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ladytiara's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved Sky in the Deep, Adrienne Young's debut novel, so I was excited to read the companion novel, The Girl the Sea Gave Back. It's not a direct sequel, but it's set in the same world as Sky in the Deep and the main characters appear in supporting roles.
Set 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep, the Nadhir have experienced an unprecedented stretch of peace, but the neighboring tribe of the Svell are growing in strength and may be a threat to the Nadhir, who are still rebuilding after the events of the first book. Halvard is 18 and has been chosen as the heir to the chief of the Nadhir. He wrestles with whether he is truly the right choice for the job.
One of the Svell's advantages is a young woman named Tova. She is a Truthtongue, someone who can see the future. She is also a member of another tribe, the mysterious Kyrr. She washed up on a beach and was found by Jorrund, the Svell's spiritual leader. Her life with the Svell has been hard. Although they need her, they also fear her, and the only person who shows her any kindness is Jorrund, but Tova always wonders if it's because he needs her abilities to maintain his power. She lives in constant fear of outliving her usefulness to the tribe.
The story is told in alternating chapters from Tova and Halvard's points of view. It's effective because the characters have very distinct voices. Tova's lonely life contrasts with Halvard's much more secure position. She's an outsider with no memories of her past, while he is a favored son of his tribe, with a supporting and loving family. The two have little in common, but when Tova casts the rune stones, a connection between them is forged.
The book has a fast moving plot, and most of the action takes place over just a few days. Young's spare prose works well for the story. The bleakness and beauty of this world really come through in her writing. It's a gripping story, and I hope Young writes more books set in this world.
Although this is sort of a sequel, it's possible to read it without having read Sky in the Deep. But the two books go so well together, I would recommend that you read the first one before reading The Girl the Sea Gave Back.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
Set 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep, the Nadhir have experienced an unprecedented stretch of peace, but the neighboring tribe of the Svell are growing in strength and may be a threat to the Nadhir, who are still rebuilding after the events of the first book. Halvard is 18 and has been chosen as the heir to the chief of the Nadhir. He wrestles with whether he is truly the right choice for the job.
One of the Svell's advantages is a young woman named Tova. She is a Truthtongue, someone who can see the future. She is also a member of another tribe, the mysterious Kyrr. She washed up on a beach and was found by Jorrund, the Svell's spiritual leader. Her life with the Svell has been hard. Although they need her, they also fear her, and the only person who shows her any kindness is Jorrund, but Tova always wonders if it's because he needs her abilities to maintain his power. She lives in constant fear of outliving her usefulness to the tribe.
The story is told in alternating chapters from Tova and Halvard's points of view. It's effective because the characters have very distinct voices. Tova's lonely life contrasts with Halvard's much more secure position. She's an outsider with no memories of her past, while he is a favored son of his tribe, with a supporting and loving family. The two have little in common, but when Tova casts the rune stones, a connection between them is forged.
The book has a fast moving plot, and most of the action takes place over just a few days. Young's spare prose works well for the story. The bleakness and beauty of this world really come through in her writing. It's a gripping story, and I hope Young writes more books set in this world.
Although this is sort of a sequel, it's possible to read it without having read Sky in the Deep. But the two books go so well together, I would recommend that you read the first one before reading The Girl the Sea Gave Back.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
distant_ships's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes because I adored the first book. This one was a bit of a let down. I just never fully connected to the characters nor felt their connection to each other.
amiascah's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Girl the Sea Gave Back is a continuation of the story from Sky in the Deep, you wouldn't know it from reading the blurb which only mentions a new character Tova, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that half the book is from Harvard's point of view, the younger brother to Fiske, from the first book. As always it seems with a book from Adrienne Young I found it very compelling and enchanting. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Eelyn's story, which was more of a strait forward tale of two viking clans in a generational blood feud that was slowly wiping out both groups of people. This second instalment is less gritty, less blood thirsty but much more mystical and mysterious. A lot of Tova is unsure and her origins are as much a mystery to her as they are to the reader. I actually found seeing the snippets of how to two feeding clans have merged to be the most interesting parts, most of the bits with the Svell brothers didn't hold my interest.
lanimartinez's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure where this series would go, but I found myself compelled by Adrienne Young's writing and I was glad to be swept up in a new adventure with familiar and new faces. The mythology and lore of the series was explored in greater detail, and a hint of magic was introduced. It led to some surprises and twists, and was definitely a darker instalment of the previous book. That wasn't to say there wasn't plenty of action to go around. These people are Vikings after all.
I really enjoyed the characters. Halvard is always welcome and it was interesting to see what he became after so many years and the danger he experienced as a child. Tova was also quite interesting and I sympathized with what she was going through, not belonging anywhere and being used.
The time shifts were a little disarming and the plot seemed to drag in the middle a bit, but I was quite compelled by the characters and the places it led. I had a great time reading this and would recommend it to anyone who loves Viking lore, complex and flawed characters, and a dose of drama-filled action!
I really enjoyed the characters. Halvard is always welcome and it was interesting to see what he became after so many years and the danger he experienced as a child. Tova was also quite interesting and I sympathized with what she was going through, not belonging anywhere and being used.
The time shifts were a little disarming and the plot seemed to drag in the middle a bit, but I was quite compelled by the characters and the places it led. I had a great time reading this and would recommend it to anyone who loves Viking lore, complex and flawed characters, and a dose of drama-filled action!
billies_not_so_secret_diary's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Girl the Sea Gave Back
by Adrienne Young
Sky and Sea #2
YA Norse Mythology
Scribd (Everand) Audio
Ages 16+
Found as a young child by a tribesman of the Svell, Tova grew up in fear for her life because the symbols tattooed on her skin marked her as a member of a warrior tribe who lived far in the north. The only thing keeping her alive is one mark that proclaims her as a Truthtongue, gifted with the power to use the Runes to see into the future.
With a cast of those stones, Tova's custodian twists what she said the Runes say, and he gives their chieftain's brother the excuse to go to war with the newly 'allied clans' who dwell both on the fjord and the mountains.
Don't be like me and expect this to start where the first left off.
Taking place about ten years after the previous book, this story centers mostly on Tova and the tribe that took her in as a child, the Svell. The other MC is Halvard, a minor character from the first book.
The main plot in this story is a war against tribes in order to take what the other has, and to have more power. Other subplots have to do with family, fate, and romance. This book does not spend a lot of time deep diving into the characters, but there's enough for the reader to feel some connection with them, but I wish there were more about the reasons why Halvard was selected for (spoiler). I get the one reason, but that can't be the only one, there are missing details.
And Tova's real tribe I'm curious about and there could be another story here.
Overall, a great listen/read, but I wish it was a little bit longer to get more story about the 'allied tribe' and their struggles to get where they were. That information would give readers, especially those who didn't read the first book or did years before, a deeper connection with them so to feel the importance of what they were fighting for.
Those details would have given this book one more star...
3 Stars
pinkpeach's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
5c_sami's review against another edition
3.0
Context, I listened to the audiobook. I feel I need to give this a second chance and read the book because that might fix the couple issues I did have, but I can't speak to that since I have just listened to it.
The good: the story is great. I love the Viking vibes and bringing back some great characters from the first book. I love Tova and Halvard both as separate characters on their own and as two people being drawn together. The conflict between all the tribes and the characters within keeps everything interesting. And, as props to the audiobook, the narrators were pleasant and not overdramatic (although Iri's voice may have been a little too throaty and deep) the rest was very good.
I also think that this could easily be read as a stand-alone. Sky in the Deep is a great story and if you read the series in order, all the better, but I think enough context was given and enough time had passed that it could easily stand alone or Sky in the Deep could be read second as somewhat of a prequel. Props to that.
The bad: I just feel like there were a few too many names to keep track of who was who. This is where I think the audiobook format doesn't shine in a story with this many people, but there are a couple names that I kept forgetting who they were or mismatching who I thought they were and then getting confused when it was not that person. It might be easier to track in a written form and then listening wouldn't be an issue, but doing a cold-listen it was kind of rough to track.
The flashbacks also created a little confusion. I didn't notice any audible clues of when a flashback was happening and there might be more visual clues while reading, but it always took way too long for me to figure out where it fit in the story, especially since there are 2 narrators (which I love) but when both narrate flashbacks and their present situations, without some more noticeable clue, it was hard to track and I feel I disconnected each time someone flashed back.
If I get around to reading the book instead of just listening, I'm guessing the cons wouldn't be as big of a hit on the experience, but both noted just made it hard to stay engaged because being confused about which characters were which and what time frame was being told was frequently jarring.
The good: the story is great. I love the Viking vibes and bringing back some great characters from the first book. I love Tova and Halvard both as separate characters on their own and as two people being drawn together. The conflict between all the tribes and the characters within keeps everything interesting. And, as props to the audiobook, the narrators were pleasant and not overdramatic (although Iri's voice may have been a little too throaty and deep) the rest was very good.
I also think that this could easily be read as a stand-alone. Sky in the Deep is a great story and if you read the series in order, all the better, but I think enough context was given and enough time had passed that it could easily stand alone or Sky in the Deep could be read second as somewhat of a prequel. Props to that.
The bad: I just feel like there were a few too many names to keep track of who was who. This is where I think the audiobook format doesn't shine in a story with this many people, but there are a couple names that I kept forgetting who they were or mismatching who I thought they were and then getting confused when it was not that person. It might be easier to track in a written form and then listening wouldn't be an issue, but doing a cold-listen it was kind of rough to track.
The flashbacks also created a little confusion. I didn't notice any audible clues of when a flashback was happening and there might be more visual clues while reading, but it always took way too long for me to figure out where it fit in the story, especially since there are 2 narrators (which I love) but when both narrate flashbacks and their present situations, without some more noticeable clue, it was hard to track and I feel I disconnected each time someone flashed back.
If I get around to reading the book instead of just listening, I'm guessing the cons wouldn't be as big of a hit on the experience, but both noted just made it hard to stay engaged because being confused about which characters were which and what time frame was being told was frequently jarring.
anotherstoryreader's review against another edition
3.0
**Edited to add a few more thoughts.**
As much as I loved book 1 I didn't really enjoy book 2.
First of all, I should say that these books COULD be stand alone. The friends and family we meet in book 1 don't make much of an appearance till the end of the second book and they only have minor roles.
I felt like this book had pacing issues. Although things do happen in the first 80% of the book it sort of feels like nothing happens. (Does that make sense? Probably not.) There is hardly any interaction between Halvard and Tova until probably 70% though and then it's probably a 4-word conversation. There are some intense looks and feelings of connection between them tough. So there's that...
Another thing I found distracting was the flashbacks That seemed to have no purpose besides adding personal history to the characters. They didn't really move the story along. There were also "rewinds' of scenes to view them from the opposites' perspective. While sometimes interesting it made things drag for me.
On the plus side, I felt a lot of sympathy for Tova, what a miserable existence she had. Constant threat that someone would kill her, constantly told she was a scourge and shouldn't be allowed to live. I am surprised she seemed to hold any feeling other than hate to anyone in the Svell clan.
The last chapter or two did somewhat redeem this book from 2 stars to 3 for me. Overall it's not one I will reread. But I still stand by my Adriana Young obsession.
As much as I loved book 1 I didn't really enjoy book 2.
First of all, I should say that these books COULD be stand alone. The friends and family we meet in book 1 don't make much of an appearance till the end of the second book and they only have minor roles.
I felt like this book had pacing issues. Although things do happen in the first 80% of the book it sort of feels like nothing happens. (Does that make sense? Probably not.) There is hardly any interaction between Halvard and Tova until probably 70% though and then it's probably a 4-word conversation. There are some intense looks and feelings of connection between them tough. So there's that...
Another thing I found distracting was the flashbacks That seemed to have no purpose besides adding personal history to the characters. They didn't really move the story along. There were also "rewinds' of scenes to view them from the opposites' perspective. While sometimes interesting it made things drag for me.
On the plus side, I felt a lot of sympathy for Tova, what a miserable existence she had. Constant threat that someone would kill her, constantly told she was a scourge and shouldn't be allowed to live. I am surprised she seemed to hold any feeling other than hate to anyone in the Svell clan.
The last chapter or two did somewhat redeem this book from 2 stars to 3 for me. Overall it's not one I will reread. But I still stand by my Adriana Young obsession.
melanie_books's review against another edition
4.0
On a cold night, a young child washed ashore in a charred boat. Tattoos covering her from head to toe, she is clearly not from the Svell land she now finds herself in. Thirteen years later, Tova serves her captors by helping them divine the future, which many Svell clansman hope includes conquering nearby tribes. Not far away, Halvard lives and works amongst his people, knowing that one day he will lead the tribe that once met every five years in battle. When war once again comes to them, Halvard finds himself fighting not only to preserve his future, but that of his family, tribe, and the mysterious marked woman on the other side of the battlefield.
It was fun to return to the characters I loved in Sky in the Deep and to be introduced to new characters as well. I enjoyed seeing how Halvard and the others continued the work of unifying their people - even to the point where he calls Aghi "father." Tova's story was sad - sacrificed by her own people and raised amongst those who hated her. But she was tender where she could have been bitter. I loved how the two characters were brought together throughout the story. My one complaint is that you don't actually see them together often enough. But other than that, Adrienne Young delivers another solid story!
It was fun to return to the characters I loved in Sky in the Deep and to be introduced to new characters as well. I enjoyed seeing how Halvard and the others continued the work of unifying their people - even to the point where he calls Aghi "father." Tova's story was sad - sacrificed by her own people and raised amongst those who hated her. But she was tender where she could have been bitter. I loved how the two characters were brought together throughout the story. My one complaint is that you don't actually see them together often enough. But other than that, Adrienne Young delivers another solid story!