The Huntsman’s Heart by Brittany Fichter
Fantasy. 368 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Princess Snow and Prince Henri couldn’t be any more different.
Their kingdoms and families have been at enmity for a thousand years.
But when a new dark queen rises, they have little choice but to join forces.
If they don’t, not only will their kingdoms fall…but the entire western realm.
Princess Snow has been sheltered since she was born, hidden away in a secret garden at her terrified father’s behest. But when her father dies, and her older brother grants her the freedom of which she’s always dreamed, she feels as though the world is finally hers. Just as it seems Snow’s life is about to begin, however, her brother’s new wife reveals a heart full of jealousy and fear. Barely escaping the castle alive, Snow stumbles upon a group of kind-hearted mountain men…and the aggravatingly handsome prince who claims her brother asked him to help find her.
Crown Prince Henri Fortier of Destin had no intentions of journeying to the heart of his enemy’s land. But when the newly crowned king of Tumen sends word, begging for help to find his missing sister, Henri goes in hopes of making peace with the new king. What he finds, however, is not what he expected.
The princess is indeed alive, but she won’t remain so if the king’s new wife has her way. And with the new queen’s blossoming powers, Henri knows he must intervene, not only for the princess’s sake, but for the entire realm. Intervening would be much easier, however, if the princess didn’t resent him so much. Which makes it even more confusing, when he finds himself drawn to her…and wonders whether she’s secretly drawn to him, as well.
None of that will matter, however, if the evil queen has her way. If these two unlikely allies can’t stop her, a shadow of misery and oppression will overtake everyone they love.
If you want the magic of Narnia and the romance of fairy tales, read this clean fantasy retelling of Snow White today to escape into the Classical Kingdoms Collection, a series of clean fantasy fairy tale retellings with magical mystery, clean, passionate romance, and heroic happily-ever-afters.
Author’s The Huntsman’s Heart is about the same royal family from Beauty Beheld, but it can be read as a standalone novel.
My Review:
Brittany Fichter returns to the Classical Kingdoms with the long-awaited Henri story. Somehow it feels fitting that Henri is the huntsman in a Snow White story.
Honestly, I was a little surprised we opened the story from Snow’s POV, but I was very glad the story alternated to Henri’s POV, too. I’ve anticipated Henri’s story and am so glad he finally got his own adventure. I love the Fortiers and reading this book makes me want to reread the Beauty and the Beast trilogy. I also really enjoyed Henri’s portion of the Cinderella story. All of his cameos and parts lead up to this Snow White adventure.
I love Henri’s character and seeing him grow into his own. I love that he’s so much like his father, though he doubts himself and his place in the world. His heart is so sweet and kind and it just makes me melt. His integrity and willingness to follow the Fortress, even into enemy territory, shows such trust. Noble characters are hard to find in modern literature, but Henri shines a light as a hero worth reading about and looking up to.
Snow felt like a pretty typical portrayal of the character: sweet, dainty, and innocent. But Fichter builds a backstory and gives a reason that explains Snow’s personality. In fact, one of my favorite things about this series is the way Fichter is able to seamlessly fold fairy tales into her world. She makes the stories feel as if they were made for her world. Each of the well-known fairy tale elements are expertly woven into the story. I admire how natural the animals, the apple, and the sleeping death meld with the Classical Kingdom world.
And yet, while we know the Snow White plot, Fichter still manages to make it her own. Her twist on the evil queen not only fits into her world super well, but it was a refreshing take on a role that doesn’t change much in retellings. I also LOVED the mountain men! The take on the dwarves and cottage was a lot of fun and the relationship of these mountain men with Snow was delightful. Snow’s older brother, Deniz was an interesting character, too. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him, but by the end of the story, I was curious to see if he had a story all his own. Who knows? Maybe someday! And I did also wonder about her father’s story, too.
I liked the magic elements and how we got to see more of the gifted people in Snow’s kingdom. I hope we get to see more stories that explore those gifts. And of course, the cameos are always one of the best parts, too! I also really enjoyed the light themes of found family in this story. They warmed my heart! Fichter’s epic fantasy encourages me and I love how it always points toward hope and truth.
Content: some fantasy violence, clean romance, no swearing. Probably suitable to early teens.
More:
Book 0.5 (a novella) in the Classical Kingdoms series is The Green-Eyed Prince (4 Stars)
Book 1 is Before Beauty (5 Stars)
Book 2 is Blinding Beauty (5 Stars)
Book 3 is Beauty Beheld (5 Stars)
Book 4 is Girl in the Red Hood (4 Stars)
Book 5 is Silent Mermaid (5 Stars)
Book 6 is Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers (5 Stars)
Book 7 is A Curse of Gems (5 Stars)
Book 8 is Neverland Falling (5 Stars)
Book 9 is Breaking Neverland (5 Stars)
Book 10 is The Sentinel’s Song (4 Stars)
Book 11 is The Seven Years Princess (5 Stars)
Book 12 is The Huntsman’s Heart (4 Stars)
I have read and rated the above on Goodreads. Check out the links for more info.
The Becoming Beauty trilogy should be read in order; however, most of the others are technically stand-alone novels. The Neverland books are a duology. That said, I’d still read them in order since there is some crossover between characters.
Here is a picture of the reading order as posted by the author (up to Book 7):
ON GRACEBOUGHT:
If you missed it, be sure to check out the reviews for the previous books in the series here on GraceBought!
The Green-Eyed Prince, Before Beauty, Blinding Beauty, Beauty Beheld, Girl in the Red Hood, Silent Mermaid, Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers, A Curse of Gems, Neverland Falling, The Sentinel’s Song, and The Seven Years Princess