I am extremely late in reviewing Sky In The Deep, but I've been in such a YA funk this past year and didn't want to read a book I was excited about when I was obviously in a bit of a slump. But my YA mojo has been slowly coming back this summer and I've been particularly keen on reading YA fantasy novels. This book is about warriors and enemies and that just sounded right up my alley.

Sky In The Deep started off with a bang with me. The opening scene was a battle between the Aska and the Riki, two enemy clans. This set the tone for the entire book. It was dark, bloody and full of violence. On the very battlefield, our Viking heroine, Eelyn sees her brother, who she thought had died 5 years earlier. Injured, she is captured by Fiske, a friend to her brother, and is taken to the wintry mountains of the Riki village to be kept as a servant in Fiske's home. Eelyn was a fiery character, just as I was expecting for a book with such a premise. She was vehemently contentious against Fiske and his family in the beginning, as she was someone who was fiercely loyal to her clansmen. Her anger, her strength, and her allegiance radiated through Sky in the Deep, making her a character that you passionately want to root for. She was angry at her brother for becoming one with the Riki and she was angry at her circumstances of being stuck with the Riki. There is just something about angry female characters that I find very compelling! 

We also get to know the Riki's village life and culture better through Fiske's family. I wasn't quite sure what to make of Fiske at first. He did kidnap her, after all. His intentions became much clearer as the story moved forward. As with Eelyn, he too was fiercely faithful to his kinsmen and family and was willing to do anything for them. He eventually became a love interest for Eelyn, showing his affections for her in subtle ways. Though I wasn't exactly swooning over this romance as it was a little quieter than I was hoping for, I thought it was sweet. What was a prevailing theme throughout Sky in the Deep was the strength and power of family relationships. I loved how the book had such a strong focus on it. Young explored the frayed bond between Eelyn and her brother, as well as her bond with her father. We also see the "soul bond" between Fiske and Eelyn's brother. 

I found the world building in Sky in the Deep also compelling. The book explored the lives and culture of both the Riki and the Askas through Eelyn's lens. We also learn a lot about the Gods they worshipped and where and how the rivalry between the two clans emerged from. Where the book faltered a little bit for me was the pacing. I found the first half to be rather slow and uneventful. It was only past the 60% mark that the true action began to materialize, so the final battles and ending seemed a bit rushed, in my opinion. 

Regardless, Sky in the Deep was a fun read. It wasn't without its flaws, but it was a solid debut with likable characters. There is supposed to be a companion novel next and I'll be looking forward to reading it for sure!

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young unfortunately fell victim to the hype for me. I have had this book on my radar since last year and was anticipating it SOOOO much. I was disappointed. I can't quite put my finger on what but it just didn't click with me. It was good. I mean, it wasn't bad. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, there is nothing glaringly bad about it but, I don't know, for me, it just fell FLAT.

As far as the plot goes, in my opinion, there wasn't much of one. I felt like I just kept waiting for it to pick-up and then it was over. I made a status update on Goodreads at about 150 pages in that it read like one of my cultural anthropology textbooks from University - that's honestly how I felt. As an examination of Viking life, it was great, but that wasn't really what I was looking for.

I would read other books by this author but not if these are the characters the story follows. I'm just not compelled to follow-up on them. At all. So, yeah, this one is tough for me. It hurts but as I said, it was good, it just wasn't what I thought it would be. I am glad I had the opportunity to read it; I don't regret it but I wouldn't highly recommend it.

Sky in the Deep is a Viking –Inspired tale following the protagonist Eelyn who is a fearless and fierce warrior. Eelyn belongs to the Aska Clan who worship the god of Sigr and they have a standing battle with the opposing Riki clan every five years. The Riki Clan follow the goddess of Thora. This in itself is something I really liked and found interesting, the ancient blood feud between the two clans has been going on for hundreds of years and themes of religion and honour are explored.

During the latest battle, Eelyn believes that she sees her brother Iri with the Riki Clan, the brother that was supposed to have died in a previous battle. Having also lost her mother, the lost of Iri was a serious blow to Eelyn especially as they were once fighting partners as well.
Eelyn ends up being captured by the Riki Clan and taken as a slave, this where the story really kicks off and develops. As Eelyn is captured, she is transformed from this strong, fearless, fierce warrior to a girl kept against her will in her enemies territory, she is now fighting for survival. This side of the narrative offers a wonderful character journey to Eelyn as she has to open up her heart to understand how her brother did not die and how the Riki may not be the brutal enemies she once thought. The bonds of family are really explored throughout this book.

Adrienne Young has a beautiful descriptive writing style which gives this book a steady pace as it features a variety of scenes from intense battles, slow burning romance and strong fierce female heroines. 

Finally as the Riki clan is attacked, the book explores how the two opposing clans must come together and this was one thing I really enjoyed about this book. I loved the politics they faced in order to try and convince the two clans to come together, the brutal and epic fight sequences they needed to endure to get to safety. It was just filled with action and kept me on the edge of my seat. 

Characters;

Eelyn became one of my favourite characters very quickly when reading this book and in terms of heroines she is up there with the likes of Katniss Everdeen, Tris Prior and more. Eeyln is so fierce but she also is vulnerable at the same time, she is lost when she realizes that the enemy she has always known isn’t anything like she thought. From the moment she sees her brother again, her whole life is turned upside down and as a reader I felt that emotion pushed through in her narration.

In every fantasy book I always need to have a little romance in there alongside the action and the fighting and I was not left disappointed by Sky in the Deep. There is a slow burning romance between Eeyln and Fiske and it gave me all the feels. It’s almost like Romeo and Juliet? Two lovers from opposing clans coming together…

Setting;

The world building surrounding Sky in the Deep is phenomenal and the depth outstanding. There is so much depth to both clans from their gods Sigr and Thora, to how they honor people, their ways of doing things as well as the history surrounding them. There is just so much thought out in this book that I was blown away.

Rating;

Sky in the Deep was a five star read for me, it was my first experience ever reading anything with Vikings and it just felt unique. I poured through this book, the plot was steady, if not a fast pace with the sheer amount of action involved and Adrienne Young’s writing is just insane. My only issue with the book is how i’m so sad it’s a stand alone, something of this level I was for sure expecting it to be a series or trilogy but no, sadly it’s a stand alone. Whilst I wish there was more for Fiske and Eeyln, I think the fact it is a stand alone also emphasized how much it blew me away because it packed so much into one book, that level of detail, depth and description is something you can struggle to find in books of a large series.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review. 

Viking warrior Eelyn is part of the Aska clan and every five years for as long as history can tell the Aska have come to the fields and fought the rival Riki clan. As Eelyn is on the battlefield she sees something that just cannot be, the brother she saw died five years before is on the battlefield....fighting for the rival clan. To subside her thoughts of her gods just bringing his spirit to her, she finds him on the battlefield and ends up being taken prisoner by the Riki. As Eelyn is trying to come to terms with her brother's disappearance and betrayal another violent, murderous and nomadic tribe comes into the Riki village and wrecks havoc, only for Eelyn to find out that they have already attacked the Aska as well. Now Eelyn is faced with the uncertainty of her family surviving in the Aska village and the fact that these two warring clans will have to put hundreds of years of violent tradition aside for the betterment of both clans, but can two life-long enemies join forces for the good of all?

An amazing, action packed and riveting novel. This novel starts with action and does not stop and has an appropriate, small splash of romance that does NOT take over the novel (much appreciated). This novel not only looks at the ties of clans, but the true deep relationship of family, friends, and those who become your family because of life and situations. This was just a powerful and wonderful novel that I did not want to put down. And even better about this novel is that it is JUST ONE!!! However, I could definitely see an option to continue the story if wanted, but this novel was well finished and logical and not rushed. Just a wonderful, awesome strong female characters who are kicking ass and taking names and amazing. Totally loved this novel! What is next Adrienne Young?!?!

Quick thoughts:
- Highly anticipated read!!!
- Cover took my breath away
- WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT 😭
- Tedious and slow pacing
- C H O R E S 💀
- Bland characters
- Equally bland romance
- 3rd party enemy as a plot device
- 😴😴😴
- Overhyped
- 1/5 ⭐️

* Full review to follow.

This is geared toward readers who like fast paced, girl power, woman warrior stories set in the northern climates similar to  the communities beyond the wall in Game of Thrones. The story starts in the middle of a clan war as Eelyn and her battle partner Maya from the Aska clans fight the Riki clans. These two teenagers are seasoned warriors who plow through the enemy ranks until Eelyn gets separated from Maya and is cornered by a massive and powerful Riki warrior. Just as Eelyn believes that he will kill her, she is saved by her brother, but she must be mistaken. She saw her brother die five years ago and this warrior who looks like her brother is wearing the armor of the enemy.

I labeled it fantasy-ish just because it is not really in an unrealistic setting or containing the kind of magic or fantastical creatures found in the genre, but as a fantasy buff, it contains enough of the elements to make this devour worthy.  Carve out enough time for this.

A digital advance copy provided by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.

Riki and Aska are two clans that are fated to fight for following different gods. The Aska believe in Sigr and the Riki pray to Thora. During one of the battles, Aska warrior Eelyn sees her brother Iri wearing Riki armor. It's the same brother that she thought was dead. Not being able to let him go a second time, Eelyn finds herself being taken by the Riki to be traded or enslaved. But her brother has other plans.

Fiske, Iri's friend, buys Eelyn in order to keep her safe at Iri's request. Because of that, she is brought to Fiske and Iri's household and instructed to lay low. Eelyn was never one to hide the fire within her or remain prisoner. However, the more she protests against the Riki, the more she realizes how similar they truly are to her clan. There's also a different type of enemy out there--a common one--and Eelyn may be the only one who can save both Aska and Riki.

I loved watching the romance flare and burn between Fiske and Eelyn. Adrienne Young's writing is so vivid and vibrant that I could see the scenes and feel the emotions crisply as if I were watching it all play out. This book will draw you in and make you finish it in one sitting.


Final Verdict: This book is perfect for fans of mythology, action, and romance. This goes onto the list as one of the best books in 2018.

Sky in the Deep is Adrienne Young’s debut novel is a powerful and vivid story set against an icy landscape and infused with Viking mythology, brutal and bloody violence and unexpected romance. 

Seventeen year old Eelyn is a warrior; a fighter; a survivor. As a member of the Aska clan, Eelyn fights alongside her family and clan mates against their enemies, the Riki, in an ancient tradition and long standing rivalry. It’s simple; fight and survive. Until one day on the battlefield, Eelyn catches a glimpse of her long dead brother….fighting with the enemy clan. Soon taken prisoner by the Riki, Eelyn struggles to comprehend her brother’s betrayal. She must find a way to survive the harsh mountain winter even if it means relying on her brother’s best friend Fiske, a Riki warrior who only sees her as a threat. Torn between her loyalty to her clan and her growing feelings for Fiske, Eelyn will have to reassess her definition of loyalty and family as she finds herself caring for people she has always viewed as the enemy. And when the Riki village is attacked by a ruthless clan thought only to be legend, Eelyn will have to find a way for the Aska and Riki to work together before both clans are destroyed….forever.

I have to admit; I was somewhat apprehensive when I began Sky in the Deep as I hadn’t had any experience reading Viking themed novels in the past, nor am I a big fan of the violence and brutality that comes along with them. That being said, I had heard so many positive things about this story that I decided to give it a go….and I’m very glad I did. I really did enjoy Sky in the Deep and was delighted by the story that Adrienne Young has created. 

Told through the poignant and powerful voice of Eelyn, Sky in the Deep is a compelling story. Beautifully written and with a genuine and authentic feel without author Adrienne Young feeling the need to bombard her reader with complex and complicated Norse and Viking history, Sky in the Deep is a very fast paced and exciting novel, that also features nice undertones of family and romance. 

I liked the characters within the story very much including love interest Fiske and protagonist Eelyn who is a strong and easy to follow main character. Young sets up many moments of reflection and development as her characters struggle—again Eelyn most importantly—with the new reality of their lives. Decades of distrust and rivalry do not disappear overnight and I liked seeing Eelyn slowly begin to trust members of the Riki clan, even as she faced an internal war with what she had always known and what she was now witnessing. 

Adrienne Young has created a great story of survival and romance that bridges the gap between clans and age old rivalry. Perfect for anyone wishing to dip their toes in the Viking genre while discovering a conflicting world of brutality and simmering hope, Sky in the Deep is a great read and proves Adrienne Young is an author to keep an eye on!

I'm not really a fan of Viking-type of stories, but this novel really blew my mind because of how surprised I was with the narrative and Adrienne Young's storytelling. I surmise that the author just puts the entire story in a single book instead of turning this into a series, thus it is quite long so one should devote a lot of time to be able to finish this. It was the only complaint I can say on this book, nonetheless, I admire the story of Eelyn and how she was the reason why the Riki and Aska clans reunited to meet a common goal.

The romance aspect was not the focal point of the story, therefore, I believe that Eelyn and Fiske's love story was not fully established. The narrative focus more about Eelyn's story while she was captured by the Riki clan; of why her brother, Iri, chose to never left the Riki village; and how they try to bring together the two clans against the biggest and powerful clan, the Herja. 

Sky in the Deep is about the story of betrayal, friendship, family, understanding, forgiveness, and peace. There are several characters that I like in the book, notably Inge and Halvard, especially the latter because he is the epitome of purity or innocence in the story. The battle scenes are also vividly described and it is like you're watching them because of how they were narrated. Although I feel that the last combat scene is insufficient and should have been lengthened more, the marvelous and merry ending made up for this.

Actual rating: 4.25

This book really is amazing! I'm not going to lie though- for a while I felt like I was reading a different book than everyone else but THAT is what makes it so amazing! The author makes you feel what Eelyn is feeling- the prejudice, the hate(from both sides), all of it. So that when everything opens up and starts to happen it's so much more beautiful because yourself progressing through all of that with the characters in the book. I would have given it a full 5 stars had it been long enough to fill everything out. I feel like it needed more. The story is too short. I finally get it though. This story and these characters are amazing!

Let me start with the reason(s) I felt that I was reading a different book than everyone else. I think all of the hate and prejudice coming from every character made me feel alienated, if that makes any sense. The characters all being so hateful and prejudiced from the very start made me unable to connect with any of them on a deeper level. And when that happens(or doesn't happen, actually) it's hard to care what happens. But despite that, I found questionable to put this book down. The scenery and story were so exciting that it kept me reading until the characters won me over. I was amazed at how much I came to love these characters. Expedia certain Riki warrior. Or two of them actually. I don't want to talk too much about specific characters though because I don't want to spoil anything. Suffice to say that the story was amazing from the start and the characters fought their way into my heart. I highly recommend! 

*Thanks NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for the eARC. I also bought my own finished copy*

The story moved too slowly for my liking. I had a really hard time sticking with it. The premise sounded really cool, but I didnt think it matched expectations. At times the romance seemed totally out of place. Definitely a let down.

THIS BOOK. I AM IN LOVE. OH MY GOSH. JDKWKDKNFN. I don’t even know what to say except that this girl can write! Plus the cover is just gorgeous. I mean who doesn’t love a good cover?

I am just blown away with this world. I loved everything about it. VIKINGS! I normally love romance in any type of book and feel that is what makes a book boom for me. BUT if this didn’t even have any romance I think I would have loved it just because of the world building. Yes I said it. Don’t get me wrong though, the romance was OH MY GOSH MY HEART. It took me for a loop because I wasn’t expecting that aspect to even be as great as what it was.

The characters were AMAZING. I loved everyone single one of them. Eelyn is such a strong female protagonist. Her strength and will to fight for what she loves is admirable. Fiske was everything. Such a brave warrior with a wall up just waiting for someone to break through *insert heart eyes here*. I want Inge, Halvard, and Iri to be my family. I loved how after so much bloodshed and war throughout time that people still could come together for the greater good.

Just please read this if you haven’t already. Pretty please with sugar on top?

A Viking inspired tale, a simple yet complex plot, and opposing peoples brought up to hate one another through misconceptive means.  It’s taken me awhile to compile my thoughts over this, but in the end, it’s worth the wait. With an action-packed opening sure to capture the eyes of readers everywhere, it laid down the foundation of what the future events held.

The story follows an ancient blood feud between the Riki and the Aska leads to a full-blown war between the families. Eelyn, an Aska, fights for her people only to be captured by Reiki forces and kept as a slave. She quickly learns how similar the people are to her own and realizes how wrong the feud truly is. But will the families push their prejudices aside in order to fight the terror lurking in the dark.

Amazing debut for Adienne Young! I’m excited to see what else she may bring. If you ever have a chance to read this, do it!

How can I describe this book!? I mean i never read a fantasy book that was finished in one book and i am actually fine with it being one book. Eleyn the girl with fire in her blood and Fiske the hard man with the ever changing heart, i loved reading your journey. Iri the boy who found out that blood doesn’t make family. Gah. I need to watch any and everything about vikings, this story made me want to stand up and sound my own battle cry. The battle was won, not physically but emotionally.

Start to finish I didn't want to put it down. 

Actually if you want honesty, I didn't actually put it down much. Devoured doesn't fully describe what I did with this book.

I found the writing captivating and unique. The world building and the character development really kept me reading. I've read a few viking related books, not a single one could even hold a candle to this one.

This was just a really lovingly written story? I wish there had been maybe more verbal depth to some of the relationships, but the physicality worked for the cultural setup, so it’s a push and pull there. 

Also god bless stand-alones. And no killing the best friend/strong female friendships. SO here for that.

A solid fantasy novel that is set in a world similar to the Vikings of Old. Eelyn is a warrior for the Aska tribe. Her entire life is devoted to training for the fighting season against the Riki clan. Every five years the two clans meet on the battle field and slaughter each other over a blood feud that is woven into the lore of each clans very existence. When Eelyn sees her long dead brother on the battlefield her tribe believes he was sent by the gods to protect Eelyn in battle, but she is sure it is something else. Startling revelations about both tribes, why they fight and if they can ever stop are addressed through Eelyn and her experiences after the battle. There are a lot of battle scenes, a lot. By the end I found myself skimming the gory descriptions to get back to the plot and characters. I struggled with the Aska philosophy and the reasons why they would consider Iri a traitor. A solid recommendation for those who like fantasy or are looking for more Nordic/Viking fantasy novels (even though the gods in the this title are not Norse)

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 3 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Ariel

A YA novel about vikings? Sign me up! Sky in the Deep is the debut from author Adrienne Young, and if you’re into vikings, strong heroines, or both, I would suggest picking this one up, although I would say be prepared for less action than what is advertised.

The Aska and the Riki clans have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. Every year during the fighting season, the two groups meet just so they can fight. Five years ago, Eelyn lost her brother during a battle against the Riki. So why does she see him fighting with the Riki this year? When she is captured by the Riki, Eelyn must find a way to survive and get back to her father, the only family she has left. But when the Riki are attacked by another clan, the Aska and the Riki must come together, or it’s possible none of them will survive.

I want to start out by saying I legitimately did enjoy this book. However, I don’t like how it was marketed. The entire plot is in the books description, which I always hate. If something is brought up in the description on the back of the book, I want it to happen fairly early on. That was not the case with Sky in the Deep. The attack on the Riki from the clan that everyone thinks is a legend doesn’t happen until about halfway through the book. The first half was more of a slice of life novel in the Riki village where Ellyn starts to realize the Riki and the Aska really aren’t that different. Personally, I love slice of life types of stories and I really enjoyed that bit of the story, but I was left feeling disappointed because I was expecting so much more action than there actually was.

My other really big complaint comes from Herja, the legendary clan that attacks the Riki halfway through the book. Because the book description said that everyone thought they were just a legend, I thought there was going to be a supernatural element to them. I was pretty disappointed to discover they were just another clan. There were more of them, and they were bigger and scarier, but they were just regular vikings. It could be that I just misinterpreted the description of them, but it was still a bummer.

For what it was though, I did really like the story. Eelyn is a strong heroine who loves her family and the rest of her clan. She spends a lot of the book torn between being relieved that her brother, Iri, is actually alive and angry because he left their clan to live with the enemy. As she lives with the Riki and sees them doing the same things she would be doing with her family back at the Aska village, she starts to see that the Riki and the Aska really aren’t that different. The romance between her and Fiske is something that doesn’t happen until much later in the book, and I honestly could have done without it, but I liked them both as separate characters.

Overall, I would give Sky in the Deep 3 out of 5. It wasn’t what I was expecting based on the book’s description, but I still enjoyed it. I would have given it a higher rating had it been blurbed differently, but it’s still worth picking up.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO SKY IN THE DEEP BY ADRIENNE YOUNG?
Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young was ALL OVER BOOKSTAGRAM for a long time. And you guys, sometimes I get bored and engage in the endless scroll of pretty book related pictures. I kept seeing picture after picture of this book along with axes for some reason? Apparently the masses really like pictures of books and weapons and/or tools? Anyways. That was kind of the kick I needed to get myself to listening to this audiobook. It also helps the case when the book is a fantasy about a kick ass young woman set basically during the Viking era. That is exactly my kind of thing.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Adrienne Young’s Sky In The Deep is about a young woman named Eelyn. She’s this warrior who deeply loves her clan, the Aska clan. Her main goal in life is to keep her people safe by fighting and surviving. Anyways, one day she is in battle when she thinks she sees her brother, Iri, who allegedly died five years ago. Only, oh snap, he’s living with the enemy clan — the Riki. So, okay, Eelyn ends up spending the winter in the Riki village in the mountains. She’s nervous and completely mistrustful of the people she’s staying with.

Only, she begins to open up to this guy named Fiske. BUT IT TAKES TIME, a whole lot of time actually. Eventually Eelyn sees with her eyes that the Riki are being threatened by this other clan – a clan of legends. And well, she has to figure out a way to unite the Riki and the Aska so that both may survive. And whoa, there is A LOT going on and it is great.

HOW DID I LIKE SKY IN THE DEEP?
Honestly, this was a really good book! I am looking forward to reading more by Adrienne Young after Sky In The Deep. The story resolved itself very well. She’s got a knack for characterization. Eelyn’s progression as a character was one that felt realistic. It seemed like her changes came about at the right times. There was nothing that annoyed me about the plotting or the characterization. I think if I had to do it again, I would likely end up reading the book via ebook or physically. Just because I listened to this at times of annoying traffic which meant I was more focused on beeping than reading.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Sky In the Deep is narrated by Khristine Hvam. She’s a narrator that I’ve listened to a few times. Her narration is one that I have no qualms over. I obtained this book from Scribd, which is my go to lately. That makes sense, FYI, given I have a free trial that ends in a few weeks. However, because there is SO much I want to listen to, I think I will keep it. OKAY SO BACK TO SKY IN THE DEEP – I would say it is a good audiobook particularly if you have an ear for detail and enjoy listening to historical fantasy. Also, you cannot ever go wrong listening to Hvam.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I went into Sky in the Deep. I heard about it through book tube and all it really took to pique my interest was “lady viking warrior protagonist.” Yes, please; sign me up for that. Beyond that, I knew nothing about this novel going into it — I didn’t even know that it was a standalone and not book one of a trilogy.

I’m so relieved it’s a standalone. It’s refreshing in this time of series’ (that don’t often need to be series’) to find a book that tells a single narrative with a defined start and end in the span of only the one book; it’s wonderful to find an author who has a singular theme to explore and knows that she can do it within one novel. Does that mean this book is perfect? No. There’s certainly a need to suspend one’s disbelief a bit in some cases, especially in terms of how rapidly characters often undergo their emotional journeys, but it’s not so bad that I would dock this novel for it.

Eelyn is a fantastic protagonist. This is an angry young woman who channels a great deal of grief into vicious, well-trained wrath. She’s also resourceful and well-equipped to handle the violent world in which she lives — after all, we open on the start of the “fighting season” her clan fights regularly with a neighbouring, enemy clan. In the opening quarter of this novel alone, Eelyn suffers dislocations, broken bones, a need for stitches before popping said stitches, and who knows how many scrapes and bruises. Yet she carries on because this has always been her world, and her world is uncompromising and unforgiving. 

Except…Eelyn is suddenly forced to learn the power of both compromise and forgiveness. She is forced to reexamine her long-held world views, as well as the world views of not only her family and clan, but the enemy clan they’ve spent lifetimes battling. Eelyn’s journey is partly physically, but predominantly emotional and ethical — her entire life ethos gets called into question when she realises that these two people’s who’ve spent so long fighting each other have more in common than they do in contrast.

Are there contrasts? Of course. Different tribes and clans and peoples will have nuances in the way that they, for example, honour their dead, celebrate a victory, worship their deities, etc. But ultimately there is a commonality: a spirit of humanity. We strive to live and love and eventually die; we want to see our people and our families grow up happy in a world that is safer for them than it was for us. Eelyn has to deal with all of this, all the while enduring a turbulence of emotions that I cannot fathom but that Young writes so damn well, that I was grinding my teeth for much of the novel because I felt everything that Eelyn felt. It was like I was there, feeling everything along with her — and an author who can write emotions as complicated and complex as Eelyn’s and do it was well as Young does, has my immediate attention.

Hell, I even got on board with the romance. To be fair, I am absolutely weak for anything that hints of the enemies-to-lovers trope, especially if I think it’s being done well, so I guess I was an easy mark for the eventual romance. But I think I appreciate more that the romance was always secondary to everything else going on in the story. Sure, it crops up and certainly affects or informs some characters’ decisions, but it’s never the primary focus. This is always a book that is about more than a love story; instead, the love story is just a nice side-dish to a great feast of an adventurous, action-packed novel.