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Rating: 4/5 Stars
Title: Sky in the Deep
Author: Adrienne Young
Synopsis:
OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE. Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. 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, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family. She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.
Initial thoughts:
When I first saw this book I was very excited to read it. A vikings and wonder woman combination? How could I resist? Also the cover is simply gorgeous. The use of shadows in the photo are stunning in my opinion. Now, for my initial thoughts on the plot. I knew that this was going to be a love story in a sense just from the synopsis so I truly didn’t want to see this book start off with a strong lead who only got weak as the love interest appeared in the story.
Plot:
What I liked:
This book was not just about love in the sense of finding a romantic partner. As this had been one of my worries with this book, I was glad by this. I enjoyed the plot and how things were shown to Eelyn so she could come to terms with the differences and similarities between their clans. To see them as people and not simply enemies to be cut down. It showed a development of tolerance I found could be applied in many situations. I enjoyed the writing style and how Young described situations within the story with clarity.
What I didn't like:
Some parts of the book felt a little repetitive as it made its way toward the climax of the book. I also felt as though the final battle was a little anticlimactic. It was rushed and made their enemies seem rather mindless when they originally appeared calculating and well organized as a unit.
Characters:
Eelyn: She was a very strong character who, after facing so many challenges, worked with what she had to so she could to survive. She was very stubborn and bright.
Mýra: She was a strong fighter who wanted to protect what she had left. She held her emotions back until she practically was breaking at the seams.
Iri: I liked him and wished I could have seen Eelyn and him patch up their relationship a bit more.
Fiske: He was a well put together character, but I didn't understand where his love for Eeyln stemmed from.
Aghi: I loved how much he cared about his kids! Even when he was upset with them he still loved and cared for them.
Inge: She was so sweet and a wonderful mother. She took in people and worked to accept them even when she had trouble trusting them.
Halvard: This kid was a cinnamon bun! I loved how innocent and carefree he was. I truly believe things wouldn't have been the same if he weren't around.
Overall:
I did enjoy this book and found that it was a quick read. I liked the characters and would recommend this book to those who enjoy an adventurous novel and for those who like Vikings.