Seventeen-year-old Eelyn’s world is war. Raised to fight alongside her Aska clansmen in a generations-old blood feud against the Riki, her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.
Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki if she wants to make it back to the fjord after the thaw. But when she begins to see herself in the people she's been taught to hate, the world Eelyn once knew begins to crumble. And after the village is raided by a ruthless clan many believe to be a myth, Eelyn is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend who has tried more than once to kill her. Together, they must end the blood feud between their clans or watch their people be slaughtered.
A lush, Viking-age inspired fantasy about loyalty, forgiveness, and the definition of family.
Always a big thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this eARC.
Surprisingly I enjoyed reading this book. It's refreshing to veer away from the typical magic themed fantasy books. This is more Viking inspired with physical fighting and finding yourself in the midst of tradition and culture. Note, this is not your average YA.
This is a coming of age story of Eelyn who belongs to the Aska tribe. They have been at war with the Riki tribe for as long as they remember. The war is because of their belief that their gods were at war with each other and the only way they could bring honor to themselves and their god is if they joined the fighting season and kill as much of the rival tribe as they can.
Eelyn is captured by the Riki when she follows them because she saw her "dead" brother among them. During her time with the Riki she saw how much the tribes were alike and realized that their only difference is in the gods that they worshiped. They were all the same with the people they love, the way they heal, the way they celebrate. This opened the way for Eelyn to help the 2 tribes join together and fight a bigger threat to their life - the Herja.
While reading this I felt like I was transported to the time of the Vikings. The imagery and description of the characters and the setting was so vivid and authentic. I especially loved the parts where Eelyn sees the enemy as the same kind of people as their clan, they just so happen to believe in a different god. It's a story that can speak through to our reality of today - that we are all the same human beings, we are just different in our beliefs, culture, way of life.
These are the gem in books that I don't really notice until I've read it. Good thing I did because once the physical book comes out in April I will want to buy this.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
