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pawtory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I just finished listening to this book, it's free on the Audible plus catalogue and it was soooo damn good. I haven't listened to that many historical romances but I'd say this one was top tier. It seemed the author worked hard to make things feel authentic, but include the reader in a way it was easy to get into the setting even if you (like myself) have very little knowledge of vikings and monks in the 7th century. There is a dash of old-world magic but I didn't feel like it took away from the immersion (added to the book overall for me but I know some people don't like mixing magic into historical). Also the narrator was EXCELLENT! His nordic accent slipped into French sounding a bit at the beginning and I'm no expert on accents but other than that he did an amazing job.
It is enemies-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, has a good amount of angst, pretty high spice but also tenderness and great character development. My one qualm was how a mentally disabled character was handled. He wasn't treated badly and the language used for him was consistent with the setting but there is a "miracle" at the end where he basically hits his head (on a religious relic that they establish has miraculous capabilities) and is "cured" and it felt rather gross. I wish it hadn't happened bc it's the only thing that kept it from being a 5star read for me.
It is enemies-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, has a good amount of angst, pretty high spice but also tenderness and great character development. My one qualm was how a mentally disabled character was handled. He wasn't treated badly and the language used for him was consistent with the setting but there is a "miracle" at the end where he basically hits his head (on a religious relic that they establish has miraculous capabilities) and is "cured" and it felt rather gross. I wish it hadn't happened bc it's the only thing that kept it from being a 5star read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, and Ableism
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
hartd's review against another edition
5.0
This was published in 2013 and although I apparently bought the ebook before the company that originally published it went out of business, I just now listened to the audiobook. It's a long book, and I left it in my TBR pile because it intimidated me. I loved it, though, and wish I'd read it sooner.
The audiobook narrator, Hamish Long, is especially good. He did unique voices for all the characters, and the voice he performed for Caius really kept in my mind that Caius was very young, only about 25. Because he takes on a lot of responsibility over the course of the story, his age was easy for me to forget.
The book has many of the elements I expect from Harper Fox, such as religion and spirituality, a strong sense of place, unexplained supernatural events, mysterious old people, a truly swoony romance, and emotional sex scenes. I really like the way she writes all of those things. I was also impressed at how relatable these ancient people were to a modern reader, without seeming like modern people. This is a hard balance to strike in historical fiction but I think she did it perfectly.
The audiobook narrator, Hamish Long, is especially good. He did unique voices for all the characters, and the voice he performed for Caius really kept in my mind that Caius was very young, only about 25. Because he takes on a lot of responsibility over the course of the story, his age was easy for me to forget.
The book has many of the elements I expect from Harper Fox, such as religion and spirituality, a strong sense of place, unexplained supernatural events, mysterious old people, a truly swoony romance, and emotional sex scenes. I really like the way she writes all of those things. I was also impressed at how relatable these ancient people were to a modern reader, without seeming like modern people. This is a hard balance to strike in historical fiction but I think she did it perfectly.
genizah's review against another edition
3.0
Was definitely expecting the classic "Viking kidnaps a monk" story. Imagine my surprise when the monk kidnapped the Viking! Also, turns out I don't know anything about Britain between when the Romans left and when the Normans showed up.
kiki124's review against another edition
5.0
Wind-swept and storm-tossed,
Forged in bloody flame. Old gods
Walk these dunes. Brilliant.
Forged in bloody flame. Old gods
Walk these dunes. Brilliant.
galleytrot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
scarletine6's review
5.0
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!
Wonderful writing, glorious narration.
I sobbed when it ended. What a great book.
Wonderful writing, glorious narration.
I sobbed when it ended. What a great book.
claudiereads's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Five years and many, many amazing books later, this is still one of the absolute best historicals out there. I didn’t plan on waiting this long for my reread, but that turned out to be a good thing — I forgot many little details and it almost felt like I was reading it for the first time. I cried over this book, again! For that, it deserves a place on my super special shelf, so I’m adding that one imaginary star to my previous 5-star rating.
* * *
It’s hard to describe how this book made me feel. Cai and Fen’s epic love story was absolutely beautiful, but it was a quiet, understated beauty. Reading Brothers of the Wild North Sea was a wonderful experience. It made me cry, smile, and ponder the universe… Seriously. It’s a gem hidden under heaps of mediocre — but more popular — books. If you’re a fan of GOOD historical romance, I can’t recommend this enough.
* * *
It’s hard to describe how this book made me feel. Cai and Fen’s epic love story was absolutely beautiful, but it was a quiet, understated beauty. Reading Brothers of the Wild North Sea was a wonderful experience. It made me cry, smile, and ponder the universe… Seriously. It’s a gem hidden under heaps of mediocre — but more popular — books. If you’re a fan of GOOD historical romance, I can’t recommend this enough.
ladyspooksjc's review against another edition
2.0
The only reason I finished this was because Caius and Fenrir were adorable together and the idea that a monk was able to change a Vikings savage ways is very appealing read. Wink
That being said I enjoyed it a lot more once it picks up in the second half. Overall, unfortunately this was a disappointing read. The whole story was questionable, for example,
Spoiler
I'm not buying Vikings being taken down by monks? Fenrir was able to walk around after being stabbed in just five days with probably a dirty sword/knife and a dirty cloth being shoved in the wound with no antiseptic I'm no doctor but...sure? As much as I love these two love birds it was very apparent there was no chemistry between them outside their immediate romantic. the most disappointed aspect was lack of character investment not just with my feelings about the characters but between the characters themselves, how easily they were able to forget about their previous connections before meeting each other.lizshayne's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Well if you're going to keep having them free on Audible, I'm going to keep reading them.
Although we are two for two with faith-less priests apparently attempting to build heaven on earth through good works alone so, you know, at least we've got some themes here.
Also some magic stuff in the background, which—on the one hand, WHY, but on the other hand, why not?
Actually, a lot of this book feels like it could be summed up with that sentence. Not in a bad way, just in a "this book is completely unaware that people don't usually write episodic love stories".
Also I wasn't entirely expecting to read a 2014 defense of heretical church movements, but here we are. The love story was fine, but it was by far the least interesting part of the book.
This would have been a four, but was docked a star for how it handled Aelf, the non-speaking character.
Although we are two for two with faith-less priests apparently attempting to build heaven on earth through good works alone so, you know, at least we've got some themes here.
Also some magic stuff in the background, which—on the one hand, WHY, but on the other hand, why not?
Actually, a lot of this book feels like it could be summed up with that sentence. Not in a bad way, just in a "this book is completely unaware that people don't usually write episodic love stories".
Also I wasn't entirely expecting to read a 2014 defense of heretical church movements, but here we are. The love story was fine, but it was by far the least interesting part of the book.
This would have been a four, but was docked a star for how it handled Aelf, the non-speaking character.
claudia_is_reading's review
5.0
Such an unusual setting, for such an unusual story...
I love everything about it, I love the characters, the landscapes, the story itself.
Caius is a complex and deeply endearing character. The inner dichotomy of his self, his warrior blood and his longing for learning are his main preoccupation when a Viking raid happens. A raid that brings death and desperation... and a wounded warrior, Fen.
Caius is a physician, and that weights more than his wish to avenge the death of his sweet lover Leof. And this is how the proud, ferocious Fen finds himself under Caius' care.
The writing is, as always, luscious and compelling, and... beautiful. The setting, with all those different cultures intersecting, imagery that embraces Vikings, Normans, Celts and Saxons, paganism and Christianism, science and religion; the religious elements highlighting the idea of a faith that does not depend on blind obedience and the negation of your own self; an ancient treasure and ancient lore, all of them make this a book that is rich and elegant; emotional and moving.
And I love Caius and Fenrir =D
Hamish Long does a superb job with the narration, which rounds this as, IMHO, a perfect book :D
I love everything about it, I love the characters, the landscapes, the story itself.
Caius is a complex and deeply endearing character. The inner dichotomy of his self, his warrior blood and his longing for learning are his main preoccupation when a Viking raid happens. A raid that brings death and desperation... and a wounded warrior, Fen.
Caius is a physician, and that weights more than his wish to avenge the death of his sweet lover Leof. And this is how the proud, ferocious Fen finds himself under Caius' care.
The writing is, as always, luscious and compelling, and... beautiful. The setting, with all those different cultures intersecting, imagery that embraces Vikings, Normans, Celts and Saxons, paganism and Christianism, science and religion; the religious elements highlighting the idea of a faith that does not depend on blind obedience and the negation of your own self; an ancient treasure and ancient lore, all of them make this a book that is rich and elegant; emotional and moving.
And I love Caius and Fenrir =D
Hamish Long does a superb job with the narration, which rounds this as, IMHO, a perfect book :D