A review by tiamatq
The Hunt of the Unicorn by C.C. Humphreys
2.0
When Elayne's father asks her to read a story the night before he goes into the hospital, she grudgingly agrees. It's a fantasy, about maids and unicorns, but it's also a family history. Elayne is the descendant of a girl who promised to help a unicorn, should he need it. And suddenly Elayne is swept into a world of magical beasts, hunts, and a dangerous ruler determined to whip out the few unicorns left. It may be her destiny, but Elayne has no idea how to tame a unicorn or defeat a king.
Though fans of fantasy may enjoy this story, Humphreys' writing is clunky and the characters are one-dimensional. Elayne brings a modern teen's sensibilities to a medieval setting (we hear about how much her dress starts to stink after a few days, that she has no clue how to ride a horse, and how disgusting the food is - mostly meat and wine), and there are some funny parts to the story. We get a few chapters as told by Moonspill, an aging unicorn, and I enjoyed his perspective, but it wasn't enough to save this book. I would recommend it for upper elementary, except the author threw in a few colorful phrases that seemed entirely out of place. If you have a high demand for books with unicorns, perhaps get this, but it's not a must-have.
Though fans of fantasy may enjoy this story, Humphreys' writing is clunky and the characters are one-dimensional. Elayne brings a modern teen's sensibilities to a medieval setting (we hear about how much her dress starts to stink after a few days, that she has no clue how to ride a horse, and how disgusting the food is - mostly meat and wine), and there are some funny parts to the story. We get a few chapters as told by Moonspill, an aging unicorn, and I enjoyed his perspective, but it wasn't enough to save this book. I would recommend it for upper elementary, except the author threw in a few colorful phrases that seemed entirely out of place. If you have a high demand for books with unicorns, perhaps get this, but it's not a must-have.