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thechaoticreader's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
danaelai'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
plainjanedoe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
indigosummers's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
azurejdixon's review against another edition
4.0
Closer to a 3.5
A decent start to a series, a little predictable at times but enjoyable enough
A decent start to a series, a little predictable at times but enjoyable enough
madeliney's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
there were things i liked and did not like here. overall, it was a decent read, and i may read the sequel when it comes out if reviews show it improves on itself (and as long as it isn't too lengthy). ultimately, i think this book suffers from relying heavily on formulaic plotting (resulting in an extremely predictable story) and no attention being paid to develop characters with depth which results in a story without much substance at the end of the day... it would be nowhere near my top fantasy reads of the year and a recommendation for this book would come with some caveats (explained below for anyone interested in my rambling). :)
for starters, the premise is interesting. i like this whole shield maiden, woman warrior business and i liked the backdrop of Norse mythology. it's very easy to draw me in with these mythology or folklore influenced stories! i think the way the magic is described with the people that have been gifted godly powers was done well, and i would like to see that expanded upon in the sequel. the majority of the time, i liked the general chemistry and vibe between Freya and Bjorn. i liked when we finally met and learned more about another character outside of the Freya x Bjorn dynamic in Bodil, however that was unfortunately short-lived. i liked when we actually went on an adventure and learned more about the magic, gods, rituals, the world, all of the things. more world building and more adventures would have been appreciated here. there was quite a bit of telling rather than showing.
in terms of what i did not like... the story starts way too quickly. we are very quickly introduced to a host of characters and forced immediately, headfirst, into the plot. i would, personally, have appreciated more time to get to know Freya as a character and to get situated in this world. the romance is very quick. this is not a slow burn. is there a back and forth until they finally break the seal? yep. but it is instantly lust on both sides, from literally chapter 1. though not a deal-breaker, i just personally prefer slow burns. in addition, i was literally rolling my eyes at Freya being so incredibly horny for Bjorn whilst there were literally chopped up people just right there, and people's lives at stake. it's almost comical. in terms of the dialogue, it is a mix of extremely modern language mixed in with old timey words. i wish the author would have picked a style and stuck with it, because i found some of the dialogue to be a bit jarring and took me out of the story. there also was a lot of repetitive dialogue too with consistently repeated phrases, particularly from Bjorn. in terms of the ending... i don't hate that it ends in a cliff-hanger because it is intended to be a series, but the last 25 or 30% of the book is almost unbearable when it comes to Freya's inner monologue and actions. can the author please explain why Freya would bash Bjorn for not liking his biological father, when she herself also does not like him? calling him a traitor, flipping her fucking top, killing hoards of warriors, all because of an obvious truth staring her (and the reader) straight in the face for hundreds of pages was so annoying to read. that would be my final nitpick -- all of the plot points here were so obvious. at every turn, we hear these supposedly mysterious riddles and prophecies and everyone sits and scratches their heads, and lifts one shoulder (there is a lot of one shoulder lifts in this book), and then everyone moves on. but to the reader, it is a painfully obvious plot telegraph that makes me feel like the author is beating me in the head with a baseball bat.
side note: why is the mark on Freya's hand in the cover blue, when in the book it is described as being crimson red? lol. :)
for starters, the premise is interesting. i like this whole shield maiden, woman warrior business and i liked the backdrop of Norse mythology. it's very easy to draw me in with these mythology or folklore influenced stories! i think the way the magic is described with the people that have been gifted godly powers was done well, and i would like to see that expanded upon in the sequel. the majority of the time, i liked the general chemistry and vibe between Freya and Bjorn. i liked when we finally met and learned more about another character outside of the Freya x Bjorn dynamic in Bodil, however that was unfortunately short-lived. i liked when we actually went on an adventure and learned more about the magic, gods, rituals, the world, all of the things. more world building and more adventures would have been appreciated here. there was quite a bit of telling rather than showing.
in terms of what i did not like... the story starts way too quickly. we are very quickly introduced to a host of characters and forced immediately, headfirst, into the plot. i would, personally, have appreciated more time to get to know Freya as a character and to get situated in this world. the romance is very quick. this is not a slow burn. is there a back and forth until they finally break the seal? yep. but it is instantly lust on both sides, from literally chapter 1. though not a deal-breaker, i just personally prefer slow burns. in addition, i was literally rolling my eyes at Freya being so incredibly horny for Bjorn whilst there were literally chopped up people just right there, and people's lives at stake. it's almost comical. in terms of the dialogue, it is a mix of extremely modern language mixed in with old timey words. i wish the author would have picked a style and stuck with it, because i found some of the dialogue to be a bit jarring and took me out of the story. there also was a lot of repetitive dialogue too with consistently repeated phrases, particularly from Bjorn. in terms of the ending... i don't hate that it ends in a cliff-hanger because it is intended to be a series, but the last 25 or 30% of the book is almost unbearable when it comes to Freya's inner monologue and actions. can the author please explain why Freya would bash Bjorn for not liking his biological father, when she herself also does not like him? calling him a traitor, flipping her fucking top, killing hoards of warriors, all because of an obvious truth staring her (and the reader) straight in the face for hundreds of pages was so annoying to read. that would be my final nitpick -- all of the plot points here were so obvious. at every turn, we hear these supposedly mysterious riddles and prophecies and everyone sits and scratches their heads, and lifts one shoulder (there is a lot of one shoulder lifts in this book), and then everyone moves on. but to the reader, it is a painfully obvious plot telegraph that makes me feel like the author is beating me in the head with a baseball bat.
side note: why is the mark on Freya's hand in the cover blue, when in the book it is described as being crimson red? lol. :)
elawith1l's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
bhender88's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Something about the writing didn’t pull me in as much as I would have liked. FMC a bit immature maybe? A bit one dimensional? Enjoyed the Viking aspect.