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mero_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.25
teresab78's review against another edition
5.0
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****
Brothers of the Wild North Sea intrigued me and yet intimidated me at the same time. It is quite lengthy and a historical, which can sometimes be cumbersome. However, I found it engaging and breathtaking.
Caius was so real to me. His struggle with his new found faith and his place in the world was genuine. I enjoyed experiencing his ups and downs with him. Fenrir was fierce and beautiful and perfect for Cai. I loved how these two came to be with each other and how they worked together.
I also loved the spirituality of the story. I am not religious by nature and I was afraid the fact that Cai was a Christian monk would detract from the story, but I loved the way the teachings were portrayed and the mysticism that was found in the book. It made me question about what I thought about faith and God without being preachy.
The language of the book was beautiful and I could feel the wind off the water. I could hardly put the book down. It is well worth the time to read!
Brothers of the Wild North Sea intrigued me and yet intimidated me at the same time. It is quite lengthy and a historical, which can sometimes be cumbersome. However, I found it engaging and breathtaking.
Caius was so real to me. His struggle with his new found faith and his place in the world was genuine. I enjoyed experiencing his ups and downs with him. Fenrir was fierce and beautiful and perfect for Cai. I loved how these two came to be with each other and how they worked together.
I also loved the spirituality of the story. I am not religious by nature and I was afraid the fact that Cai was a Christian monk would detract from the story, but I loved the way the teachings were portrayed and the mysticism that was found in the book. It made me question about what I thought about faith and God without being preachy.
The language of the book was beautiful and I could feel the wind off the water. I could hardly put the book down. It is well worth the time to read!
koenmars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.0
missawn's review against another edition
3.0
There are things that I really liked about this book and others that I found disappointing. What is excellent is without a doubt the writing! It is really beautifully written with some achingly lovely phrases and descriptions that make the time/place come vividly alive. That I loved ... a lot ...
However, the story dragged on a bit for me (middle to end) and would have benefited from tighter pace and a little less melodramatics. Also, much as I came to love the two MCs (Cai and Fen) ... there was something a little one dimensional about them. Cai "the saint" who is "loved by all" (literally!), and Fen his "infallibly adoring warrior". Fen in particular troubled me -- how quickly he was willing to give up his life, family, kingdom ... everything basically ... and only after a few short weeks. The sudden turn from murderous hatred to utter devotion was ... well ... sudden. And not wholly believable ... unless you considered Stockholm syndrome or some similar infatuation which then detracts from the story. Because I did not feel the same powerful connection between the two, I felt the story's tension suffered a bit because of it.
However, at the same time I also felt that the book contains an subtle but important message. I could not help but stand in awe at how masterfully the author handled the complex and imaginative weaving of the early christian church, homosexuality/love, knowledge/power, belonging/place, the concept of "the other", and what it means to be human into one powerfully beautiful book. I just wish the love story at its core was stronger and the pacing tighter ... and it is for this reason its hard to rate the book ... the writing is easily 5+ stars ... but due to the unfortunate shortfalls discussed above, I'd probably rate it a very reluctant 3.5 stars. It is definitely a worthy read just for the language and the lovely messaging that it contains ...
This is my first book by this author and I definitely plan on reading more of her books in the near future ...
However, the story dragged on a bit for me (middle to end) and would have benefited from tighter pace and a little less melodramatics. Also, much as I came to love the two MCs (Cai and Fen) ... there was something a little one dimensional about them. Cai "the saint" who is "loved by all" (literally!), and Fen his "infallibly adoring warrior". Fen in particular troubled me -- how quickly he was willing to give up his life, family, kingdom ... everything basically ... and only after a few short weeks. The sudden turn from murderous hatred to utter devotion was ... well ... sudden. And not wholly believable ... unless you considered Stockholm syndrome or some similar infatuation which then detracts from the story. Because I did not feel the same powerful connection between the two, I felt the story's tension suffered a bit because of it.
However, at the same time I also felt that the book contains an subtle but important message. I could not help but stand in awe at how masterfully the author handled the complex and imaginative weaving of the early christian church, homosexuality/love, knowledge/power, belonging/place, the concept of "the other", and what it means to be human into one powerfully beautiful book. I just wish the love story at its core was stronger and the pacing tighter ... and it is for this reason its hard to rate the book ... the writing is easily 5+ stars ... but due to the unfortunate shortfalls discussed above, I'd probably rate it a very reluctant 3.5 stars. It is definitely a worthy read just for the language and the lovely messaging that it contains ...
This is my first book by this author and I definitely plan on reading more of her books in the near future ...
fishyla's review against another edition
4.0
So I have never been able to pinpoint the feelings I have whenever I close a Harper Fox's book.
Some parts were so uncomfortable for me to read personally, I was tempted to just give up and forget the whole book.
Some parts were so beautiful and heartrending, I wanted to weep.
So yeah, highly recommended with a small p.s. to those having the same problem:
PERSEVERE BABES.
Some parts were so uncomfortable for me to read personally, I was tempted to just give up and forget the whole book.
Some parts were so beautiful and heartrending, I wanted to weep.
So yeah, highly recommended with a small p.s. to those having the same problem:
PERSEVERE BABES.
feelsnotbrains's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
sanukipityreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
domtheknight's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This is one of the most unusual romances I've read and I did love it. It's really for real enemies to lovers (when they meet, one of them stabs the other because they're on opposite sides of a battle!) and yet they do absolutely come together. I cried. There's some real heart breaking stuff in this book - it doesn't shy away from hard parts of life in early medieval times, or from struggles and arguments within the church. I've already recommended it to multiple people.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Suicide