Synopsis
Caught between her family’s expectations and her own conscience, reluctant unicorn hunter Caoilinn “Cal” Valderan questions the morals of slaying these mystical creatures, and finds herself in a position where she must choose between them and humanity… In this coming of age story, Cal must not only defend her principles and values, but also figure out her crush on the girl next door, as she finds herself caught in a battle between light and darkness, but she must find answers to what others dare not even to question.
GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy
PUBLICATION DATA: March 19, 2016
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
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FAVORITE QUOTE
"I'm proud to be seen with someone who fought bravely"
This quote represents my feeling that veterans of all combat, just or unjust, deserve respect.
REVIEW
I love Caffeine Book Tours. The last one I did was the most viewed post in the entire history of this blog. That post can be found here. I was hoping to be approved for another Caffeine Book Tour, and was delighted when it turned out to be Unicorn Hunting by A. R. Hellbender. I've been hankering for a new approach to legendary unicorns. So I was glad to receive an advance reader's copy from the author and Caffeine Book Tours.
Stories of unicorns are clothed in the symbolism of the sacred. There is the whiteness of unicorns signifying purity and the association of unicorns with virgins which reminds those religiously inclined of the Virgin Mary.
A.R. Hellbender strips away this spiritual facade and imagines what it would be like if unicorns were a real species in a world where magic exists. What is the origin of unicorns? How do they reproduce? What significance would unicorns have for humans? How would humans treat them? Is hunting a unicorn any different from hunting any other animal species? Unicorn Hunting seeks to answer these questions from the perspective of a young unicorn hunter.
In my world the name "Cal" is short for Calvin. So I began this book struggling with cognitive dissonance because the protagonist Cal is female. Since I was reading a novel that overthrows stereotypes about unicorns, cognitive dissonance was good for me. It made me feel off balance so that I would be more receptive to the unusual.
The thoughtful world building, character growth and development of relationships made Unicorn Hunting a singular epic fantasy for me.
A. R. Hellbender
A.R. Hellbender is the author of Unicorn Hunting and Unicorn Revenge. She lives in Washington with two cats, three dogs and a gecko.
For additional information:
https://caffeinebooktours.wordpress.com/2020/10/06/unicorn-hunting-tour
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