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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
This book is fantastic!
We follow the lives of two women, Gormflaith and Fodla.
Gormflaith is the widow of the King of Dublin. She is also one of the last Fomorians, immortals with the gift of fire magic. Her only goal is to see her son become King.
Fodla is Tuatha De Danann. She is a gifted Healer. The Tuatha are forbidden from living among the mortals, so they live in a hidden fortress.
The Tuatha have been hunting and killing the Fomorians for decades. They believe they have finally wiped them all out.
The remaining Fomorians are afraid to use their magic for fear that it will draw the attention of the Tuatha. But it may be too late.
I loved this so much! I loved the Irish mythology mixed with the history. I loved the characters, especially Fodla. I hated a couple of them as well, but it made the story even better. I am very excited for the next one. The writing is top notch! This is definitely a new favorite.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-arc.
We follow the lives of two women, Gormflaith and Fodla.
Gormflaith is the widow of the King of Dublin. She is also one of the last Fomorians, immortals with the gift of fire magic. Her only goal is to see her son become King.
Fodla is Tuatha De Danann. She is a gifted Healer. The Tuatha are forbidden from living among the mortals, so they live in a hidden fortress.
The Tuatha have been hunting and killing the Fomorians for decades. They believe they have finally wiped them all out.
The remaining Fomorians are afraid to use their magic for fear that it will draw the attention of the Tuatha. But it may be too late.
I loved this so much! I loved the Irish mythology mixed with the history. I loved the characters, especially Fodla. I hated a couple of them as well, but it made the story even better. I am very excited for the next one. The writing is top notch! This is definitely a new favorite.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-arc.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is going right to the top of my favorite books of 2025 without question! I have never read a book that I honestly wanted to root for everyone. At points I was questioning my own sanity "Am I rooting for the bad guy??". The characters and world felt so real. The author just drops you into the world and builds the world and character dynamics along the way. You follow two main POVs, both mature women, both mothers, and definitely not damsels in distress. The world building is flushed out, but not overdone, you can see the world without being bogged down by wordy descriptions. The actions of main characters are very clear to follow, while some side characters remain mysterious (I'm sure as intended). Ultimately, the first book lays out a world that asks: How far will a mother/woman go to protect her child, those she loves and their legacy and her secrets??
I will absolutely be continuing this series and the novellas and cannot wait until my order arrives with them in a couple weeks.
Reading Method: Immersion read, audio narration + physical book - Audio narration was infinity stars
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Narrative Style: First person, dual POV (Gormflaith and Fodla)
Pacing: Fast paced, and consistent, no slumps half-way.
Setting: Ireland 981-999 AD
Lore/World: Irish and Norse lore with Christianity
Political intrigue: Yes, Kingdom politics
Series: Yes, Book 1 of Trilogy
I will absolutely be continuing this series and the novellas and cannot wait until my order arrives with them in a couple weeks.
Reading Method: Immersion read, audio narration + physical book - Audio narration was infinity stars
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Narrative Style: First person, dual POV (Gormflaith and Fodla)
Pacing: Fast paced, and consistent, no slumps half-way.
Setting: Ireland 981-999 AD
Lore/World: Irish and Norse lore with Christianity
Political intrigue: Yes, Kingdom politics
Series: Yes, Book 1 of Trilogy
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Excellent narrator with distinct character voices and good pacing. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes