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12dejamoo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know how to begin to explain how much I loved this. The writing style, the characterisations, the settings! The changing POV was done so well! Some voices spoke in first person, whilst others were told in third. It wasn't always a character talking - sometimes a dog or a cave. The split into the three parts and within that the parts with different meanings of hwæt!! You're kidding me I'm obsessed. This is 100% a book for people who have not only read Beowulf, but have also studied it (Pride & Prodigies). The references to specific themes in the original text, the references to other texts in the Beowulf manuscript, the nuance and the choice of language that so perfectly reflects the original tone of the text. I would, to be fair, say anyone can enjoy this, regardless of whether you've read Beowulf or not, but obviously some details you won't get the references for (but getting the reference is not at all necessary to understand the details in the context of this story). I might be talking about this book forever I am seriously in love. Even as a text divorced from the original story, this book is perfection. I can't wait to read it again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Gun violence and Miscarriage
Minor: Rape, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content
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