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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
This book is incredibly well researched with vividly described scenes, I just ran out of time on a library loan.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I just really like the cover tbh. Historical fiction set in the seventh century in Britain, young Hild must navigate the complicated politics of kings and lords vying for power to gain what power she can as a young woman. Griffith’s prose is really nice, but I struggled to get through this one. I liked Hild and Begu and Cian. I’m not sure what it was that made it hard for me to get into. There were a lot of characters and difficult names–it was almost like reading a high fantasy–and they were hard to keep straight.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Slavery
This book became an instant comfort read for me, and this year I've been rereading it in bits and pieces between other books. The biggest draw for me is how IMMERSIVE it is—I love the level of descriptive detail, which creates an atmosphere so vivid I truly feel as if I'm experiencing it with all five senses. As a history fan, I also greatly enjoy the focus on the day-to-day goings on of an overking's household in early 600s Northumbria, which creates a rich background for the grander socio-political drama moving the plot forward. And of course, I love Hild herself, a thoughtful, intelligent, brave protagonist through whose eyes we have the pleasure of experiencing it all. In fact, I am a big fan of the whole cast of characters—many of which are refreshingly highly competent (something I wish I got to see more often in YA literature). I completely understand why this book isn't for everyone, but boy is it a good fit for me, and I plan to continue enjoying it again and again.
I understand the criticism. Really, I do. This is a challenging read with tons of historical detailing going on, the kind of work that can go boring and confusing. Had to re-read whole segments in order to keep track of the what/when/who/why going on. But once you get hold of Griffith's rhythm and style, she offers a richly constructed world with interesting characters and superb descriptions of nature, battles, lust and intrigue. Loved it, really. And Hild, what a badass. One note, tho: useful family tree and glossary, but the edition could really use a map!
Right in my wheelhouse; it's as if Mary Stewart's Merlin books had a baby with Wolf Hall. The details, the writing, it's all excellent. Until you start to get toward the end and realize that this is the first book of at least two, a fact that's not in evidence, and that as I grew more aware of started to annoy me. The end of the book also feels rushed; where entire chapters had been devoted to few days or a week or two, the last three or four chapters cover a year and change, and everything just jumps ahead to the sort of finale when Hild ends up in a terrible marriage that she wanted to be in just the same, and had clearly wanted to be in the entire book despite it being a terrible idea, and will now move into the next book(s) in that bad situation that she greatly desired. It didn't work for me as an ending place, and I didn't like it as a plot point (though it had a certain narrative inevitability to it.) I'll probably read the sequel(s) but I won't rush to get them.
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
My only issue with this book was the slow pacing; it took me quite a while to read (and I'm a pretty fast reader) because I kept getting distracted, which is not a problem I typically have with faster paced books. However, I very much enjoyed the time I did spend on this book. The historical setting is full of rich texture; you will get to hear about all the animals and plants inhabiting the world, all of the foods our characters eat, and the seasonal rhythms of their lives. I read the book in the first place because I saw a recommendation that promised a setting that doesn't ignore details of historical life like the labor of farming and women spinning and weaving in the background, and it definitely delivered on that front, so I was satisfied. It's very evident that the author did her research on the setting and put a lot of effort into making it feel real. Hild is exactly the kind of character my child self would have wanted to be like: an intelligent girl who loves and deeply knows the world around her and uses her wits to survive the politics of her time. Her personality and the very nice prose carried me through even the slowest parts of the book.
I definitely followed only about half of what was happening (I am bad with places and names and there are SO MANY places and names, next time I read this I'm going to have the map and list of characters up the whole time) but the language in the whole thing was so satisfying. It's long, and I'm nervous about what will happen in the next book, but I enjoyed it a lot