When Hatred Meets Empathy: A Theological Reflection on ‘Heartless Hunter’
“He had every reason to believe that all witches were the same: horribly cruel and unspeakably evil. So how could she hate him?” (p. 378)
What happens when you get to know your enemy and they end up having good reason for their actions? How does this reflect Christ’s command to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44)?
Summary
Rune Winters is a spoiled socialite and witch hiding in plain sight by day and a vigilante witch-rescuer known as the Crimson Moth by night. When she begins a fake romance with witch hunter, Gideon Sharpe, to protect her secret, she doesn’t realize he’s also pretending… and he is intent on exposing her true identity.
Heartless Hunter rocketed to the top of BookTok in 2024, and it’s gaining attention again this year with the release of Rebel Witch, the sequel in the Crimson Moth duology. Naturally, I had to read it to see what the hype is all about. While written in a YA style, Heartless Hunter surprised me with its depth of theological and ethical themes dealing with prejudices and hatred, unjust regimes and the resistance to corrupted power, and the disruption of distinct social classes.
A caveat: Though the book is written in YA style and targeted to a YA audience, it addresses disturbing themes and contains explicit romance that is more suitable to adult audiences. That’s my subjective opinion. Take it or leave it.
I could wax eloquently on all those topics, but I will limit myself to the one I find most intriguing— that hatred and prejudice toward one’s enemies is possible only at a distance. Once you get to know the enemy, there is no room for hatred.
A Theology of Loving Enemies
Who are my enemies? Who are those whom I hate?
There’s a good reason why my mom and other wise mentors suggested praying for my enemies when I was frustrated with them. Granted, my enemies weren’t many, nor were they particularly vicious. Apparently, prayer for one’s enemies results in developing compassion for them.
How does prayer do this? How can it completely transform my attitude toward someone whom I absolutely loathe?
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:43-48)
The Jewish norm, as in our postmodern culture, is to default to loving those whom we consider neighbours and friends, and hate those who are our enemies (this may mean political enemies or quite simply people who annoy the heck out of you).
Jesus flips the norm on its head. The kingdom of heaven, he says, is a place where his followers love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. This is what it looks like to be a child of God.
Ouch. And just for reference, ‘persecute’ really does mean persecute, as in, “to endeavour earnestly to acquire” or to “pursue with malignity.”(1) These are big words for “aiming to do harm to someone” (my paraphrase).
To love your friends, Jesus says, is no different than what everyone else is doing. The radical thing that differentiates Jesus-followers from everyone else is loving of the enemies. This, according to Jesus, is perfection.
Yikes.
It’s fascinating, then, that a secular young adult fantasy romance book would address such deep threads of hatred, mercy, prejudice, and love. Granted, the enemies to lovers trope is one of the most popular tropes in fantasy literature (or all literature?), and I confess that it is one of my favourites. There is something wonderful about misunderstanding someone or even hating them with very good reason, and then coming to understand and love them despite their differences.
Gideon is a particularly interesting character. He holds very little self-worth as a result of abuse, and his hatred of witches is entirely understandable as we explore his backstory. As he and Rune get to know one another, he is “surprised at being treated like her equal.” (136) His years of abuse have taught him that he is NOT anyone’s equal, that he is little more than the scum beneath the shoes of the elite, especially the witches. He feels vastly inferior to Rune, a noblewoman.
Rune Winters, on the other hand, is an apparently spoiled socialite with a secret... she moonlights as a vigilante rescuer of hunted witches. I love a good dual identity and vigilante story, so this was very fun. The cat-and-mouse between her and Gideon was delightful. She views Gideon as a stuck-up, cruel witch hunter. To be caught by him would mean certain, brutal death.
“Maybe you’re right… “One of us thinks ourself too good for the other. But it’s not me.” (205)
This book challenges preconceived assumptions. In a manner reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice (one of my all-time favourites), both Rune and Gideon are forced to address their biases as they get to know one another. The old adage is true: Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.
Or, as Jesus said, “Love your enemies.”
Listening to someone’s story is the first step to breaking free from patterns of hatred and violence. While Rune and Gideon are on opposite sides of the volatile political spectrum, they find a middle ground as they get to know one another. Of course, as a first book of a duology, things can’t be tidied up so neatly just yet, and so their tentative trust is broken as they insist on their separate quests… only now with questions about how their quest impacts the other side.
What Heartless Hunter Gets Right
Kristen Ciccarelli, intentionally or not, writes a compelling story highlighting the need for listening to one another and seeking to understand before being understood.
Both are decidedly Christian virtues rooted in Jesus’ command to love. Empathy can’t happen at arms’ length. How many of us have held someone or some group of people in contempt, and then gotten to know them and our entire perspective is changed?
I certainly have.
Understanding breeds empathy.
There are, however, those people who still drive you batty or spark a fury beneath you that you seriously consider burning down their house. Or toilet papering it, at least.
In Heartless Hunter, the journey of understanding and empathy is mutual. Both Gideon and Rune seek to listen and reciprocate moments of truth telling. Not all enemies will do this; it requires maturity and an ability to look beyond oneself. It requires self-awareness and humility.
The reality is that some people won’t care whether you try to understand them. Ugh. But I choose to believe that a little understanding goes a long way. I’ve seen this in my practice as an acute care physiotherapist. Angry people want to be heard and seen. A little love might heal us all.
Final Reflections
Who are your enemies? How are you loving them? For a long time, I thought this command didn’t really apply to me. I didn’t have enemies. I got along with everybody. Yay, me!
I wouldn’t classify any personal connection as an ‘enemy,’ though there may be opportunities for conflict resolution nonetheless. The people with whom I struggle most are those who see the world differently than I do. Yet even with these people, there is an ability to connect by listening well to them and seeking to understand before being understood.
Most angry people want to be listened to. Some have more to say than others. You are not their counsellor or pastor, but you can be a friend.
A Prayer for Your Enemies
Jesus, help me to see my enemies. Help me to listen to them. By your Spirit, may I have eyes to see and ears to hear. Your love shows me how to love others with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Soften the hearts of my enemies. May they see your love through me. Amen.
Footnotes
Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1126.
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What happens when you get to know your enemy and they end up having good reason for their actions? How does this reflect Christ’s command to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”?