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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I had read this a couple years ago, maybe in 2019, I think I would've enjoyed this much more, but in 2025 having read N.K. Jemisin, Fonda Lee, and Shelley Parker Chan, my expectations for adult fantasy are at a much higher threshold. That being said, I still found promising elements within the story that were enough to compel me to finish the story, which grants the book a 3.75 star in my eyes.
The worldbuilding was intriguing, I think the stones were laid really well for the first book in a series, especially in the way that Shauna Lawless shows the true extent of the animosity between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann through Gormflaith and Fódla. Fódla was a pretty one dimensional character throughout this book, I enjoyed the relationship she had with her nephew and the grief she holds for her past, but at the same time, the historical inaccuracy with the scene in which she aids the birthing of a child was wildly jarring to see in a historical fantasy story and distorted immersion within the story for me.
Gormflaith was definitely the most intriguing part of the story, her self-serving demeanor and the high-stakes of her existence felt palpable in her storyline, and I especially enjoyed the ways in which the author showed how the power women held in the early Medieval era was vested singularly into their children. Her storyline felt contradictory at times, especially in her attitude towards other female characters, calling them fat and unlovable in one chapter and then defending rape victims of nuns (whom she expressed intense dislike on multiple occasion) in the next. I also felt like her ideals felt so boring and one-dimensional, constantly driving the White Woman Liberal ideals of women holding power being the key to solving all political problems.
Overall, I wasn't super blown away by this book; I enjoyed snippets of it enough to finish this book, but I'm not feeling particularly compelled to pick up it's sequel so I think this book is where my adventure into Shauna Lawless begins and ends.
The worldbuilding was intriguing, I think the stones were laid really well for the first book in a series, especially in the way that Shauna Lawless shows the true extent of the animosity between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann through Gormflaith and Fódla. Fódla was a pretty one dimensional character throughout this book, I enjoyed the relationship she had with her nephew and the grief she holds for her past, but at the same time, the historical inaccuracy with the scene in which she aids the birthing of a child was wildly jarring to see in a historical fantasy story and distorted immersion within the story for me.
Gormflaith was definitely the most intriguing part of the story, her self-serving demeanor and the high-stakes of her existence felt palpable in her storyline, and I especially enjoyed the ways in which the author showed how the power women held in the early Medieval era was vested singularly into their children. Her storyline felt contradictory at times, especially in her attitude towards other female characters, calling them fat and unlovable in one chapter and then defending rape victims of nuns (whom she expressed intense dislike on multiple occasion) in the next. I also felt like her ideals felt so boring and one-dimensional, constantly driving the White Woman Liberal ideals of women holding power being the key to solving all political problems.
Overall, I wasn't super blown away by this book; I enjoyed snippets of it enough to finish this book, but I'm not feeling particularly compelled to pick up it's sequel so I think this book is where my adventure into Shauna Lawless begins and ends.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Such a beautiful teller story. The way shauna lawless intricates fantasy with Irish tales was very entertaining. I need more stories written like this. I look forward to continuing the story
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
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
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"There was nothing worse than watching your friends die and thinking that, if you had been with them, they might be alive."
I knew nothing of Irish mythology (still don't know much lol), the Tuatha Dé Danann v. Fomorians, or Irish history, Vikings v Irish Catholics, but the book is so well written it informs of key details without it feeling like an info dump or history lesson tied into the story.
Lawless does a fantastic job of mixing mythology with Irish history. The fantasy aspect of it is very subtle while still being important for the plot. Both women must keep their powers a secret from the mortals and blend in, but must use them to gain access to such a male dominant society. I really like that there is no clear good versus bad, although it is very easy to form opinions of some actions taken by both of these women.
I can't wait to continue reading this trilogy!!
I knew nothing of Irish mythology (still don't know much lol), the Tuatha Dé Danann v. Fomorians, or Irish history, Vikings v Irish Catholics, but the book is so well written it informs of key details without it feeling like an info dump or history lesson tied into the story.
Lawless does a fantastic job of mixing mythology with Irish history. The fantasy aspect of it is very subtle while still being important for the plot. Both women must keep their powers a secret from the mortals and blend in, but must use them to gain access to such a male dominant society. I really like that there is no clear good versus bad, although it is very easy to form opinions of some actions taken by both of these women.
I can't wait to continue reading this trilogy!!
adventurous
slow-paced