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kazemiko's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.25
Holy...I was not sure at first what to expect when I first went into this. A friend suggested it, knowing I enjoyed historical fiction novels. They did not warn me about the spicy content.
So this book follows Caius, a monk on the coast of Britannia in the 7th century. He left his father Brockus's hill fort to take vows as a Christian and monk on the island of Fara. I was excited to read that.
The cover then befuddled me for a second. If this is a historical fiction about a monastery in the late 7th century...why are there two men on the cover? Of which one is clothed in a cassock and the other is for all intents and purposes, naked. Oh. It's that kind of book. Okay. I am down.
I listened to this on audio and boy am I glad I did. They did not warn me that it was immediately spicy. The book opens with Caius, who often goes by Brother Cai, coming back from trading in the local village. He meets with an old woman on the mud flats and trades her jewelry for medicinal herbs. She warns him that Vikings are coming. He does not believe her and goes back to his monastery.
Then they get invaded. Cai rescues a dying Vikingr man and brings him back to the their monastery where he nurses him back to health.
I really loved the story and how we see both Cai and Fen (the Dane) grow and become the men they were destined to be the entire time. You really never know what you have in you until everything you know and love is on the line.
I would definitely suggest this for anyone who likes historical romances of the LGBT+ variety.
msmiz95's review against another edition
4.0
There is no way I thought I would appreciate a book set in the 7th century with a strong religious story line, but I was sorely wrong. This book was so well done from start to finish.
moatzilla's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
slow-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
5.0
relliem08's review against another edition
2.0
#PopsugarReadingChallenge2019
Prompt - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent: Monastery
I wanted to love this because "forbidden love" is basically catnip to me. And you don't get any more forbidden than a monk and a viking. And, truthfully, I was in. I was; even with the overly descriptive prose (you know how I hate that) and the wrong time period for some of the events in the book (I'll ignore it if it helps advance the plot/character development), but then it deep-dived into the supernatural and I just couldn't ignore that when I went into this book wanting a historical forbidden love story. It just did not work for me.
Prompt - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent: Monastery
I wanted to love this because "forbidden love" is basically catnip to me. And you don't get any more forbidden than a monk and a viking. And, truthfully, I was in. I was; even with the overly descriptive prose (you know how I hate that) and the wrong time period for some of the events in the book (I'll ignore it if it helps advance the plot/character development), but then it deep-dived into the supernatural and I just couldn't ignore that when I went into this book wanting a historical forbidden love story. It just did not work for me.
linwearcamenel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
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
jessiewolf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
I mean it’s an m/m romance between a monk and a viking in 600s CE Britannia. It’s incredible. It’s surprisingly tender throughout, though there are also several gory battle scenes. I loved it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Suicide
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Excrement, and Medical content