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mrella's review against another edition
5.0
Just some thoughts, not a real review:
I did not find the book too descriptive (try reading [b:A Midwinter Prince|9070503|A Midwinter Prince|Harper Fox|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1288071180s/9070503.jpg|13948637]), despite many a reader complaining about it. Every word was carefully placed to create an amazing world that can be seen, heard, touched and inhaled. It was worth more to me than any hot sex or bloody battle scene in the story.
Speaking of sex. Normally, I prefer not to read explicit scenes, whether it's m/m or m/f, but somehow they did not bother me in this book, being relatively short and well placed. Come to think of it, there were more love scenes than just sex, and maybe that made all the difference in the world.
I did not find the book too descriptive (try reading [b:A Midwinter Prince|9070503|A Midwinter Prince|Harper Fox|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1288071180s/9070503.jpg|13948637]), despite many a reader complaining about it. Every word was carefully placed to create an amazing world that can be seen, heard, touched and inhaled. It was worth more to me than any hot sex or bloody battle scene in the story.
Speaking of sex. Normally, I prefer not to read explicit scenes, whether it's m/m or m/f, but somehow they did not bother me in this book, being relatively short and well placed. Come to think of it, there were more love scenes than just sex, and maybe that made all the difference in the world.
girvinia's review against another edition
4.0
I have complicated feelings about this book. First I have to say, Harper Fox is an AMAZING writer and she ripped my heart out and put it back. Again.
.
Pacing is excellent. Dialog is excellent. Main characters. Secondary characters. Worldbuilding. All excellent. This book is just a work of art.
.....
But it’s a work of art that hurt me. It wrecked me even as I trusted the HEA was coming. It did come, but not before some tears and some doubts of “is this an HEA in the afterlife or some shit??” But Reader, trust in the romance genre. Cai and Fen get their HEA. (Thank goodness.)
.....
Because Cai and Fen are absolutely beautiful together. They are caring and tender and devoted. I love both of them.
.....
Content warnings are that there’s one section with a lot of churchy homophobia of the “you’ll burn in hell” variety. This causes one character to commit suicide. Luckily the hateful priest is removed from a position of power, and most of the book is homophobia-free, but it did make for a difficult section. There’s also battle violence on page, plus off-page sexual assault casually mentioned several times.
.....
I have a complicated relationship with books featuring religion. In this one, not only are the homophobes beaten, but there are miracles as well. So it’s definitely a more nuanced approach rather than “all medieval Christians were great” or “…were assholes”; combined with the mysticism of much of Fox’s writing makes it something agnostic…or gnostic.
.....
The HEA is enabled because of some supernatural things, which isn't my favorite.
.
But know that everything that made me give this 4 stars instead of 5 is truly just my preferences. It's an excellent book.
.
Pacing is excellent. Dialog is excellent. Main characters. Secondary characters. Worldbuilding. All excellent. This book is just a work of art.
.....
But it’s a work of art that hurt me. It wrecked me even as I trusted the HEA was coming. It did come, but not before some tears and some doubts of “is this an HEA in the afterlife or some shit??” But Reader, trust in the romance genre. Cai and Fen get their HEA. (Thank goodness.)
.....
Because Cai and Fen are absolutely beautiful together. They are caring and tender and devoted. I love both of them.
.....
Content warnings are that there’s one section with a lot of churchy homophobia of the “you’ll burn in hell” variety. This causes one character to commit suicide. Luckily the hateful priest is removed from a position of power, and most of the book is homophobia-free, but it did make for a difficult section. There’s also battle violence on page, plus off-page sexual assault casually mentioned several times.
.....
I have a complicated relationship with books featuring religion. In this one, not only are the homophobes beaten, but there are miracles as well. So it’s definitely a more nuanced approach rather than “all medieval Christians were great” or “…were assholes”; combined with the mysticism of much of Fox’s writing makes it something agnostic…or gnostic.
.....
The HEA is enabled because of some supernatural things, which isn't my favorite.
.
But know that everything that made me give this 4 stars instead of 5 is truly just my preferences. It's an excellent book.
otterpebbles's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
relly's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you Disorganized Bibliophile for one of the best books I've read.
5 Stars
This is how you do an enemies to lovers story properly.
After suffering a brutal attack on the monastery he lives in, Caius a celt and Christian Monk teaches his fellow brethren how to fight and protect themselves from the raiding vikings. After another brutal raid Caius finds viking wounded on the shore and his compassion takes over and he brings Fen back to the monastery to treat his wounds. What comes next is a fantastic tale which shows the growth of the two main characters from mortal enemies to lovers and then on to leaders regardless of how much they don't want to be (Caius).
The growth is not only from the main characters. The brothers at the monastery go from hating Fen and refusing to have anything to do with him, to slowly getting to know him and then accepting him as just brother Fen. Caius' father learns to communicate with this his first born. All of the secondary characters are well presented and each have their own personality, making it easy to care about them.
I can't wait to sit back and reread this one, maybe even give it a go on audio as friends have recommended the audible version
5 Stars
This is how you do an enemies to lovers story properly.
After suffering a brutal attack on the monastery he lives in, Caius a celt and Christian Monk teaches his fellow brethren how to fight and protect themselves from the raiding vikings. After another brutal raid Caius finds viking wounded on the shore and his compassion takes over and he brings Fen back to the monastery to treat his wounds. What comes next is a fantastic tale which shows the growth of the two main characters from mortal enemies to lovers and then on to leaders regardless of how much they don't want to be (Caius).
The growth is not only from the main characters. The brothers at the monastery go from hating Fen and refusing to have anything to do with him, to slowly getting to know him and then accepting him as just brother Fen. Caius' father learns to communicate with this his first born. All of the secondary characters are well presented and each have their own personality, making it easy to care about them.
I can't wait to sit back and reread this one, maybe even give it a go on audio as friends have recommended the audible version
expendablemudge's review against another edition
3.0
Real Rating: 2.5* of five, rounded up because reasons
Too many anachronisms in two chapters. The first one damn near derailed me: the Abbott's spyglass. Such a thing *did*not*exist* until 1608, a thousand years after this tale is set; then the monastery had glazed windows in its infirmary. The Abbott's writing project? Codswallop! Maybe if we'd been in the Byzantine Empire I could've bought one of those (not the spyglass) but the ass end of creation (north of England)? NO.
I liked the evocative descriptions of the wild land. Mostly I just don't want to crap all over others' pleasure read. But if you're au fait with this time period's realities I'm gonna wave you off. It's not going to work out well between you and the book.
Too many anachronisms in two chapters. The first one damn near derailed me: the Abbott's spyglass. Such a thing *did*not*exist* until 1608, a thousand years after this tale is set; then the monastery had glazed windows in its infirmary. The Abbott's writing project? Codswallop! Maybe if we'd been in the Byzantine Empire I could've bought one of those (not the spyglass) but the ass end of creation (north of England)? NO.
I liked the evocative descriptions of the wild land. Mostly I just don't want to crap all over others' pleasure read. But if you're au fait with this time period's realities I'm gonna wave you off. It's not going to work out well between you and the book.
hibkei's review against another edition
3.0
Around them, sky and air wove the ancient song of the meeting place of earth and sea- Brothers of the Wild North SeaThis story feels larger than it was, somehow deep and encompassing, more than the sum of its parts. I think this was down to Caius our main character. He was multi layered and complex, struggling with his upbringing and what his purpose really was as a man, a human being and a monk. Add in the setting of Fara, the very real threat of the Vikings, the introduction of Fenrir and the strands of mysticism and it became this heady epic tale of love, loyalty, bravery and purpose.
bakarena's review against another edition
5.0
I am not sure how historically accurate this is, but the imagery of it had been rattling good.
I also liked the so-called Viking humor.
My first Harper Fox's book and certainly not the last.
I also liked the so-called Viking humor.
My first Harper Fox's book and certainly not the last.
lauraadriana78's review against another edition
5.0
Berserker and Monk getting it on? Ummm YES PLEASE! This book is a historical romance set in the 7th Century in what is now Scotland. First off I have to say that like with all her books Harper Fox set this story perfectly. The imagery was engrossing, I was swept away. I was there looking over those cliffs, and seeing those monstrous vikingr ships charging the nothern shores.
Our eyes for this story are those Brother Caius who is a monk in the Fara Monastery. Caius is a highlander, the heir of a cheiftan who was walked away from the barbaric ways of his clan to live a more peaceful life of learning amongst his Christian bretheren. Caius has a lover, Leof, another monk, he is the monastery’s physician and although sometimes he is unsure what exactly is his purpose, he is happy there, until the night that their monastery is raided by the vikingr and his lover and the monastery’s beloved abbot are killed. The raiders seemed like they were searching for something valueable, and in their haste they just ran through whoever was in their way.
Caius is disraught and angry over what has happened. He comes up with a plan though. He goes back to his clan and asks his father for weapons, so that he and his bretheren can defend themselves from future raids…So in the shadow on their peaceful haven he trains his brothers to fight against any invaders. Things are challenging for Caius, he is missing his lover, his fallen brothers, and to make matters worse the new abbot sent from Cantenbury is a hateful man who is poisoning everyone by preachin hellfire and brimstone. Still Caius tries to get everyone ready to fight off any future attacks. The monks get to try out their new fighting skills soon when another viking raid comes upon them, but this time they are prepared and they attack. One of the vikings that Caius wounds is left behind by his comrades and being the healer he is he can do nothing else than take the man in and nurse him back to health, even is he is the enemy, and what a beautifully dangerous enemy it is, the viking’s name is Fenritsulf….The wolf.
Caius cares for Fen, he brings him back to health and in that time they get to know each other and a very strong connection is forged betweent the two men. Fen is fierce and wild, but also kind and humorous, so strong like he can protect Caius from anything. He is willing to do his part working alongside the monks helping to rebuild even is he was part of the reason for the devastation. The love story between Caius and Fen was absolutely fantastic. Fen to me stole the show, what a vibrant character, everything about him was strong and bright, it was like his presence on the page lit it up.
RADIANT…That’s the word that comes to mind for me when I think of this book, every character had a strong and clear presence, and the way that the author mixed in a little bit of magic was perfect. There are some very difficult things in this story, the poison Christianity could become to people to places, how good men and women driven by misguided religiosity could turn into mindless murderous mobs, how ignorance can blind people…How greed and lust for power can make men lose their honor and loyalties. But there were also such beautiful moments of love and unexpected kindness…Of how people as best they could and in the only way they knew how could show love, respect and lend a hand. How a community can band together to rescue each other and what they hold dear. So many good things.
I fell in love with this book, not just because it was a romance for the ages Cai and Fen had, but because it was such a hefty and satisfying story. The history, the lore, the characters, the settings, the lessons, all of it was absolutely perfect. I can’t even say that I was left wanting more. I wasn’t, this book was perfect even to the last word. When it ended all I could do was sigh, and go pour msyelf another glass of wine to bask on the great story I had just read.
I absolutely recommend this book!
Our eyes for this story are those Brother Caius who is a monk in the Fara Monastery. Caius is a highlander, the heir of a cheiftan who was walked away from the barbaric ways of his clan to live a more peaceful life of learning amongst his Christian bretheren. Caius has a lover, Leof, another monk, he is the monastery’s physician and although sometimes he is unsure what exactly is his purpose, he is happy there, until the night that their monastery is raided by the vikingr and his lover and the monastery’s beloved abbot are killed. The raiders seemed like they were searching for something valueable, and in their haste they just ran through whoever was in their way.
Caius is disraught and angry over what has happened. He comes up with a plan though. He goes back to his clan and asks his father for weapons, so that he and his bretheren can defend themselves from future raids…So in the shadow on their peaceful haven he trains his brothers to fight against any invaders. Things are challenging for Caius, he is missing his lover, his fallen brothers, and to make matters worse the new abbot sent from Cantenbury is a hateful man who is poisoning everyone by preachin hellfire and brimstone. Still Caius tries to get everyone ready to fight off any future attacks. The monks get to try out their new fighting skills soon when another viking raid comes upon them, but this time they are prepared and they attack. One of the vikings that Caius wounds is left behind by his comrades and being the healer he is he can do nothing else than take the man in and nurse him back to health, even is he is the enemy, and what a beautifully dangerous enemy it is, the viking’s name is Fenritsulf….The wolf.
Caius cares for Fen, he brings him back to health and in that time they get to know each other and a very strong connection is forged betweent the two men. Fen is fierce and wild, but also kind and humorous, so strong like he can protect Caius from anything. He is willing to do his part working alongside the monks helping to rebuild even is he was part of the reason for the devastation. The love story between Caius and Fen was absolutely fantastic. Fen to me stole the show, what a vibrant character, everything about him was strong and bright, it was like his presence on the page lit it up.
RADIANT…That’s the word that comes to mind for me when I think of this book, every character had a strong and clear presence, and the way that the author mixed in a little bit of magic was perfect. There are some very difficult things in this story, the poison Christianity could become to people to places, how good men and women driven by misguided religiosity could turn into mindless murderous mobs, how ignorance can blind people…How greed and lust for power can make men lose their honor and loyalties. But there were also such beautiful moments of love and unexpected kindness…Of how people as best they could and in the only way they knew how could show love, respect and lend a hand. How a community can band together to rescue each other and what they hold dear. So many good things.
I fell in love with this book, not just because it was a romance for the ages Cai and Fen had, but because it was such a hefty and satisfying story. The history, the lore, the characters, the settings, the lessons, all of it was absolutely perfect. I can’t even say that I was left wanting more. I wasn’t, this book was perfect even to the last word. When it ended all I could do was sigh, and go pour msyelf another glass of wine to bask on the great story I had just read.
I absolutely recommend this book!
poultrymunitions's review against another edition
5.0
oh, fuck my eye—that was so goddamned good.
that's all i got.
well—besides that this book is lush, deftly plotted, marvelously novel in setting and context, and full of profoundly beautiful writing absolutely radiating compassion and love and kindness.
now that's all i got.
also: ipads are not as easy to cry into as paperbacks.
that's all i got.
well—besides that this book is lush, deftly plotted, marvelously novel in setting and context, and full of profoundly beautiful writing absolutely radiating compassion and love and kindness.
now that's all i got.
also: ipads are not as easy to cry into as paperbacks.