Review: The Hunt of the Unicorn by C.C. Humphreys

(so this is weird. I swear I posted this, and even when I went to put in the title, it auto-filled in the right title and the image is already uploaded, so I made the post... but it clearly didn't post. Apologies. No idea what happened. Let's try this again!)

The Hunt of the Unicorn by C.C. Humphreys

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.

~ Taylor