The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden is one of my most anticipated books of 2026.

Did I love it? YES!! It totally delivered!

Book Summary

Anne of Brittany was a child when France invaded and drove her royal father to his death. Now she is a young woman, sovereign duchess of an occupied realm, and France means to crown their conquest by marrying her to their king. Such an alliance would put her title, her lands, and her body forever in the hands of her enemies.

But Anne refuses to be the last duchess of Brittany.

Her only hope of resisting conquest is another alliance sealed with marriage, so Anne arranges a daring last gambit: a secret betrothal to Charles of France’s greatest rival. But secrets are hard to keep in a world where rival courts spy on each other with diviners.

The forest of Brocéliande was once the haunt of Merlin the Enchanter and the long-lost faerie queen. But magic is long gone from Broceliande, except for the occasional sight of a unicorn and one critical quirk: This ancient forest is completely hostile to divination.

While pretending compliance with France, Anne plans a unicorn hunt in Brocéliande. A bit of pointless pageantry. A diversion so she can wed in secret.

Or so she thinks.

Book Review

When you love an author this much, it can be hard to start a new book. I was a wee worried going into this The Unicorn Hunters. The Bear & The Nightingale series is an all time favorite of mine and I own several editions in my library. But Katherine Arden’s last book, Warm Hands of Ghosts, did not work for me.

The Unicorn Hunters, however, had all the elements that I adore in her work. It is a beautiful mix of historical fiction and fantasy as Arden imagines an alternate history for Anne of Brittany woven with magical threads. Full of court intrigue, an immersive setting and a brilliant, strong-willed heroine who navigates political machinations and the limitations of being a woman in her era to gain power and position.

The Unicorn Hunters was this reader’s catnip. This was perfection! I loved it.

What I think is special about this novel is the crossover appeal. You don’t have to be a fantasy lover to enjoy this novel. It is really historical fiction with magical elements. So historical fiction lovers who like Alice Hoffman and fantasy readers that like Deborah Harkness will eat this up.

This has a bit more romance than her previous books but it worked for me, too. It was perfectly slow burn and full of yearning. If you like These Immortal Vows and Wild Reverence, this is a great choice for you!

And thankfull, Del Rey knows what a super fan girl I am and sent a new paperback edition of her Bear & The Nightingale series with a fresh look for my shelves.

You can grab a new bopy of The Unicorn Hunters on Amazon at Fabled Bookshop or even on listen to an audiobook via LibroFM.

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