This book was absolutely perfect!
I loved The First Girl Child but after finishing The Second Blind Son, I have to confess that I love it even more ❤️

Since the story happens in the same world as TFGC and almost at the same time we get to meet again with the characters from the first book. And unfortunately had to those heartbreaking moments with two of my favorite characters High Keeper Ivo and Dagmar 💔

This time the book is more concentrated around the two main characters, Ghisla and Hod, and we follow them more closely.
And from my opinion, the romance is what makes this second volume more beautiful than the first.
The love story between the two MCs is more raw, more palpable. You can actually feel how they miss each other and how desperate are for one another whenever they meet ❤️

Just like reading TFGC, the way the author writes transports you right there with the characters, in temple, in the forest, on the battle field, etc.
Definitely after reading these two books I will read other books written by the author. And hopefully we will get a book about another daughter, perhaps Elayne..

You don't have to read TFGC first, they can be read as standalone. But I really recommend that you do. And it does not matter the order. You can read TSBS first and TFGC and it will perfectly make sense either way.

One omg this book was sent beautiful and I couldn’t put it down, thank u net galley and the author for this ARC

Set in a Norse kingdom, Saylok, the book takes us through the lives of a blind boy, Hod, named after the mysterious blind God, and Ghisla, a young Songr girl. Hod takes care of her after she washes ashore near the caves he’s living in.
They form an unlikely bond that deepens over the years. Ghisla’s songs can make Hod see even if it means his other senses weaken.
Burdened by a curse, the kingdom of Saylok is trying to gather and save girls for the next generation. How long can a kingdom exist if there’s no girl child?
Ghisla is sent to the temple for protection along with four other girls from different regions of Saylok. The relationship between the king and the chieftains is strained, and the power struggle leads to turmoil in several lives. Ghisla and Hod are apart, trying to hold onto each other only by hope.
Can the two find peace among betrayals and power games? How can they save the kingdom from being destroyed forever?
The Second Blind Son is the second book of the series, The Chronicles of Saylok. I wasn’t aware of the first book until I got this one. However, it did not affect my reading experience. Maybe I would have understood a couple of characters better if I read it first, but there’s enough character development in the second book to work as a standalone.
This book also happens to be my first by the author, and I’ve already added most of her other works to my TBR.
The beginning is slow, but that’s expected with a fantasy. The world-building is essential, and the author took care to provide the right amount of information without dumping everything at once on the readers.
The story picks up the pace to match the plotline. It progresses over a decade. The first half of the book is YA, while the second half is more in the adult category. The romance is quite a slow burn, with the couple being apart more than they can be together.
As with every other historical, the story has betrayals, treachery, lies, power politics, greed, lust, and more. The elements of fantasy are just right, enough to give the story that extra kick without making it too absurd or weird. I love the magic of the runes, irrespective of the uncertainty they bring.
What made the book stand out was the author's writing. Her imagery is strong and vivid. She has control over the setting, the atmosphere, and her characters. The characters are flawed yet real in a strange way. Imagine understanding characters from a historical fantasy when some of the contemporary ones don’t even make sense.
A friend, who recommended the book, mentioned that I would enjoy the author’s writing style, and I sure did. In fact, I didn’t even notice if there were too many adverbs (and that’s proof enough). I’ll, of course, be going back to read book one and am already looking forward to the next in the series.
To sum up, The Second Blind Son is a beautiful book with all elements in the right proportion. Take your time to read it, and you’ll enjoy it more (or so I feel). A breather makes this book even better.
It’s been a long time since a book inspired me to write a poem. That alone makes me rate it full five stars.
On the palm of our hands
Among the lines of fate
Deciding our destiny
Daring us to find a new path

Bound by the threads unseen
We stumble this way and that
Wondering what would happen
If the lines could be altered; erased

A question, a speculation
With no answer in sight
Or so it seems until one day
Comes the one challenging us to act

Take the knife out, break the skin
Let scarlet drops fall to the earth
The wound will sting, mixed with sweat and spit;
Let it burn as desire flares in your soul

Find your mate, and draw the rune
Let the words of the ancient times
Bind you, test you, bless you
Forced by the fresh lines you draw

The lines of a new fate
You carve on the palms… for love.

Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for the ARC.

Such an amazing story. The Second Blind Son is the second book in The Chronicles of Saylok. While it is the second book, it can easily work as a stand alone.

The Second Blind Son follows Hod and Gishla in Saylok and runs parallel to the first book. I absolutely loved the Norse-Mythology, Amy Harmon’s world building is just amazing. While I don’t think it is necessary to read The First Blind Son, I do think you would be missing out on the added writing from Harmon.

The characters are well developed as is the romance, which takes center stage. The romance is organically built slowly, oh so slowly, over the course of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this second installment. I would recommend it for fantasy and romance lovers.

The kingdom of Saylok worships the Norse gods and they are able to use runes to heal and to harm but only the keepers are entrusted with the knowledge of how to use them. The kingdom has also been plagued with a curse… no girl children have been born there for decades. This story takes place during the same time period as The First Girl Child but instead of following the story of Bayr and Alba The Second Blind Son tells us the story of Hod and Ghisla. Hod was born blind but knew the rune symbols without ever seeing them. He was sent to train so one day he could become a keeper himself. During his training a girl washed up on the shore and as she sang he was able to see for the first time in his life. He helped her become strong and healthy again and they had an unbreakable bond made stronger by a rune that connected themselves to each other so they could communicate even when they were separated. They were forced into different paths with the hopes they would be reunited again and even separated their love for each other grew. As their kingdom is slowly collapsing Hod has to come up with a plan to end the curse, unite his kingdom, and bring his love back into his life. The hearts of the main characters are amazingly good and the passion they all have for the people they love is outstanding. This book on its own was fantastic but the fact that it brought me back to the characters I loved from book one made me love it even more. I literally cried tears of joy while finishing it. This series is one of my absolute favorite series I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading all of her books. If they’re even half as good as the two I read I have no doubt I’ll love them too!
Both books in the series could easily stand alone but together they are even better!
I would like to thank the publisher for allowing me to read this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! The waiting would have been impossible!

WOW! What a book,  what a beautiful, fascinating and unique mythical fantasy story.
This book is an unbelievable dramatic, full of anxious energy and gripping mysterious events.

In the world of clans and belief in old Norse Gods and Runes, a beautiful unique forbidden love story arouses.
This story is so unbelievable emotional and moving, shadowed with so many unexpected twists and painful experiences that it's difficult to describe it with a simple review.
The beautiful unique writing style and the interesting suspenseful topic makes this book to an absolute mesmerizing page-turner experience.

This is not just another fantasy book.
This book is not just a romance. This book is written like a Norse mythology surrounded by secrets, lies and mysterious old ways.
The way Amy created her own wonderful magical world around the Norse Gods and legends is simply astonishing.
I love everything about this story.

In the first book of the series we were introduced to this amazing world, but this book, that can be read as a standalone, falls in its own category.
I love the characters and their constant fight for their friendship and love.
I'm ones again in awe of Amy's gift to create this kind of beautiful unique story ❤

I loved this one. It's dark, moody, and intense, and I was totally sucked in. This takes place at the same time as the first book, but through different characters' eyes (pun intended). There was more romance than I expected, which pleasantly surprised me. The characters were relatable and tragic, and I was rooting for them the whole time.

3.5 stars

I like the world and characters of this series. I also love the concepts and the great dialogues. But, I have a hard time with how the book jumps so much that I have a hard time feeling attached to the story and the central characters.

I really enjoyed the first of this series. I contemplated reading it again before starting this one but I'm glad I didn't. This book was somewhat of a parallel storyline. Spoilers** You get a lot of repeat and retell. This is fine if you've only read this book. You can read it without too much worry about background and what is going on, kind of. But, I just felt it made a reader who already read the first book trudge through a lot of the same stuff. ** I, personally, just wanted more depth and story for Hod and Ghisla.

I would say if you like this series, you should read it. Amy Harmon has an amazing ability to tell a beautiful story.

The Second Blind Son is a phenomenally plotted fantasy novel. The world that Amy Harmon has created is intricate and original. The characters are all so very different and intriguing. If you have read The First Girl Child then many characters will be familiar. I enjoyed seeing what they were all up to. I highly recommend you read that book first because I think you’ll enjoy this book even more if you do.

This book focuses on Hod and Ghisla. They first meet when Ghisla washes up on shore and is found by the blind Hod. They develop a strong bond but are forced to separate. They both grow up and live their lives in different places but they never forget one another. There is also turmoil in the Saylok Kingdom and prophecies that have been written a very long time ago.

This was a long book and I loved every page. It was action-packed, emotional, funny and also had the right romantic elements. The Second Blind Son was another engaging and amazing fantasy novel and I really hope Amy Harmon will continue to write books in this genre.

Three and a half
Ok I absolutely loved the first book The First Girl Child as it was character driven with a fabulous plot. Not perhaps what my hopeless romantic soul yearns for but nevertheless a solid story that kept me eagerly turning the pages. I feel my opinion of this follow up will be an unpopular one because other reviewers seem to love that this time the author is a little more heavy handed with the romance.
Essentially it’s telling the story of characters who had been in the background so shares the same timeline. Unfortunately I didn’t connect with these characters quite as much and if blunt wasn’t that enamoured by the female protagonist. I do understand her life has been changed irrevocably and she just wants to survive but sadly I never quite warmed to her. Hod is a sweet character trying to please others but as his story progressed as much as I had empathy for his situation I didn’t always like his actions. To make my opinion drop further was the depiction here of Dagmar who for this reader was the heart and soul of the previous story. I do wonder if perhaps this was a standalone and I hadn’t enjoyed the first book so much if I might have rated this higher ? I think perhaps so but if I compare my enjoyment then alas I do have to rate this a strong three.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The Second Blind Son is the second book in The Chronicles of Saylok and the story runs parallel to events in the first book, The Last Girl Child. I fell in love with the story line of the first book because of its fantastic world building, complex and amazing characters and the plot of good and evil with shades of gray. I never thought that anything else could surpass it but The Second Blind Son swept me off my feet. Here the romance became the center of the book. The characters of Hod and Ghisla, both playing minor roles in the first book, takes centerstage in the second and the way their story unfolds, their promise to each other and how they manage to be together despite impossible circumstances was gripping and compelling. I love all the pairings that the series has turned up so far, each quite different from each other but all so wonderful and makes your heart ache and happy at the same time. I love this book!

Ghisla, a young girl from Songr, loses her family and village to the plague and barely escapes the funeral pyres herself by hiding in the hull of a ship bound for unknown waters. When a storm ravishes the boat and leaves her adrift on stormy seas, Ghisla cries against the gods and sings to Odin in a bid to find the courage to survive.

Sent away as a babe, Hod has lived much of his young life as a cave-dweller, learning the teachings of the temple from his keeper, Arwin. Blindness has given him superior hearing and lightning reflexes, but it doesn’t prepare him for the girl who washes up on his shores and gives him the gift of sight through her songs.

When Arwin returns to the caves months later, he is horrified to find the Songr girl entrenched there with Hod. Worried of her power over his young charge, Arwin insists Ghisla must leave and takes her to one of Saylok’s clan leaders as a girl child to gift to the king. Devastated, Hod breaks a temple rule and draws a rune on his and Ghisla’s palms so that they can communicate from afar.

Banroud, King of Saylok, has commissioned his clans to provide girls to become daughters of the temple in the hope it will appease Odin and break the curse of no new female babies they have lived under for years. A curse created against his brutality.

As time passes, so to does Ghisla’s hope of ever seeing Hod again. She fears warring between the clans and the Northland King will end any chance of peace for Saylok and endanger the man she loves more than life.

Set in sync with book one in the series, The First Girl Child, this story is told from a different perspective on the epic battle of Saylok. I enjoyed revisiting familiar scenes from the first book, as well as seeing the story through Hod and Ghisla’s viewpoint.

There is a lot more introspection in this story, but it doesn’t take away from the building tension in any way. Ghisla is portrayed as stubborn and proud, with a warm heart many miss at first, while Hod is kind and fair, and devoted to the girl he rescued from the beach all those years ago.

This is a legendary romance with brave warriors and equally strong women!

I was very excited to receive this book early from NetGalley and 47North, as it's #1 on my list of anticipated releases for 2021!
I loved The Last Girl Child and couldn't wait to be immersed in Saylock's story once again. The scourge continues and the kingdom is in trouble. When Ghisla washes up on the shore near Hod's cave, we have no idea the impact this will have. They end up having a fantastic bond in which whatever Ghisla sings about, Hod, who is blind, can see. Secrets abound and as they are revealed, threaten to do more harm to the kingdom, than the horrible King Benruud! I loved the twisty ride of trying to save the temple, uniting the clans and ending the curse. I had trouble putting the book down and I'm already hoping there's a third book in the works for the Chronicles of Saylock.

Wow. I was not expecting this book and I devoured it. I loved the beginning and how they met and the progression of how everything comes to be.

It definitely took me by surprise of who Ghisla is! And I loved it! She is such an amazing strong character who has seen lots of tragedy in her life.

I absolutely loved Hod! He does what he needs to survive and doesn’t shrink when times are hard.

This one definitely makes her your heart hurt and ache for these ill fated lovers. It sometimes feels like luck is never on their side, but their growth and love is so beautiful.

I loved the different viewpoints and all the characters and I am left craving for more stories of different people!


Parting note- while I loved this book, I would not recommend reading the first girl child and this one back to back. It is basically a retelling so they have overlapping parts and I think personally it’d be enjoyed more if you had a little space between them.

The Second Blind Son was a magical story and a beautiful love song. Amy Harmon created a very thoughtful and epic world starting with The First Girl Child and she doesn’t disappoint this one. We follow Ghisla and Hod’s story, and boy oh boy, was it an amazing. Their love was pure and magical, yet at time sad and heartbreaking. I couldn’t put down this book, it kept me at the edge of my seat. Amy Harmon is one of the greatest authors currently, she tells such beautiful stories. I would read her grocery list if I could, lol. Just read The Second Blind Son, five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a beautiful tale. I loved it more than the first book. The emphasis on romance and the relationship between Hod and Ghisla really captured my heart. The Norse-inspired world of clans and chieftains and warriors is fascinating, but I will always be here for the romance first. The longing between the main couple was palpable, and the fact that this book takes place over a decade's worth of time made everything even more emotionally impactful. Young friendship, young love, separation, longing, passionate desire, and all-consuming, soul binding love took center stage in this sequel to The First Girl Child, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

I have travelled back to the land of Saylok, and it was glorious!! Amy takes her readers on another fantastical journey and let me tell you, I was SO immersed in this world with Ghisla and Hod!

Having read the First Girl Child, I was already familiar with Saylok and all that happened there during Alba and Bayr’s story. Well, Amy immerses readers right back into that same timeframe, but from an entirely new perspective. And let me tell you, Amy made it so completely different, you feel like you are reading a brand-new story, even though you already know how everything plays out.

I fell completely in love with Ghisla and Hod. Both characters have faced so many challenges in their young lives. But while Ghisla feels hopeless and just wants it all to end, Hod seems to have endless hope, and he never lets Ghisla give up.

“Promise me you will not give up.

I will not give up today.”

It was fascinating how even though Hod was blind, he could “see” most people more clearly than those who had sight. He could hear people’s heartbeats, and the rhythm and cadence of them told him so much about the character of the person, and whether they were good at heart, or bad. And Ghisla’s ability to “see” into people while singing was just enthralling. But mostly, her ability to make Hod see while she was singing to him? That was just downright magic.

This story is just so classic Amy. None of the people in it were perfect, in fact, most are far from it. But she tells the story that needs to be told, and all I could do was hold on for the ride. The connection Hod and Ghisla had was immediate and intense, and it was SO hard reading about them being apart for most of the book, and knowing they longed so much to be together, but circumstances prevented that. And when they finally were together again, these two together were unstoppable.

Pure perfection and pure magic! I loved reading about the Norse gods that Saylok prayed to and worshipped, and I loved how Amy spun these god’s stories to fit her narrative. Every time I read one of Amy’s books, I am just in awe of how well she integrates facts in with her fiction and spins a tale that is just pure delight to read. I get lost in her stories, and I do not come up for air until I have turned that last page. And then I go back and re-read all my favorite parts again, which usually means I read the whole book over again!

I so desperately hope Amy plans to continue in this world. I am already wracking my brain, trying to imagine what the next books will be. The Third…. The Fourth…. What could they possibly be? Fingers crossed we will stay in the land of Saylok for a very long time!

I love Amy Harmon and will read anything she writes. The Second Blind Son was a phenomenal sequel to the First Girl Child. I absolutely loved it. My only complaint, if it can be called that, is that while It’s wrapped up at the end, I would have loved more than just a short epilogue to see how Hod, Ghisla, Baydr , and Alba are doing.

After listenign to The First Girl Child last year and falling completely in love with it, I jumped at the opportunity of reading an ARC of this one and revisiting the beautiful magical world created by Amy Harmon. I loved going back to Saylok, meeting old and new characters and seing some of the events that occurred in the previous book through different eyes and new perspectives, while also experiencing the stories of the two protagonists and their journey. I really enjoyed this book: the romance, the struggles of the main characters, the magical elements, the norse mythology references... It was truly captivating. I hope the author continues writting books about some of the other characters and expanding the story, cause I can't get enough of this world.

4.5
Thank you netgalley for this e arc.

I recommend The second blind son to any norse mythology fans. Great book.

I loved book 1 and this, book 2, was the same story but two different MCs. I really like the MCs in both and so I recommend reading both perspectivesabd stories.

Thank you again for this arc.
Amy Harmon, you are a fantastic writer!