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wildflowercrypt's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
i finished this book simply to say i gave it a fair chance, up until the very end, to win me over. it didn’t.
the historical inaccuracies are numerous and glaring. the writing itself is juvenile and in no way reflects the time period or its setting; everyone in this book talks like teenagers from a CW tv show— any CW tv show. the main character of Gunnhild is selfish, contemptuous, petulant, and for a nearly thirty year old woman, infuriatingly childish. Oddny is better, in that she’s at least likable, but her characterization is far too bland to be compelling.
the historical inaccuracies are numerous and glaring. the writing itself is juvenile and in no way reflects the time period or its setting; everyone in this book talks like teenagers from a CW tv show— any CW tv show. the main character of Gunnhild is selfish, contemptuous, petulant, and for a nearly thirty year old woman, infuriatingly childish. Oddny is better, in that she’s at least likable, but her characterization is far too bland to be compelling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Rape
katiemack's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this better than Genevieve Gornichec's previous novel, The Witch's Heart, likely because it was less of a straightforward mythology retelling and more of Gornichec's own creation. The dialogue is also stronger and less awkward. One aspect from The Witch's Heart that I was happy to see preserved here, however, is how much agency our women protagonists have--they're incredibly strong, inspiration, smart, and bitingly funny in their wit. There's also a trans character (possible spoiler?) that ends up having a major role in the story.
I liked this better than Genevieve Gornichec's previous novel, The Witch's Heart, likely because it was less of a straightforward mythology retelling and more of Gornichec's own creation. The dialogue is also stronger and less awkward. One aspect from The Witch's Heart that I was happy to see preserved here, however, is how much agency our women protagonists have--they're incredibly strong, inspiration, smart, and bitingly funny in their wit. There's also a trans character (possible spoiler?) that ends up having a major role in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Death
Minor: War and Death of parent
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