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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
slow-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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
I went into this book knowing almost nothing except that it had Vikings — and wow, was I hooked! The pacing kept me constantly questioning characters’ motives, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the twists came swinging.
Some things I especially loved:
• Slow-burn romance with bite
• Rich, atmospheric worldbuilding
• Unreliable characters with layers
• A fierce, flawed heroine with so much potential
• A cast of side characters I got way too attached to
• Forbidden knowledge and ancient secrets
I cannot wait to see how the FMC evolves — you can tell her journey is just beginning, and I already know the next installment will wreck me (in the best way).
If I had one critique, it’s that the opening was a little slow and the worldbuilding sometimes leaned into info-dump territory, which kept it just shy of 5 stars for me. But once I was in, I was in. Definitely a new favorite!
Some things I especially loved:
• Slow-burn romance with bite
• Rich, atmospheric worldbuilding
• Unreliable characters with layers
• A fierce, flawed heroine with so much potential
• A cast of side characters I got way too attached to
• Forbidden knowledge and ancient secrets
I cannot wait to see how the FMC evolves — you can tell her journey is just beginning, and I already know the next installment will wreck me (in the best way).
If I had one critique, it’s that the opening was a little slow and the worldbuilding sometimes leaned into info-dump territory, which kept it just shy of 5 stars for me. But once I was in, I was in. Definitely a new favorite!
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Silla and her father are living a life on the move under assumed names. Tragically, their past catches up to them, and Silla's father is killed. Now alone in the world, Silla vows to traverse the Road of Bones in order to reach a contact of her father's who can hopefully help her in Kopa. Silla ends up traveling along with the Bloodaxe Crew, a group of deadly mercenaries. It is no simple wagon ride.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Road of Bones, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series. I was invested in the story and the fates of the characters, especially Silla and Rey. Rey is tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and broody, an intriguing combination. Hekla is such a mother, and I love it; I can't wait to read her novella.
One of the most unique things about Winters' writing is that she includes differently abled characters without making their whole personality all about their differences. We have a one-armed warrior and also a non-verbal one, but those traits don't solely define them. It is so refreshing to read about characters with differences, especially in the romantic fantasy genre.
I figured out the true nature of one character fairly early on and had a hunch on another. I wouldn't go so far as to say the entire book was predictable, but it certainly wasn't surprising or shocking when reveals were made, at least to me.
I've heard the second book in The Ashen series is even better, so I'm looking forward to reading it!
Overall, I really enjoyed The Road of Bones, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series. I was invested in the story and the fates of the characters, especially Silla and Rey. Rey is tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and broody, an intriguing combination. Hekla is such a mother, and I love it; I can't wait to read her novella.
One of the most unique things about Winters' writing is that she includes differently abled characters without making their whole personality all about their differences. We have a one-armed warrior and also a non-verbal one, but those traits don't solely define them. It is so refreshing to read about characters with differences, especially in the romantic fantasy genre.
I figured out the true nature of one character fairly early on and had a hunch on another. I wouldn't go so far as to say the entire book was predictable, but it certainly wasn't surprising or shocking when reveals were made, at least to me.
I've heard the second book in The Ashen series is even better, so I'm looking forward to reading it!