Hunting Ground

Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs

This series is working well as I try to figure out what new-to-me book I want to read next.

Bran is going to make the existance of werewolves known to the general public, but he’s trying to make the announcement as easy as possible for those wolves outside of the US (it’s not like people would believe that werewolves didn’t exist in Europe just because no one publicly admitted to being one).

Unfortunately, the power in Europe is held by the Butcher.

“You say we are like submissive wolves who do not obey. I wonder if there are dominant wolves who do not protect?”

“Yes.”

Anna looked up, but Ric had to turn all the way around to see Chastel standing in the doorway. “They call us beasts.” He smiled at Anna, his eyes hungry. “Are you afraid of me, little girl?”

This book has one of my all time favorite scenes in it.

So often people got it wrong, treating their elders like children, people to be coddled and ignored. He knew better, and so did the big man. The Elders were closer to the Maker of All Things and should be deferred to whenever they made their will known.

…

The old man took Anna’s hand and made her take another bow as well. He kissed her hand, then let his grand-son escort him back to his table in triumph. His family rose around him, fussing and loving as they ought, while he sat as a king and took his due.

But there are lots of passages in the book that I adore.

If people remembered once being kitchen maids, or farmers who died of nothing more interesting than old age, I might reconsider my stance on reincarnation, Anna thought as she returned the British wolf’s smile. She remembered her father once observing dryly, If fourteen people believe they were Cleopatra in a former life, does that mean that Cleopatra had split personality disorder?

Like Charles recognizing that he can’t lock Anna up to keep her safe.

(T)here are things that you need to do— and interfering with that is not protecting, not in my book. The best way for me to protect you is to encourage you to be able to protect yourself.”

And I adore this:

“You’re dead,” (person) said. “I killed you.”

“You stabbed me with steel and gloated overly much,” Charles murmured.

It’s a lovely story, and the only thing that would make it better would be more Asil.

Publisher: Ace
Rating: 8.5/10

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