is: Is there an interesting story to be found within the mythology?
Unfortunately, I'm not totally convinced. Although The Hunt of the Unicorns is a perfect example of a really great attempt the story here was just too... tame for me.
This isn't the sort of thing I would normally choose to read, but I got this book after meeting C.C. Humphreys in 2011 and have put off reading it till now. Confined to my bed I had only the books in front of me to choose from and I wanted something I knew I could read through quickly. The Hunt of the Unicorns fit the bill, so I started reading, and got incredibly bored, incredibly quickly. If I was reading this under different circumstances I can almost guarantee that I would have set it down for a looooong time before continuing, but desperate for entertainment I pressed on.
To give the author credit, he put a lot of work into creating an interesting magical world for his story to take place in. The imagination and variety of beasts that he uses was oddly fascinating and I feel he succeeded in what he was trying to achieve in that world. However, it was also very touch and go. In some places I feel he didn't take things far enough, in others you can see the development of the world getting to broad and getting in the way of the development of the characters and the plot. For me, the characters are the most important part of any story. In the Hunt of the Unicorn it was more about the world building then it should have been.
Our protagonist Elayne is a great character in concept, but not in execution. It wasn't till I finished the book that I realized that she wasn't really a character, but a story device. I had no idea of who she really was. She had plenty of motivation, but very little substance. She's sort of just a teenage girl who gets swept up in a adventure, which is fine, but I ask for a little more.
On the other hand I was happy to see that the unicorn character, Moonspill, was a character in his own right and not just a horse with a horn. He had his own motivations and of all the characters in the story he stands out as one of the more rounded. Also very noteworthy is the character of Amphisbaena. A two-headed snake with mouths like no other. Amphisbaena is a surprisingly funny character gifted with all languages of man, beast, and magical creature alike.
Overall, everything was pretty good. There wasn't anything I hated or disliked and I finished the book without many complaints. Then of course I sat down to write this review and really thought about it.
I realized two things.
First off, near the beginning of the book there is a scene that is central to the unicorns role in Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast. The role of the unicorn is to apparently purify the water so all the animals in and around Goloth can drink from the rivers because of course the humans have f-ed it all up. Normally, I would have considered mentioning this to be a spoiler because at the time it seemed like a pretty big deal. I thought that it was going to be part of the central plot of the story, but it isn't. It actually amounts to nothing. I can understand wanting to showcase the unicorns powers, however there are quite a few moments later in the book where this water-purification thing should be brought up again, but it isn't.
Then my second problem, the big, giant, plot hole problem. Later on in the book, when talking about the unicorns, it is mentioned by Moonspill that there is a place that is far away, over mountains yonder, where his children are safe from the dangers of Goloth. In this magical world, or at least in Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast all creatures are hunted, hunting is what everything is all about, the book is called The Hunt of the Unicorn. So if there is a place that is safe, why don't all the creatures just leave and go there? If the forest is on fire, you leave the forest.
I will say, before I put a cap on this review turned unexpected rant, that while I was reading The Hunt of the Unicorn it was an enjoyable experience, but the more thought I put into it the more I'm disappointed. For a book that I went into with very low expectations it did pretty well! Now however, I just find myself wanting to move on.
If I were to recommend this to someone it would be to younger YA readers. If I was just coming into the YA genre and I loved adventure fantasy then this would have blown me away!
May 30, 2018
You can't say it is not real if you don't see it with your bare eyes.
May 8, 2011
This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.
Elayne has lost all hope for her father’s recovery as he battles leukemia, and it is with a feeling of defeat that Elayne sits down with him one night and cracks open the old volume entitled The Maid and the Unicorn. Elayne reads of the story of the magical weaver Francois Robochon, his daughter and her namesake Alice-Elayne, and the escape from Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast on the back of a unicorn. Even as Elayne scoffs at the fantastical story, her father insists on its authenticity and presents a supposed unicorn horn passed down from Elayne’s ancestor to her as a gift. It isn’t until Elayne comes face to face with tapestries depicting the great unicorn and woven with the initials AE that she finally realizes the truth, although the realization does come just a bit too late. Plunging head-first into the Land of the Fabulous Beast, Elayne seeks to discover a cure for her father and possibly save Goloth from its tyrannical ruler, the descendant of the weaver Robochon’s murderer, King-Elect Leo.
The Hunt of the Unicorn turned out to be a lot more than I’d originally expected. The beginning was a bit heavy on the info-dumping, but the authors chose a more creative method. We read about the entire history and back-story as Elayne herself reads from The Maid and the Unicorn, and her commentaries certainly added to the story.
It took me 80 pages to get into the story, and the rest of the book flew by as a result. We are introduced to fascinating Moonspill, handsome Leo, joking Marc, sweetmeat-addicted Amaryllis, and other charming or back-stabbing characters as the story progresses. My favorite being the two-headed amphisbaena snake, who, upon meeting Elayne, proceeds to exchange their knowledge of the language of the beasts with her for her knowledge of modern English. It is quite entertaining to hear the snake, especially the Baena half, speak in a mix of Olde English and “teenspeak.”
The Hunt of the Unicorn is a great addition to the plethora of unicorn books out there. It stands out among the rest, too.
Book Source: Review Copy via Flamingnet
Elayne has lost all hope for her father’s recovery as he battles leukemia, and it is with a feeling of defeat that Elayne sits down with him one night and cracks open the old volume entitled The Maid and the Unicorn. Elayne reads of the story of the magical weaver Francois Robochon, his daughter and her namesake Alice-Elayne, and the escape from Goloth, Land of the Fabulous Beast on the back of a unicorn. Even as Elayne scoffs at the fantastical story, her father insists on its authenticity and presents a supposed unicorn horn passed down from Elayne’s ancestor to her as a gift. It isn’t until Elayne comes face to face with tapestries depicting the great unicorn and woven with the initials AE that she finally realizes the truth, although the realization does come just a bit too late. Plunging head-first into the Land of the Fabulous Beast, Elayne seeks to discover a cure for her father and possibly save Goloth from its tyrannical ruler, the descendant of the weaver Robochon’s murderer, King-Elect Leo.
The Hunt of the Unicorn turned out to be a lot more than I’d originally expected. The beginning was a bit heavy on the info-dumping, but the authors chose a more creative method. We read about the entire history and back-story as Elayne herself reads from The Maid and the Unicorn, and her commentaries certainly added to the story.
It took me 80 pages to get into the story, and the rest of the book flew by as a result. We are introduced to fascinating Moonspill, handsome Leo, joking Marc, sweetmeat-addicted Amaryllis, and other charming or back-stabbing characters as the story progresses. My favorite being the two-headed amphisbaena snake, who, upon meeting Elayne, proceeds to exchange their knowledge of the language of the beasts with her for her knowledge of modern English. It is quite entertaining to hear the snake, especially the Baena half, speak in a mix of Olde English and “teenspeak.”
The Hunt of the Unicorn is a great addition to the plethora of unicorn books out there. It stands out among the rest, too.
Book Source: Review Copy via Flamingnet
April 19, 2011
This is the story of Alice Elayne, a young girl whose father is dying of cancer. In order to help him through the difficult days, she reads to him from a book that is supposedly the story of their family. For hundreds of years, there has been an Alice Elayne in the family, along with the book and a small box. Inside the box is a piece of a unicorn's horn. Supposedly in the beginning, an ancestory wove a tapestry that, with the touch of a unicorn's horn, opened a doorway between two worlds - the ordinary everyday world, and a fantastic realm where mythical beasts roamed. The weaver of the tapestries had his life saved by the unicorn and in return promised that if ever the unicorn needed help, Alice Elayne would be there.
Of course, Alyce Elayne doesn't believe a word of the story.
And of course, she is wrong.
This is a delightful story full of emotion, adventure, fantastic creatures, danger, and more. Though some of the characters are stereotypical, most are well developed and the world-building is excellently done. A definite read for anyone who loves unicorns and fantasy.
Of course, Alyce Elayne doesn't believe a word of the story.
And of course, she is wrong.
This is a delightful story full of emotion, adventure, fantastic creatures, danger, and more. Though some of the characters are stereotypical, most are well developed and the world-building is excellently done. A definite read for anyone who loves unicorns and fantasy.
February 21, 2014
This book has received rather low ratings *frown* and I am not a technical reviewer or a precise critique, I just rate books on how much I enjoy them. ;)
Once I picked up this book, I just kept reading it! I read it until 3 am when I was done with it, and it was a really good read. I hadn't done that in a while and it felt so refreshing to be that into a book. I wholeheartedly recommend it for those into different worlds split rather masterfully, mythical creatures, and heroines/books that pleasantly surprise you.
Sure, there were things that could have been better. Imagine if (leading with some of what another reviewer wanted) Elayne was a little more fleshed out or we learned more about the Ama-something! Leo could have been terrifying (although he was definitely manipulative & I didn't see how bad he was until Elayne noticed his lips were very thin, haha). There were things that could have been improved upon, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
Once I picked up this book, I just kept reading it! I read it until 3 am when I was done with it, and it was a really good read. I hadn't done that in a while and it felt so refreshing to be that into a book. I wholeheartedly recommend it for those into different worlds split rather masterfully, mythical creatures, and heroines/books that pleasantly surprise you.
Sure, there were things that could have been better. Imagine if (leading with some of what another reviewer wanted) Elayne was a little more fleshed out or we learned more about the Ama-something! Leo could have been terrifying (although he was definitely manipulative & I didn't see how bad he was until Elayne noticed his lips were very thin, haha). There were things that could have been improved upon, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
July 20, 2018
Buah recuerdo que lo leí cuando empecé a interesarme/obsesionarme con los unicornios hace como 5 años y que me gustó mucho la idea y los personajes (sobre todo la protagonista, por alguna razón conecté mucho con ella) y que odié también mucho al príncipe ese.
Recuerdo que al terminarlo lo primero que pensé fue "y ya está?!? NO HAY MÁS?? :((".
A ver si lo releo algún día.
Recuerdo que al terminarlo lo primero que pensé fue "y ya está?!? NO HAY MÁS?? :((".
A ver si lo releo algún día.
January 1, 2016
Before I begin my review, I should make one thing clear. I am a unicorn lover and collector, taking care to only keep gorgeous, majestic unicorns around (forget the childish, cute ones). I feel this is a necessary tidbit about me, as it might – well, probably does – influence my opinion of this book – or any book wherein one of the main subjects is a unicorn. Well, I don’t know, maybe not. I mean, a bad book is a bad book, whatever creatures might be within its pages … anyway, no, this is most definitely NOT a bad book. Very good, but I’m getting ahead of myself …
When I read the title of this book, my interest was instantly piqued – for what I’m guessing are now obvious reasons. I wasn’t further excited by the description, but decided to give it a go anyway. I think the reason the description didn’t further excite me is because it sells the story short. This makes it all sound so simple, but it’s so not. It’s an intricately woven fantastical tale that leaves a fantasy lover (such as myself) quite satisfied. And, best of all, loose ends don’t get left at the end. This story stands on its own! (Such a refreshing thing, as I think series are overdone these days.)
The chapter on the hunt of the gryphon was absolutely amazing. (I no longer have the book available to me, but I believe “griffin” is spelled “gryphon” – hence my spelling of it here.) The hunt itself, along with the chase at the end was written so very well. I felt my heart accelerate as the action progressed, until the very end moment of the chase. WOW. So well done.
The book as a whole is action-packed and fast-moving. There were very few chapter breaks at which I felt I could put the book down. The action was going, and the next chapter continued it. There were a few spots where I could put the book down without feeling like I was interrupting the current scene, but not a lot. So, if you read this book, be prepared to sit and read for long stretches. But, it’s a good thing – unputdownable books are the best!
The Hunt of the Unicorn includes all manner of mythological beasts, no just unicorns. There are manticores, the aforementioned gryphon, and many others. If you love mythological creatures, this book is for you! Heck, if you love fantasy, this is a good read. (And if you love unicorns like I do, then buy the book NOW!) I highly recommend it. In fact, this was a tour book (and ARC, to be precise), and I was sad to let it go. I will definitely purchase a copy for my own enjoyment again and again.
Long story short: Awesome book, especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy genre and/or mythical creatures. The Hunt of the Unicorn is a wild ride with surprising incidents thrown in to keep the reader on her (or his, I suppose) toes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and was made even happier at the end because there are no loose ends left – I actually closed the back cover satisfied!
When I read the title of this book, my interest was instantly piqued – for what I’m guessing are now obvious reasons. I wasn’t further excited by the description, but decided to give it a go anyway. I think the reason the description didn’t further excite me is because it sells the story short. This makes it all sound so simple, but it’s so not. It’s an intricately woven fantastical tale that leaves a fantasy lover (such as myself) quite satisfied. And, best of all, loose ends don’t get left at the end. This story stands on its own! (Such a refreshing thing, as I think series are overdone these days.)
The chapter on the hunt of the gryphon was absolutely amazing. (I no longer have the book available to me, but I believe “griffin” is spelled “gryphon” – hence my spelling of it here.) The hunt itself, along with the chase at the end was written so very well. I felt my heart accelerate as the action progressed, until the very end moment of the chase. WOW. So well done.
The book as a whole is action-packed and fast-moving. There were very few chapter breaks at which I felt I could put the book down. The action was going, and the next chapter continued it. There were a few spots where I could put the book down without feeling like I was interrupting the current scene, but not a lot. So, if you read this book, be prepared to sit and read for long stretches. But, it’s a good thing – unputdownable books are the best!
The Hunt of the Unicorn includes all manner of mythological beasts, no just unicorns. There are manticores, the aforementioned gryphon, and many others. If you love mythological creatures, this book is for you! Heck, if you love fantasy, this is a good read. (And if you love unicorns like I do, then buy the book NOW!) I highly recommend it. In fact, this was a tour book (and ARC, to be precise), and I was sad to let it go. I will definitely purchase a copy for my own enjoyment again and again.
Long story short: Awesome book, especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy genre and/or mythical creatures. The Hunt of the Unicorn is a wild ride with surprising incidents thrown in to keep the reader on her (or his, I suppose) toes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and was made even happier at the end because there are no loose ends left – I actually closed the back cover satisfied!
December 29, 2011
(More like 3.4-3.5 stars) I read this book all the way through in one sitting. The writing style and story was engaging, but I did have some nit-picky things about the characters. I did love the details around the history of the tapestries created in this story. I'm happy to see that our heroine learns and honors her promises to her most true friend (Moonspill). Still, I feel that the other characters were a bit underdeveloped.
The king-elect, Leo, is one example in the fantasy story. He does some noble things like save Elayne from the griffin; but then he goes around and does crooked things like hunting these beasts so cruelly. At times he claims to want to step out of his father's hunter shadow, but then again he could be playing a political card that way. I see a strange reflection of him in Moonspill, who has his own inner rage and and troubles dealing with his ancestors. Both in a sense are trapped (at odds) with tradition and ideas of heroic greatness. I wish that we could have picked his brain more to understand his reasoning, along with Marc's (did a whole 180) and Amaryllis's (came across as a spoiled brat).
Especially Marc, who seemed to be on the "weaver" side from the get-go. He doesn't fully explain his reasoning for helping Elayne and building up her hope (and playful flirtations), then stabbing her in the back like that near the end. I can get he wants to help his sister marry the prince. But it's like he feels no guilt about the girl and unicorn who helped him in the past. I think he could have redeemed himself if he had helped in some form at the end again (playing a double agent). While I believe this may be a stand-alone, I think it would be interesting to revisit Goloth again. Perhaps Elayne is called back by Moonspill and is meant to help him restore some order to riotous Goloth and the fabulous beasts that may now be encroaching into the city (seriously bring them some democracy). Maybe Leo and Marc could redeem themselves a bit in a sequel, or at least develop into more ambitious villains.
The king-elect, Leo, is one example in the fantasy story. He does some noble things like save Elayne from the griffin; but then he goes around and does crooked things like hunting these beasts so cruelly. At times he claims to want to step out of his father's hunter shadow, but then again he could be playing a political card that way. I see a strange reflection of him in Moonspill, who has his own inner rage and and troubles dealing with his ancestors. Both in a sense are trapped (at odds) with tradition and ideas of heroic greatness. I wish that we could have picked his brain more to understand his reasoning, along with Marc's (did a whole 180) and Amaryllis's (came across as a spoiled brat).
Especially Marc, who seemed to be on the "weaver" side from the get-go. He doesn't fully explain his reasoning for helping Elayne and building up her hope (and playful flirtations), then stabbing her in the back like that near the end. I can get he wants to help his sister marry the prince. But it's like he feels no guilt about the girl and unicorn who helped him in the past. I think he could have redeemed himself if he had helped in some form at the end again (playing a double agent). While I believe this may be a stand-alone, I think it would be interesting to revisit Goloth again. Perhaps Elayne is called back by Moonspill and is meant to help him restore some order to riotous Goloth and the fabulous beasts that may now be encroaching into the city (seriously bring them some democracy). Maybe Leo and Marc could redeem themselves a bit in a sequel, or at least develop into more ambitious villains.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2017
This was a decent kids or YA fantasy read that might be elevated to great if you love unicorns, fairytale/legendary/mythical beasts and old-school fairytale-quest-fantasy. The tone felt a little dated compared to current trends (it is 2011), but there were interesting ideas woven into the narrative and an easy-to-follow, coherent (if a little predictable) plot. Characterization felt a bit lazy; the heroine is remarkable for her 'maiden'-ness and general naivety, the only other named (human) female character is bad, you can tell because she's a stress-eater and obese, and the named male characters are family or romantic interests who quickly fall out as questionable. Liked the identity and trust issues with the unicorn and the tie-in to the tapestries at the Cloisters - good creative re-use of history and artifacts. Also enjoyable was the portrayal of legendary beasts, especially the slang-and-middle-English speaking two-headed snake, who imho was the best character of the lot. Nothing wildly fresh, but there doesn't always have to be. A gentler read than most, enjoyable especially for a niche fanbase.
December 26, 2022
Well
I love that it started off as Alice-Elayne reading her ancestor’s story with her sickly father. The story was of her ancestor's escape from the Land of the Fabulous Beast, Goloth. Starting the book like this gave the whole thing a “Princess Bride” feeling, if you know that story. It was a great way to set up the story and introduce this “other world” beyond a certain special tapestry.
The world building was by far the best thing about this book. I don’t know much about unicorn mythology, or any of the other mythological creatures featured, so I felt like I was learning alongside Elayne. For example, the extent of my knowledge about Cerberus is from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Goloth is an incredible place, but not one I'd ever want to visit. Unsurprisingly, it has been ruined by the worst of mankind. Therefore, I kind of hated being there, so the escape to Manhattan was a welcome adventure. Riding a unicorn through Manhattan in the middle of the night, in the snow, was the highlight of this book.
“Adam had killed almost every kind of creature in our world. Now he discovered a way to kill the manticore and delivered the people from their terror. For that they made him their leader. ‘The Hunter, they call him... And in three days, they will call him their king. He demands a crown, he will rule in tyranny, and he will complete the evil we introduced into this world when we entered it.”
I feel like this quote above explains exactly why I didn’t like Goloth as much as I could have. I don’t really like hunting but I understand the need for it. Hunting just for the sake of killing is absolutely revolting. The killing of the Fabulous Beasts was the worst part of this book. It was horrific. I wanted to bury my head under a pillow just like Elayne did because I swear those screams were echoing in my ears too. I thought I was going to be sick. For some reason, I couldn’t skip that part despite how horrible it was.
Honestly, I’m surprised how Elayne could find a reason to want to help Goloth. I completely understand wanting to help save Moonspill and Heartsease and the other fabulous beasts, but there were literally no humans in Goloth that seemed worth her time and effort. Redeemable qualities were nowhere to be found. Here is the flaw of the story - the characters. Elayne has plenty of motivation and fears, but we don’t really know much about her at all. Her backstory is practically non-existent, except for the story of her great-great (and many more greats than that) ancestor, the first Alice-Elayne. We are not given much information about her father either. Elayne appears seemingly out of nowhere.
“Another first, Elayne thought. I’ve started a riot. Though, looking around, she wondered if it wasn’t more of a revolution. Perhaps they began the same way. Benches flying. People attacking each other. Particularly around her.”
The fabulous beasts though, they had character. The Amphisbaena was my favourite character(s?) Marc was my favourite for a bit, but not anymore. . The amphisbaena were hilarious. Giving Elayne their special gift was one of my favourite parts.
“The hum grew, as if a choir were doing the humming, in total harmony… Every word, every thing, captured, held in sound... Words did come now, yet spoken by thousands of voices, hundreds of thousands, so many that words themselves were indistinguishable—and yet she heard every one. They weren’t in languages. They were language itself.”
Moonspill is certainly the best character in this story. Elayne may have been the protagonist, but it's Moonspill that shines. His backstory is rich and fascinating, way more detailed than anyone else’s. I know that unicorns represent purity and goodness, so what makes Moonspill so interesting is that he isn’t all that. He is very conflicted, with a wild temper and plenty of regretted decisions. He brought evil into his world, and it's up to him to drive it out again.
C. C. Humphrey’s inspiration for this book came from a very unexpected place. A simple signet ring with a unicorn on it can lead to a book series. Who would have thought it?
“A unicorn does not remember. A unicorn… relives.”
I love that it started off as Alice-Elayne reading her ancestor’s story with her sickly father. The story was of her ancestor's escape from the Land of the Fabulous Beast, Goloth. Starting the book like this gave the whole thing a “Princess Bride” feeling, if you know that story. It was a great way to set up the story and introduce this “other world” beyond a certain special tapestry.
The world building was by far the best thing about this book. I don’t know much about unicorn mythology, or any of the other mythological creatures featured, so I felt like I was learning alongside Elayne. For example, the extent of my knowledge about Cerberus is from Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Goloth is an incredible place, but not one I'd ever want to visit. Unsurprisingly, it has been ruined by the worst of mankind. Therefore, I kind of hated being there, so the escape to Manhattan was a welcome adventure. Riding a unicorn through Manhattan in the middle of the night, in the snow, was the highlight of this book.
“Adam had killed almost every kind of creature in our world. Now he discovered a way to kill the manticore and delivered the people from their terror. For that they made him their leader. ‘The Hunter, they call him... And in three days, they will call him their king. He demands a crown, he will rule in tyranny, and he will complete the evil we introduced into this world when we entered it.”
I feel like this quote above explains exactly why I didn’t like Goloth as much as I could have. I don’t really like hunting but I understand the need for it. Hunting just for the sake of killing is absolutely revolting. The killing of the Fabulous Beasts was the worst part of this book. It was horrific. I wanted to bury my head under a pillow just like Elayne did because I swear those screams were echoing in my ears too. I thought I was going to be sick. For some reason, I couldn’t skip that part despite how horrible it was.
Honestly, I’m surprised how Elayne could find a reason to want to help Goloth. I completely understand wanting to help save Moonspill and Heartsease and the other fabulous beasts, but there were literally no humans in Goloth that seemed worth her time and effort. Redeemable qualities were nowhere to be found. Here is the flaw of the story - the characters. Elayne has plenty of motivation and fears, but we don’t really know much about her at all. Her backstory is practically non-existent, except for the story of her great-great (and many more greats than that) ancestor, the first Alice-Elayne. We are not given much information about her father either. Elayne appears seemingly out of nowhere.
“Another first, Elayne thought. I’ve started a riot. Though, looking around, she wondered if it wasn’t more of a revolution. Perhaps they began the same way. Benches flying. People attacking each other. Particularly around her.”
The fabulous beasts though, they had character. The Amphisbaena was my favourite character(s?) Marc was my favourite for a bit, but not anymore. . The amphisbaena were hilarious. Giving Elayne their special gift was one of my favourite parts.
“The hum grew, as if a choir were doing the humming, in total harmony… Every word, every thing, captured, held in sound... Words did come now, yet spoken by thousands of voices, hundreds of thousands, so many that words themselves were indistinguishable—and yet she heard every one. They weren’t in languages. They were language itself.”
Moonspill is certainly the best character in this story. Elayne may have been the protagonist, but it's Moonspill that shines. His backstory is rich and fascinating, way more detailed than anyone else’s. I know that unicorns represent purity and goodness, so what makes Moonspill so interesting is that he isn’t all that. He is very conflicted, with a wild temper and plenty of regretted decisions. He brought evil into his world, and it's up to him to drive it out again.
C. C. Humphrey’s inspiration for this book came from a very unexpected place. A simple signet ring with a unicorn on it can lead to a book series. Who would have thought it?
“A unicorn does not remember. A unicorn… relives.”
December 20, 2020
The Review
A rich and storied mythology comes to life in author C.C. Humphreys’s latest novel. The author does a great job of creating a healthy blend of new fantasy-driven mythology with a rich cast of characters and mythical beasts that give both a magical and human element of danger and adventure to the narrative.
The author does an amazing job of crafting not only a wholly original story but does a wonderful job of creating memorable characters. Protagonist Alice is a fantastic character to follow, as her story is complex and intricately tied into this magical world known as Goloth. Her journey takes her down roads that could either save a world, destroy it, or possibly both.
The emotional core of her father’s illness with cancer and her reading the story of their family legacy to him to start the story was an inspired way of bringing this mythology into the story early on, and the concept of parallel worlds bringing our reality into the world of Goloth was a great way of pairing that emotional storyline to the adventure she experiences later on.
The Verdict
An action-packed, wildly creative and evenly-paced read, author C.C. Humphreys’s “The Hunt of the Unicorn” was a fantastic start to a new fantasy-driven series. The protagonist was someone readers could identify with and rally behind, while the large mythos the author built was engaging and entertaining to dive into. A must-read for fantasy fans out there, be sure to grab your copy of this awesome novel today!
A rich and storied mythology comes to life in author C.C. Humphreys’s latest novel. The author does a great job of creating a healthy blend of new fantasy-driven mythology with a rich cast of characters and mythical beasts that give both a magical and human element of danger and adventure to the narrative.
The author does an amazing job of crafting not only a wholly original story but does a wonderful job of creating memorable characters. Protagonist Alice is a fantastic character to follow, as her story is complex and intricately tied into this magical world known as Goloth. Her journey takes her down roads that could either save a world, destroy it, or possibly both.
The emotional core of her father’s illness with cancer and her reading the story of their family legacy to him to start the story was an inspired way of bringing this mythology into the story early on, and the concept of parallel worlds bringing our reality into the world of Goloth was a great way of pairing that emotional storyline to the adventure she experiences later on.
The Verdict
An action-packed, wildly creative and evenly-paced read, author C.C. Humphreys’s “The Hunt of the Unicorn” was a fantastic start to a new fantasy-driven series. The protagonist was someone readers could identify with and rally behind, while the large mythos the author built was engaging and entertaining to dive into. A must-read for fantasy fans out there, be sure to grab your copy of this awesome novel today!
February 26, 2021
I'd rate this 3.75, not quite a 4. It started out kind of slow and I almost discarded it, thinking that I have too many other books to read that I might enjoy more. However, the pace picked up and I understand why the preamble was necessary.
Strong characters and some pretty good plot twists. I'm a bit skeptical that the family history book and tip of the unicorn horn would have been passed on for 500 years or so when there was no communication with anyone from Goloth. At some point somebody probably would have chucked both items. But I digress. (Note: It would have been nice if the story had disclosed more of what happened to the original Alice-Elayne when she arrived in France)
It was very easy to dislike the villains as they did very bad things. Where in the heck did all the gigantic mirrors come from and how did they get them set up so fast? (I admit, I got sidetracked by researching when glass mirrors became common. Then I smacked myself and conceded that this is a fantasy so anything is possible)
There appear to be two more volumes to this series. I doubt that I will pursue them since I read that Elayne is falling in love with that prick Leo. No way José can I condone that scenario. Amaryllis seems intent on removing Elayne as a competitor for Leo's affections but as I recall, he already has a couple of wives so what does one more matter?
Strong characters and some pretty good plot twists. I'm a bit skeptical that the family history book and tip of the unicorn horn would have been passed on for 500 years or so when there was no communication with anyone from Goloth. At some point somebody probably would have chucked both items. But I digress. (Note: It would have been nice if the story had disclosed more of what happened to the original Alice-Elayne when she arrived in France)
It was very easy to dislike the villains as they did very bad things. Where in the heck did all the gigantic mirrors come from and how did they get them set up so fast? (I admit, I got sidetracked by researching when glass mirrors became common. Then I smacked myself and conceded that this is a fantasy so anything is possible)
There appear to be two more volumes to this series. I doubt that I will pursue them since I read that Elayne is falling in love with that prick Leo. No way José can I condone that scenario. Amaryllis seems intent on removing Elayne as a competitor for Leo's affections but as I recall, he already has a couple of wives so what does one more matter?
August 17, 2018
I’ve looked for a book like this about a unicorn for over a year now. I found this by sheer luck. I was in the bookstore looking for a book for the Care of Magical Creatures challenge for a Harry Potter themed reading challenge and found this on the shelf.
I read it in two sittings stopping only to take my kids to school. I had to know how it ended. I loved how this book blended tropes from other fantasy stories to make a story that was completely unique. I loved that Elayne was a modern girl who refused to be a pushed around damsel in distress. I loved that this book wasn’t just about a girl and a unicorn but saving an entire group of people from tyranny. I especially loved that while a love triangle was hinted at, Elayne didn’t have time for that!
What is it with girls and unicorns? C.C. Humphreys gets it.
I did have one minor complaint. An entire land of magical creatures and no dragons are mentioned? Seriously? But it’d make a great sequel. Hint. Hint.
I read it in two sittings stopping only to take my kids to school. I had to know how it ended. I loved how this book blended tropes from other fantasy stories to make a story that was completely unique. I loved that Elayne was a modern girl who refused to be a pushed around damsel in distress. I loved that this book wasn’t just about a girl and a unicorn but saving an entire group of people from tyranny. I especially loved that while a love triangle was hinted at, Elayne didn’t have time for that!
What is it with girls and unicorns? C.C. Humphreys gets it.
I did have one minor complaint. An entire land of magical creatures and no dragons are mentioned? Seriously? But it’d make a great sequel. Hint. Hint.
June 19, 2024
The Hunt of the Unicorn is a fun and fast young adult book based in medieval times. Elayne is a teenager in modern time New York who gets a book from her sickly father supposedly describing her family history relating to specially woven tapestries and a heroic unicorn. It sounds unbelievable until she goes on a school trip to a museum that houses some of the tapestries and then her adventure begins! Excellently described, I could picture the story like scenes from a movie! I enjoyed all the characters, good and bad, even the fantastical beasts! I look forward to reading the next 2 books in the series! Ps- there really are The Unicorn Tapestries (7) housed in the Cloisters in New York City! How cool!
December 27, 2024
Overall, I enjoyed the book. But, I never really warmed up to nor connected with protagonist Elayne, which detracted from the book. Elayne just feel flat for me and never read like a 'real' teenage girl. I also couldn't figure out who the target audience was. The book generally reads super 'young' (in part, I think, because Elayne was so under developed). At the same time, there was some fairly violent scenes that I think would make many parents balk at sharing with children who are that young.
It's likely I'll look up other work by this author. This book intrigued me enough to want to see what else he can do.
It's likely I'll look up other work by this author. This book intrigued me enough to want to see what else he can do.
January 1, 2018
I will never forgive this author for killing that poor griffin chick. Two stars gone just for that alone.
Other then that a good book. Had some good twists. Got hella annoyed with Elayne, she was a complete and utter idiot. She made horrible choices. Didn't like Leo, he was a chauvinistic pig and I hope he dies. The unicorn was great, the magical creatures were wonderful, and I liked that everything sort of works out in the end. Just not for that baby griffin. UGH.
Other then that a good book. Had some good twists. Got hella annoyed with Elayne, she was a complete and utter idiot. She made horrible choices. Didn't like Leo, he was a chauvinistic pig and I hope he dies. The unicorn was great, the magical creatures were wonderful, and I liked that everything sort of works out in the end. Just not for that baby griffin. UGH.
November 12, 2021
I can always appreciate an imaginative book. And that is what carried most of my stars here. The world was beautiful and creative with an old world sort of feeling to it. I appreciated the traditional portrayal of the unicorn as a powerful and sometimes violent creature. I had a hard time with the main heroine who felt like a one dimensional stereotype of what someone thinks a teenage girl would be like. That said, I feel like someone else could have told this story better.
March 26, 2017
Not a bad story, but I cannot help but feel that it's trying too hard...? It's so big and colourful, but it comes across like a first or second draft...? It's like it was put in the bookstore too soon, and cut off from being a more epic story...
...Bah, don't listen to me. Unicorn stories are always cool, including this one!
...Bah, don't listen to me. Unicorn stories are always cool, including this one!
January 22, 2021
In The Hunt of the Unicorn, promises made centuries ago are tested, friendships are built, and character is forged. Merging medieval lore of Fabulous Beasts with modern cynicism, Chris Humphreys creates a lively adventure full of twists and turns. Even the supporting cast is colorful and intriguing. I’m looking forward to diving into book 2 in the series!
November 15, 2020
What a FUN book! Highly recommend the audiobook for this one. It's narrated by the author and you can hear the passion for his own story injected both the dialogue and narration. I'll be looking up the sequel to this as well!
April 20, 2022
he leido este libro tantísimas veces que creo que me lo sé de memoria. es genial, punto. no tengo otras palabras.
Con este libro empecé a leer fantasía y a raíz de ahí no me he separado de este género.
Amo este book con todo mi corazoncito💗
Con este libro empecé a leer fantasía y a raíz de ahí no me he separado de este género.
Amo este book con todo mi corazoncito💗
March 16, 2021
I'm sorry it has been over 2 years since I read this. I just remember I liked the characters and the flow of one scene going to another
December 28, 2021
I enjoyed this book it was a great story. I love the Met, I have been there only once but it was a fun visit. So much to see! Recommend if you want a quick read with a happy ending.
March 18, 2024
Unicorns are not my favorite magical creatures, that honor goes to dragons, but I still love them
August 5, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A fantasy book with good action and a fun adventure, but the characters were hard to relate to. I would recommend it more for the middle grade age group.
Opening Sentence: Thunderstorms rumble nearer, the air charged with static, as sticky-hot as only a New Orleans night can be.
The Review:
Elayne is a young girl living with her sickly father. Her mother died a few years ago and now her father has cancer. The treatments haven’t been going very well and they aren’t very hopeful. One night her father brings her a diary of one of her ancestors Alice-Elayne the woman she was named after. In the diary it talks about another world where Alice grew up. The world was filled with magical creatures and an evil tyrant king. Alice left that world behind to start a new life here in our modern day, but before she left she made a vow to a unicorn that if he ever needed her help she would gladly give it. Now 500 years later Elayne will have to fulfill that promise.
On a school field trip they visit a museum full of old tapestries, while there Elayne ends up walking through a portal to a different world. She is in the world that Alice talked about in her diaries and everyone thinks that she is the maiden from a prophecy made long ago. She is supposed to end the tyranny that has plagued the kingdom for all these years, and to do that she has to tame a unicorn. While on this wild adventure she meets many new friends and there may also be hope for her dying father. Everyone says that a unicorn has the power to heal the sick and lucky for Elayne she happens to know a unicorn.
The story is mostly told from Elayne’s point of view but there is a few times where you get to glimpse into the mind of the unicorn, Moonspell. I had a hard time with Elayne. She did have some good qualities like bravery, compassion, honesty, but I just found her voice to be really annoying. She is young and very immature which was hard for me as an adult to connect with. I usually love having a young adult as a protagonist, but they have to have a certain maturity level that Elayne just didn’t have. I think that a younger audience would have an easier time connecting with her as a character than I did.
Moonspell is the unicorn that helped Alice-Elayne escape all those years ago and he has called Elayne back to Goloth. He needs to help save the kingdom and in order to do that he has to be tamed by Elayne. It was interesting being inside his head. He has an internal battle going on where a part of him is crazy and out of control, than another side where he can see reason and wisdom. He needs to bring both sides together to bring harmony to the land and himself. I liked Moonspell just fine but there was nothing that really stuck out to me as unique or different about him.
This was just an ok read for me. Like I said, I had a hard time with Elayne, which made me feel disconnected with the story. Some of the things I did like were that it had good action and a fun adventure. The world was interesting and the descriptive writing made it easy to imagine everything. The pacing was a little slow for me and I had a hard time getting through some of the book because it would drag. Overall, I felt the book could have been better, but I think a younger audience would probably really enjoy this book.
Notable Scene:
Cross over, Alice-Elayne.
Her name! Spoken by a voice that seemed to be both in her head … and coming from the tapestry. She jumped, staggered a step forward. Maybe it was the yellow flashing lights. But the scene before her was no longer just hanging on a wall. It was something happening, an arm’s length away. Every plant moving in a breeze. Every hunter breathing in. Every animal crouching to leap.
And the unicorn … The unicorn was no longer in profile. She could see both its eyes, which were an extraordinary fathomless blue. They sparkled with a universe of stars, beneath a column of spiraling ivory….
The unicorn’s horn.
The unicorn’s horn! She clutched its shape beneath her sweater as if it could steady her for the words that came again.
Cross over.
She didn’t know if she fell or reached out to stop herself from falling. She just knew that when her fingertips touched cloth, they sank into it.
And the room turned upside down. Tapestry dissolving; her, falling. Into a woven tree, through the tree. No fear in the falling. No time for that. Time only for one question, one answer.
What do you do when a unicorn tells you to cross over?
You cross over.
FTC Advisory: Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of The Hunt of the Unicorn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A fantasy book with good action and a fun adventure, but the characters were hard to relate to. I would recommend it more for the middle grade age group.
Opening Sentence: Thunderstorms rumble nearer, the air charged with static, as sticky-hot as only a New Orleans night can be.
The Review:
Elayne is a young girl living with her sickly father. Her mother died a few years ago and now her father has cancer. The treatments haven’t been going very well and they aren’t very hopeful. One night her father brings her a diary of one of her ancestors Alice-Elayne the woman she was named after. In the diary it talks about another world where Alice grew up. The world was filled with magical creatures and an evil tyrant king. Alice left that world behind to start a new life here in our modern day, but before she left she made a vow to a unicorn that if he ever needed her help she would gladly give it. Now 500 years later Elayne will have to fulfill that promise.
On a school field trip they visit a museum full of old tapestries, while there Elayne ends up walking through a portal to a different world. She is in the world that Alice talked about in her diaries and everyone thinks that she is the maiden from a prophecy made long ago. She is supposed to end the tyranny that has plagued the kingdom for all these years, and to do that she has to tame a unicorn. While on this wild adventure she meets many new friends and there may also be hope for her dying father. Everyone says that a unicorn has the power to heal the sick and lucky for Elayne she happens to know a unicorn.
The story is mostly told from Elayne’s point of view but there is a few times where you get to glimpse into the mind of the unicorn, Moonspell. I had a hard time with Elayne. She did have some good qualities like bravery, compassion, honesty, but I just found her voice to be really annoying. She is young and very immature which was hard for me as an adult to connect with. I usually love having a young adult as a protagonist, but they have to have a certain maturity level that Elayne just didn’t have. I think that a younger audience would have an easier time connecting with her as a character than I did.
Moonspell is the unicorn that helped Alice-Elayne escape all those years ago and he has called Elayne back to Goloth. He needs to help save the kingdom and in order to do that he has to be tamed by Elayne. It was interesting being inside his head. He has an internal battle going on where a part of him is crazy and out of control, than another side where he can see reason and wisdom. He needs to bring both sides together to bring harmony to the land and himself. I liked Moonspell just fine but there was nothing that really stuck out to me as unique or different about him.
This was just an ok read for me. Like I said, I had a hard time with Elayne, which made me feel disconnected with the story. Some of the things I did like were that it had good action and a fun adventure. The world was interesting and the descriptive writing made it easy to imagine everything. The pacing was a little slow for me and I had a hard time getting through some of the book because it would drag. Overall, I felt the book could have been better, but I think a younger audience would probably really enjoy this book.
Notable Scene:
Cross over, Alice-Elayne.
Her name! Spoken by a voice that seemed to be both in her head … and coming from the tapestry. She jumped, staggered a step forward. Maybe it was the yellow flashing lights. But the scene before her was no longer just hanging on a wall. It was something happening, an arm’s length away. Every plant moving in a breeze. Every hunter breathing in. Every animal crouching to leap.
And the unicorn … The unicorn was no longer in profile. She could see both its eyes, which were an extraordinary fathomless blue. They sparkled with a universe of stars, beneath a column of spiraling ivory….
The unicorn’s horn.
The unicorn’s horn! She clutched its shape beneath her sweater as if it could steady her for the words that came again.
Cross over.
She didn’t know if she fell or reached out to stop herself from falling. She just knew that when her fingertips touched cloth, they sank into it.
And the room turned upside down. Tapestry dissolving; her, falling. Into a woven tree, through the tree. No fear in the falling. No time for that. Time only for one question, one answer.
What do you do when a unicorn tells you to cross over?
You cross over.
FTC Advisory: Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of The Hunt of the Unicorn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Read
February 8, 2013I received this book as a ARC for doing reviews on my local teen library blog.
The only things Elayne cares about are her dad and the cancer that is poisoning his body. When he tells her about the family history and how one of her ancestors came into this world through a tapestry, she thinks it is great story. Maybe it will take their minds off the fact that he’s going to the doctors the next day for more tests.
The next day while on a school trip to the local art museum Elayne sees the unicorn that was so famously in her ancestor’s tapestries along with her own initials, also known to be in the tapestries. Suddenly the emergency lights go on and everyone leaves except Elayne who leans against one of the tapestries. She finds herself in another world called Goloth which she recognizes from the family history. Within a minute, a huge creature she also recognizes from her father’s history started to attack her. She is saved by a unicorn named Moonspill. Suddenly the story from last night is being re-enacted almost right in front of her eyes. This time though, she’s in it. Next she finds herself riding the unicorn, being taken by the soon-to-be king and attempting to find her place in this new world. Elayne knows from her history that the king “Leo” was evil and is attempting to stop a prophecy from occurring that centers on Moonspill and herself. Eventually she escapes from the dungeon with some inside help so she can make the rendezvous with Moonspill. They find themselves among many mirrors in the forest, and Moonspill unable to negotiate his way, yet this is the only way Elayne can get back to the normal world. Elayne has been gone for a week and her father illness is worse. Moonspill’s horn has the power to help her father with its magic power to take away poison. The New York climate affects the unicorn though and he is weaker here than in his usual world, Goloth or the Land of the Fabulous Beasts. Will he be able to help her father? What about Moonspills’ mate? She is back home, locked in the soon-to-be king’s dungeon with all other fabulous beasts that will be sacrificed in The Games that will make the new king official if he can kill a unicorn. Suddenly, Elayne is back in Goloth, with the future king considering her as his future wife. She and the two unicorns have a plan to change the future in the Land of the Fabulous Beasts.
It was fascinating to read about unicorns as one would mostly think of them in young children’s books but this proved that they have their place in young adult fiction as well. I loved how the story had all different creatures and it was up to your imagination combined with the writing as to what they look like. I would recommend this for teen girls who love fancy and love to see female domination. Teen boys may like the action.
The only things Elayne cares about are her dad and the cancer that is poisoning his body. When he tells her about the family history and how one of her ancestors came into this world through a tapestry, she thinks it is great story. Maybe it will take their minds off the fact that he’s going to the doctors the next day for more tests.
The next day while on a school trip to the local art museum Elayne sees the unicorn that was so famously in her ancestor’s tapestries along with her own initials, also known to be in the tapestries. Suddenly the emergency lights go on and everyone leaves except Elayne who leans against one of the tapestries. She finds herself in another world called Goloth which she recognizes from the family history. Within a minute, a huge creature she also recognizes from her father’s history started to attack her. She is saved by a unicorn named Moonspill. Suddenly the story from last night is being re-enacted almost right in front of her eyes. This time though, she’s in it. Next she finds herself riding the unicorn, being taken by the soon-to-be king and attempting to find her place in this new world. Elayne knows from her history that the king “Leo” was evil and is attempting to stop a prophecy from occurring that centers on Moonspill and herself. Eventually she escapes from the dungeon with some inside help so she can make the rendezvous with Moonspill. They find themselves among many mirrors in the forest, and Moonspill unable to negotiate his way, yet this is the only way Elayne can get back to the normal world. Elayne has been gone for a week and her father illness is worse. Moonspill’s horn has the power to help her father with its magic power to take away poison. The New York climate affects the unicorn though and he is weaker here than in his usual world, Goloth or the Land of the Fabulous Beasts. Will he be able to help her father? What about Moonspills’ mate? She is back home, locked in the soon-to-be king’s dungeon with all other fabulous beasts that will be sacrificed in The Games that will make the new king official if he can kill a unicorn. Suddenly, Elayne is back in Goloth, with the future king considering her as his future wife. She and the two unicorns have a plan to change the future in the Land of the Fabulous Beasts.
It was fascinating to read about unicorns as one would mostly think of them in young children’s books but this proved that they have their place in young adult fiction as well. I loved how the story had all different creatures and it was up to your imagination combined with the writing as to what they look like. I would recommend this for teen girls who love fancy and love to see female domination. Teen boys may like the action.
April 4, 2012
I give this book a 3.5/5
So in the beginning we learn that Elayne lives reading. Also that her dad is sick. We don't know with what yet, but he has to go to the hospital for tests. One night her dad asks Elyane to start reading her a book in titled The Maid and the Unicorn. He tells her this is her families story and she will need to know incase something happens to him. It tells of the original Alice- Elayne and her father. How her father was a prophet, he made tapestries. And how there as a hunter, Adam, who owed to kill all the magical creatures. And Moonspill the unicorn who saved Elayne from the hunter by getting her to "crossover" from the tapestry that they were in to the real world. When they finished reading Elayne's dad gave her something that had been past down from the original Elayne. It was the tip of a unicorn horn attached to a chain.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The next day Elayne and her class go on a field trip to the museum. There is a tapestry there that was described in her families book. It had her initials on it and everything. She keeps hearing someone in her head saying "crossover", she accidentally touches the horn to the tapestry and is taken to Goloth. She finds Moonspill the unicorns and he wants her to tame him so he can save his mate, who is being held at the castle.
The games are soon to start. The games is when the men capture mythical creatures then kill them in the arena. If Moonspill does not save his mate Heartease then she will be sacrificed at the games. But he knows if he goes alone en he will be captured and they will both be sacrificed. This is why he needs Elaynes help.
They almost get captured so Elayne leads them through the door again to the human world. Her plan is to get Moonspill to cure her dads cancer. Moonspill does cure Elayne's dads cancer. Then she returns to Goloth with Moonspill to save Heartease. Elayne saves them both, Moonspill let's Leo the king live and the weavers riot to take their lands back. Moonspill and Heartease go over the mountains to find the rest of the unicorns and Elayne returns home to her father.
This book was okay. I found it slow in some parts and I had to push myself to finish reading, but really good in other parts. I liked the main character Elayne, I thought that she was brave because she could have just given up, married the king and forgot about the unicorns but she didn't, she fought to save them. I felt that some characters were not developed enough, like Amaryllis, she made an appearance, stated how jealous she was then disappeared. I really liked Marc, until I found out that he turned on Elayne and got her captured. I wish that we learned more about Heartease also. Moonspill was a good character but again I wanted more.
So in the beginning we learn that Elayne lives reading. Also that her dad is sick. We don't know with what yet, but he has to go to the hospital for tests. One night her dad asks Elyane to start reading her a book in titled The Maid and the Unicorn. He tells her this is her families story and she will need to know incase something happens to him. It tells of the original Alice- Elayne and her father. How her father was a prophet, he made tapestries. And how there as a hunter, Adam, who owed to kill all the magical creatures. And Moonspill the unicorn who saved Elayne from the hunter by getting her to "crossover" from the tapestry that they were in to the real world. When they finished reading Elayne's dad gave her something that had been past down from the original Elayne. It was the tip of a unicorn horn attached to a chain.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The next day Elayne and her class go on a field trip to the museum. There is a tapestry there that was described in her families book. It had her initials on it and everything. She keeps hearing someone in her head saying "crossover", she accidentally touches the horn to the tapestry and is taken to Goloth. She finds Moonspill the unicorns and he wants her to tame him so he can save his mate, who is being held at the castle.
The games are soon to start. The games is when the men capture mythical creatures then kill them in the arena. If Moonspill does not save his mate Heartease then she will be sacrificed at the games. But he knows if he goes alone en he will be captured and they will both be sacrificed. This is why he needs Elaynes help.
They almost get captured so Elayne leads them through the door again to the human world. Her plan is to get Moonspill to cure her dads cancer. Moonspill does cure Elayne's dads cancer. Then she returns to Goloth with Moonspill to save Heartease. Elayne saves them both, Moonspill let's Leo the king live and the weavers riot to take their lands back. Moonspill and Heartease go over the mountains to find the rest of the unicorns and Elayne returns home to her father.
This book was okay. I found it slow in some parts and I had to push myself to finish reading, but really good in other parts. I liked the main character Elayne, I thought that she was brave because she could have just given up, married the king and forgot about the unicorns but she didn't, she fought to save them. I felt that some characters were not developed enough, like Amaryllis, she made an appearance, stated how jealous she was then disappeared. I really liked Marc, until I found out that he turned on Elayne and got her captured. I wish that we learned more about Heartease also. Moonspill was a good character but again I wanted more.
May 29, 2012
Rating= 3.5 stars
I can't give it a 3 stars since it seems to low and I really enjoyed the book but can't seem to give it a full 4 stars either. The tale was as fantastic and whimsical as the world of fabulous beasts,although I wish that they played more of a role in the story than they actually did. The unicorn and the main character taking up most of the book. The first 3 chapters were prolly the hardest to get through. Not that I didn't enjoy them..but It through me off a bit reading a story within a story. I don't like spoilers and although the beginning was necessary for you to understand the book, it was hard because it went on for 3 whole chapters!
The writing was very good. The author did a very good job of allowing you to fully get into the characters mindset. As well as how she communicates with the unicorn. My favorite character in the book had to be the 2 headed snake known as the amphisbaena. Every time it was introduced in the book it got me laughing so hard sometimes Id start tearing up from laughing that hard!
As far as the plot line goes it was exciting and sometimes had big lulls that I didn't care to read about at all. The book is very descriptive so you get a good sense of the world you are plunged into called Goloth,or The Land of the Fabulous Beast.
MORE TO COME NEED TO GOTO BED...
I do have to admit that after reading about the unicorn tapestries I really would love to see them in real life
I can't give it a 3 stars since it seems to low and I really enjoyed the book but can't seem to give it a full 4 stars either. The tale was as fantastic and whimsical as the world of fabulous beasts,although I wish that they played more of a role in the story than they actually did. The unicorn and the main character taking up most of the book. The first 3 chapters were prolly the hardest to get through. Not that I didn't enjoy them..but It through me off a bit reading a story within a story. I don't like spoilers and although the beginning was necessary for you to understand the book, it was hard because it went on for 3 whole chapters!
The writing was very good. The author did a very good job of allowing you to fully get into the characters mindset. As well as how she communicates with the unicorn. My favorite character in the book had to be the 2 headed snake known as the amphisbaena. Every time it was introduced in the book it got me laughing so hard sometimes Id start tearing up from laughing that hard!
As far as the plot line goes it was exciting and sometimes had big lulls that I didn't care to read about at all. The book is very descriptive so you get a good sense of the world you are plunged into called Goloth,or The Land of the Fabulous Beast.
MORE TO COME NEED TO GOTO BED...
I do have to admit that after reading about the unicorn tapestries I really would love to see them in real life
February 24, 2011
HoU is the story of a history of sakes named lady and debt of promos Tina unicorn of many generations past. HoU begin in the land of the Fabulous Beast and a world torn asunder when a rift inthe fabric of the world, a portal left unfolded, let's in a diabolical hunter and a grand weaver into a world filled with fantastical creatures and an agrarian society that recently has lived a simple midevil existence.
A story developed of a weaver who wanted to change the rapid abuse of the world by the hands if the Hunter, the Leo and his destruction of the fantasical beasts, and his tyrany as the King.
A greatly removed ancestors promise brings a unicorn into the modern age to bring to the Fantasical Beast tell a young girl who can change history, end the reign of the Leo, and keep a pure world for our great imagined creature to live alongside humans and keep a world clean.
With trees and tapestrys as gateways between the worlds and life threatening decisions, HoU has amazing characters and a thrilling plot that brigs a new voice out in the YA, that reads well for a variety of ages.
I enjoyed the plot and the developments, and the backstory was intriguing and worked well blended unto the present day plot that was happening.
A story developed of a weaver who wanted to change the rapid abuse of the world by the hands if the Hunter, the Leo and his destruction of the fantasical beasts, and his tyrany as the King.
A greatly removed ancestors promise brings a unicorn into the modern age to bring to the Fantasical Beast tell a young girl who can change history, end the reign of the Leo, and keep a pure world for our great imagined creature to live alongside humans and keep a world clean.
With trees and tapestrys as gateways between the worlds and life threatening decisions, HoU has amazing characters and a thrilling plot that brigs a new voice out in the YA, that reads well for a variety of ages.
I enjoyed the plot and the developments, and the backstory was intriguing and worked well blended unto the present day plot that was happening.
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