I really loved Sky in the Deep, Adrienne Young's debut novel, so I was excited to read the companion novel, The Girl the Sea Gave Back. It's not a direct sequel, but it's set in the same world as Sky in the Deep and the main characters appear in supporting roles.

Set 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep, the Nadhir have experienced an unprecedented stretch of peace, but the neighboring tribe of the Svell are growing in strength and may be a threat to the Nadhir, who are still rebuilding after the events of the first book. Halvard is 18 and has been chosen as the heir to the chief of the Nadhir. He wrestles with whether he is truly the right choice for the job.
One of the Svell's advantages is a young woman named Tova. She is a Truthtongue, someone who can see the future. She is also a member of another tribe, the mysterious Kyrr. She washed up on a beach and was found by Jorrund, the Svell's spiritual leader. Her life with the Svell has been hard. Although they need her, they also fear her, and the only person who shows her any kindness is Jorrund, but Tova always wonders if it's because he needs her abilities to maintain his power.  She lives in constant fear of outliving her usefulness to the tribe.

The story is told in alternating chapters from Tova and Halvard's points of view. It's effective because the characters have very distinct voices. Tova's lonely life contrasts with Halvard's much more secure position. She's an outsider with no memories of her past, while he is a favored son of his tribe, with a supporting and loving family. The two have little in common, but when Tova casts the rune stones, a connection between them is forged.

The book has a fast moving plot, and most of the action takes place over just a few days. Young's spare prose works well for the story. The bleakness and beauty of this world really come through in her writing. It's a gripping story, and I hope Young writes more books set in this world.

Although this is sort of a sequel, it's possible to read it without having read Sky in the Deep. But the two books go so well together, I would recommend that you read the first one before reading The Girl the Sea Gave Back.

Well, that was disappointing.

I read sky in the deep a few months ago and while I did have a few faults with the story overall, I thought it was a very promising debut. This book however was a huge step in the opposite direction.

This story, similarly to Sky in the Deep, had so much potential. Set 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep, we follow two main characters. Halvard, who we met in the first book, and Tova, a girl living as an outcast in her tribe since death seems to always follow her. She has the unusual ability to see the future. When she’s asked to use her ability to decide whether they should go to war or maintain peace, she sets into motion the events for the novel.

I also think this story wasn’t sure what it wanted to be. With Tova’s ability there were some fantasy/magic elements, but since Tova didn’t know too much about her past neither did the reader and it made things feel so confusing and disjointed. Along those same lines, there is a lot of talk regarding fate and destiny. It seemed like the paths of our main characters are meant to cross in some crazy way, but they spent such little time on page together and what could’ve been an amazing star crossed lovers/forbidden love plot line fell completely flat.

Basically, all the things I really enjoyed from the first book were missing. I was hoping that the author would stick with the fast plot lines and action, yet what we got here was only tons of wasted potential and a disjointed plot.

I can't decide whether I liked The Girl the Sea Gave Back more than Sky in the Deep. Epic story about a girl set to change the world!

I loved Sky in the Deep so much! So when I saw Adrienne Young was writing another book in this world, I was really excited to get my hands on it and discover a new favorite.

However, if you're reading this then you've seen I only rated it 2 stars which is... not great. I ended up listening to the audiobook even though I had an e-arc of this book. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed this story more if I had read it in another format. I'd like to think it's a me problem and not a book problem.

I wanted to DNF it because I couldn't find it in me to care about anything. I couldn't connect with the characters and I know I'll forget everything about this book in a day or two...

(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I read and loved Sky in the Deep last year, so I was beyond the moon when Adrienne Young announced she was working on a companion novel. Unfortunately, I didn’t find in The Girl the Sea Gave Back the elements I loved in Young’s debut book.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back takes place ten years after the ending of Sky in the Deep. This time, the story is told through two different POVs: Tova and Halvard. Tova is a Kyrr with the ability to cast the stones, which means that she can read the future. She uses her ability as a Truthtongue for the Svell, the enemies of the Nādhir. Halvard is Fiske and Iri’s young brother and the next chieftain of the Nādhir, the clan that unified Aska and Riki a decade ago.

Adrienne Young’s sophomore book is a story about fate, hope and destiny. We follow the prelude of the war between the Svell and the Nādhir through Tova and Halvard’s POVs, which was interesting since it allows the readers to get a glimpse of the different dynamics inside both clans. I really liked getting to know more about this Viking world, especially the goddesses, gods and the Spinners.

But although the premise was interesting and I absolutely loved Young’s beautiful writing, I couldn’t connect with the story because of the uneven pacing and the lack of plot. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was reading a summary of the book instead of the actual book, because there is absolutely no tension through the entire story and you can easily guess how everything is going to end. Also, the story is so focused on the destiny of both clans and Tova’s past that we barely get to really know Halvard despite the fact that he is one of the main characters. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the connexion between Tova and Halvard is approached either.

Summing up, The Girl the Sea Gave Back was a complete letdown for me. I really liked the last paragraph and how the story ends that way, but overall the story lacked the tension and character development I loved in Sky in the Deep and it just bored me for the most part. Nevertheless, I have high hopes for the next books by Adrienne Young since I love the author’s writing and the premises of her stories.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't the best fit for me personally. The plot moved very slowly, which I believe may have been due to the split perspectives in the story. I had a hard time diving into the book and becoming connected with the characters. I had the same issue with the first book, so I truly just think this was a matter of the book not being a great fit for my own reading style.

I requested an ARC of The Girl the Sea Gave Back on a whim, having heard good things about the author. Graciously, the publisher provided me with an eARC though NetGalley - my opinions are my own. What I hadn't realized when I requested this novel was that it was a sequel. So, I went off to read Sky in the Deep. Since I essentially read these novels back to back, I feel like I enjoyed this one more. The back and forth between new characters and cultures to familiar characters and cultures was something I appreciated, and the flashbacks were really interesting and helped lend context to both sides of the story. Overall, I really enjoyed The Girl the Sea Gave Back, although Sky in the Deep is probably my favourite of the two.

The Girl The Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young is essentially a companion to Sky In The Deep. It's set in the same fantastical Viking world. I, personally, was really excited to re-enter this world, but read about different characters this go around. I also was excited to read another of Young's books via audio, as I had such a good experience with the first book.

The Girl The Sea Gave Back opens up with devastated parents who believe their daughter is dead. They end up putting the girl out to sea on a funeral boat. Alas, that girl is not dead. So, the Svell people end up adopting her and utilize her gift as a truthtongue. Meanwhile, there's additional chapters from the point of view of Halvard, who has a fate intertwined with Tova's but is kind of her enemy. Also, two other clans have joined together in peace, but possibly in war against Tova's people which is bad news bears for Tova's life.

On the whole, I enjoyed my time with this audiobook. It has dual narration, with Caitlin Kelly and Dan Bittner narrating chapters as Tova and Halvard, respectively. The audiobook is eight hours and 23 minutes long and well produced. I wasn't overly invested, but I did find this to be an entertaining listen. It also was good enough that I do anticipate reading this book again some day, but likely via physical book. Recommended on the whole - especially if you like books about girls who do the right and moral thing - even when it brings strife and struggle. It's something I deeply admire and would recommend.

if you liked the first book, you will probably love this.
This book and Sky in the Deep are definitely a "it's me, not you" type of situation. A lot of people really loved Sky in the Deep, but I was just not feeling a lot of the relationship dynamics. This book sadly had similar issues for me. I also wish we could have followed Tova's own clan more, they seemed VERY interesting. Instead we have the MC living amongst a "group of enemies" similar to the first book. However, instead of a slave, Tova is taken in only to be feared and spat on for being a "Truthtongue" aka fortune teller.
I really wish I could have given this a higher rating, but these books are just not for me.

The Girl the Sea Gave Bak did not disappoint. It was a slow burn, and it took me a little while to get immersed back into the Viking-based fantasy world of SKY IN THE DEEP (which I also really enjoyed), but once I connected with Tova and Halvard, I really liked their intertwining stories, in addition to seeing how they each responded to their callings and figured out their true beliefs.

Straight off the bat, I have to admit that I never got on the ‘Sky in the Deep’ train. I got there late and couldn’t be bothered waiting around for the next train. Is that a bad thing? Maybe, but I have seen a lot of people saying that there was a lot of expectations around ‘The Girl the Sea Gave Back’ due to ‘The Sky in the Deep’, and I think that I have a fresh perspective on it.

But I did struggle a little. I got into the book, sure. I read it and that was it. I never really thought too much about it, and I never really had any issues with it. The writing was really good, and amazing to read, but again the story didn’t really stick to me and I struggled to write this awful review (sorry bout the content quality guys) but as soon as I read it, I forgot about anything in it. For this, I give it a 2.5.

I really love the cover for this book though.

I absolutely loved Sky in the Deep so I was really excited when The Girl the Sea Gave Back was announced. Unfortunately, this one just didn't work for me. The split perspective made the story progress way too slowly for me, particularly since the reader saw the same event multiple times. I also didn't really connect with the romance, although I thought it had a lot of potential. I do think that many readers will love this one though!

*Disclaimer: I received an advance digital copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I loved this follow-up to SKY IN THE DEEP. It was great to see Halvard grown up and slated to become the leader of his clan, which was formed when the Aska and the Riki came together at the end of SITD. Tova was a complex and troubled new character, and I loved watching her emerge, almost like a butterfly from a cocoon, as the story progressed. She was strong and smart and brave and determined to do the right thing, even if it meant going against those who took her in as a very young girl. I didn't love this *quite* as much as SITD, but I would still read absolutely anything Adrienne Young writes!

First of all I didn’t know right away that this was a second in the series. I knew it was from the same author, Adrienne Young, and had the same vikingish vibe to it though. This book follows 10 years after the events in Sky in the Deep. That being said it was still easy enough to follow and was rather enjoyable all by itself, though I have heard great things about the first book and plan on reading it eventually.

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This story centers on two main characters, the first being Halvard who reminds me a lot of Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon. He is a reluctant leader who is afraid of letting his people down.

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Also the girl that the story is titled after, Tova. She clearly doesn’t belong in the Svell clan and the people of the village she grew up in often seemed to fear her. She is a seer, or a truthtongue, that reads what the fates have planned in the cart of the runes.

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After she foresees the enevitable death of the Svell clan leader’s beloved daughter her few allies become almost none.

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Tova then reads in the runes the complete destruction of the Svell clan. She is then forced to March with them into a war she believes is her fault and continue to cat the stones for the way hungry Svell leaders. Tova then has to come to terms with the death toll of this war and her roll in it and it’s outcome.

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In the midst of battle she sees Halvard and the connection is undeniable. There is something, mystical, fateful or otherwise, that has deeply connected them to have important roles in each other’s lives. In that moment she vows to protect Halvard as well as she can to make sure that the future she saw comes to pass.

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Nordic lore and Viking history fans will really appreciate this book and the series probably for it’s feel if not it’s authenticity. I wouldn’t know if it’s authentic but I felt well entrenched in this world.

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This was a fantastic book to read. It was engaging from page one and kept me hanging on every scene until the very end. Which is clearly set up for the next book in the series but was still a satisfactory ending.

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This book seemed to be set up for romances but instead I found it more centered on the love of friendship and family and that was completely okay. Who needs happy love stuff in the middle of a Viking battle right?

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Anyway booklings, this book was good and I believe if you have a looking for Vikingish things you’ll really enjoy it. From a YA standpoint it rocks as well so really there’s not a group that wouldn’t enjoy it.

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I am giving The Girl the Sea Gave Back a 4 out of 5 stars and I will go back to read Sky in the Deep sometime and will certainly read the next book to see what becomes of Tova and Halvard.

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Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for a fair and honest review.

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book because Sky in the Deep started really slow for me. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when this book grabbed me from the very beginning. I really cared about Tova and cheered for her through the entire book. The world the author built was as lovely as it was brutal. I hope there is more of this world for us to visit.

I loved Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back is no different. I love how old characters from Sky in the Deep were incorporated and we had a new heroine and a new set of problems. I absolutely love and enjoy the stories set in Adrienne Young's world and look forward to reading more by her. This book was highly anticipated and I can see why. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of talking to about it has loved it as well. It was a great read and I hope that you enjoy it as well.

I have a full review coming up on my Instagram/Waterstones but I adore this world!
A mesmerising world, a gripping story and instantly addictive. This heartfelt story with a Vikings flavour is full of action, hope and love of every kind.
Halvard was a great character to follow and I loved the glimpses we got of Eelyn, Fiske & Iri as I was left craving so much more (in a good way) after Sky in the Deep!

I was so looking forward to “ The Girl the Sea Gave Back”. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat in terms of execution. It was slow to start. I really struggled to finish it. The plot is lacking and disjointed in places. There was barely any worldbuilding. I found it extremely difficult to connect with the characters. Overall, it just wasn’t for me.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

5 Words: Power, fate, honor, belonging, betrayal.

Content warnings: Graphic violence, scenes of war

People, it was beautiful.

It's no secret that I absolutely loved Sky in the Deep when I read it last year, so I was already very excited to read The Girl The Sea Gave Back. And I had very high expectations, so I was a little bit worried that I had set myself up to fail. But I needn't have worried. The Girl The Sea Gave Back was amazing.

Right from the first page I was in love with the story. We're back in the same Viking-esque world and I settled immediately into the familiar dramatic landscape. If anything, the world in The Girl The Sea Gave Back felt even bigger than that of Sky in the Deep. Adrienne Young's writing is pretty epic, the world she has created is sublime. The details are exquisite. I could feel the cold wind, the snow on my feet, sticky blood drying on my skin. I could smell the food and the smoke and the iron tang of blood.

I loved the way the narrative was split between the characters, so we got to see their point of view and how they interpreted things. I loved the way the tension built between the characters. The pace complimented this really well, and I liked the mix of intense action and daily life, small dramas and violent battles.

Again, themes of family and belonging and tolerance are explored. This time instead of honor and endless fighting it's more about power and control itself. I enjoyed the flashback scenes, where characters revealed their motivation or another little mystery or secret came to light. Some of the betrayals really hit quite hard, and I really felt for Tova.

Also look at that cover. It's stunning. I could stare at it all day. It's just so visually stunning, dramatic and eye-catching. I love the colours and the drama and the depth and the strength just in the images.

This book can easily be read as a stand alone, but if you first read Sky in the Deep then you'll have a much deeper understanding of the world and the side characters and the tenuous grip on peace.

Book: The Girl the Sea Gave Back
Author: Adrienne Young
Series: Sky in the Deep, #2 (Companion Novel)
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

“It was the way of mortals to find war. Peace was like kindling, just waiting for the smallest flame.”

*e-ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The quotes that are used here are from an uncorrected digital copy and can be changed or deleted in the finished publication.*

I think I'm just confused. Sky in The Deep was my favourite debut novel from last year and this companion does not even come close.

Tova is found as a child on the shore of a foreign people, and despite their hatred of her, they keep her alive only to benefit themselves from her truthtongue ability. Years later, as she works to help them see their future, the runes that explain their fate are not prosperous, so they begin to change their fate through the only way they believe will work: war. Halvard grew up in a new era of people; former enemies, Riki and Aska, have come together to form the Nādhir. Because he is the first generation to not be involved in battle, they appoint him as the next chieftain. But war is coming and Halvard needs to do everything in his power to preserve his people despite not being chosen to be the leader for this kind of situation.

“Being Kyrr on the mainland was like living as a ghost. A tormented spirit, left behind in this world to wander.”

Right off the bat, the prologue provided descriptions that were easy and beautiful to follow, which was exciting because it reminded me of the first book and why I loved it. But getting into the chapters after, it unfortunately did not stay consistent. Though there were occasional descriptions that I liked throughout, I found myself getting more and more annoyed with the writing. Descriptions were too repetitive, saying the same thing in a different way back-to-back. Tova told us a million times what situation she was in among the Svell. There were inconsistencies, contradictions, and things that did not make sense with the scenes we were given. Like Tova not knowing who or what she was in terms of her life before the Svell and not being able to read the symbols marked on her body. Then immediately after she makes these claims, she begins telling us a long list of things she knew. “I don't remember much about my past except for this and this and this and this.” Also, there were too many editing mistakes. It was like playing a game of fill in the blank. I know this is an ARC and things have changed in the final version, but I still had to read it, you know? I do not think it’s much of a surprise why I got through this slowly.

“We gave you to the sea, Tova. But the sea gave you back.”

Something I found interesting while comparing the two titles is that I still do not know what Sky in the Deep means in correlation to it's book, yet The Girl the Sea Gave Back was explained in the prologue. I feel like I had the resources to guess what was going to happen too early on.

“There was some fate that bound us. Some future that lay waiting.”

In terms of potential romance, I was hoping this one turned into something adorable, perhaps interest-at-first-sight, and cute interactions to develop it. Boy was I sadly mistaken. They were drawn to each other immediately, that much was true, but it did not make sense. They had one interaction until the end (if you could call choking for no reason an interaction). I was expecting Tova and Halvard to meet up early, and it was strongly being alluded to the fact that this was going to happen, but guess what? It didn’t. An absolute missed opportunity for her to find him on her own and stay on his side when she was tasked to kill him. Having two people connected through fate is cool and all, but relying on it solely to form a relationship is not, how do I say this, show-stopping development. Instead of feeling an instant connection and saying he seems familiar and basing your decisions on fate, you can actually have a real reason to feel this way, like actually have a conversation with him. We know Tova and Halvard are connected by fate but I do not believe it was ever mentioned why. It did not feel like anything was fleshed out between them.

And I’m not sure why, but I had a hard time keeping track of side character names. Maybe because of the changing perspectives or maybe because my reading progress was slow, but you would think associating unique names to characters would be easier. Also, Halvard’s friendship with Mýra was so random? Why couldn't at least one of his brothers be around, we already read about their relationship in the previous book, it would have made more sense. None of the flashbacks had Mýra in them either. Show us how they became close friends.

What annoyed me about the two perspectives was that we had to read the same scene twice when Tova and Halvard were both there. Like just continue the story, what happened before is fresh in my memory and I don’t need to be jumping back to it again. 

Halfway in and besides a short battle, nothing really happened. I was mostly bored. There were points in between that made me think it was finally going to pick up and then that high always plummeted down as quickly as it came. That is until about 70% of the way in, when it finally got good with the looming war and the way Tova began to use her ability in a different way.

What I found interesting was how the Svell were winning battles with their big numbers yet at the same time they were fated to be destroyed. I think this element really included a possibility for an unpredictable outcome. Another factor to this was that the two main characters came from opposing sides which allowed that trope, expecting the protagonist to win, to be blurred because they existed against each other.

“I wondered if this was my last story.”

I’m definitely disappointed overall. It’s never fun to be let down by an anticipated read. But I do not think this will be the last time I pick up a book by this author. I just hope I’ll enjoy the future books that Young releases.