Reviews with content warning for Death - Hall of Smoke

Reviews tagging 'Death'

h_s_bloom's review

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Personal Rating Scale Metrics

Characters: ✬✬✬✬ (4/5)
Plot: ✬✬✬✬ (4/5)
Pacing: ✬✬✬ (3/5)
Writing Style: ✬✬✬ (3/5)
Diversity: ✬✬✬✬✬ (5/5)

This was book 2/50 for 2024. Overall, it was an entertaining read, but the book was very slow to start and I didn't personally relate to the MC very much.

Summary: Hessa, blessed with incredible power, was taken from her home aged 5 along with her cousin to become an Eangi, a warrior priestess sworn to the goddess of war, Eang. Hessa is banished for failing to follow her one of her goddess' commands and whilst she is away begging for forgiveness, most of everything and everyone Hessa has ever come to love in these past years is destroyed. With the other Eangi gone, Hessa is thrust into a power struggle between the remaining populations and later into a similar one happening amongst the gods themselves. Hessa is forced to confront the nature of her power, its source from the Goddess Eang, what it means to be Eangi, and who she could become without it.

Characters: Hessa reads very much as an indoctrinated/religious trauma trope within a viking style fantasy setting. The idea itself and the worldbuilding is really interesting but I found myself feeling quite exasperated with Hessa at times. That being said, I think some of her actions make sense given her upbringing, but I just couldn't feel it for some reason. I myself don't have any religious trauma so maybe that's why?

Plot: Overall, Hessa doesn't really seem to do anything herself, this book is very much a telling of things happening to her. The things that happen are really interesting thanks to the interesting world this book is set in, but I needed Hessa to be a bit more proactive so I could root for her (personal preference).

Pacing: This is another issue. This book was VERY slow to start and I wasn't really engaged until >50% of the way through. Again, the worldbuilding kept me going and Hessa did eventually grow on me, but it shouldn't have taken this long.

Writing style: It is also just okay, nothing brilliant, but nothing terrible either. The worldbuilding was balanced with other elements and felt very naturally done.

Diversity: A strong-point for this book was the racial diversity that was present and contextualized. Again, due to Long's good worldbuilding, we were able to meet POC characters and understand a bit about their culture (Hessa was just a visitor in these scenes so I don't think its out of place that she doesn't have ALL of the answers.).
There is also some LGBTQIA+ representation, though it isn't revealed until near the end. A past relationship is mentioned and it is framed as shameful/negative/toxic, however, its not clear if that's due to the power dynamics, the fact it was likely a minor/adult relationship with implied grooming, or because gay relationships in general are a no-no in this world.

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shadereads's review

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This book is so slow. I can feel myself wanting to groan every time I go to pick it up, and I know that's not what I want when I read something. I just wish it was either a little faster paced or that there were some more meaningful interactions between the characters Hessa meets along her journey.

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criticalmiss's review

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I loved the world, where people worship gods that can walk the world, can be merciful and vengeful. Alliances that turn into betrayals. This was highly enjoyable and I am looking forward to the next two books

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walkie_check's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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akatrinaschu's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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ideal_casie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad fast-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

4.25

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anntharai's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

From start to finish I was hooked. I love the vividness of the characters and the harrowing plot. I feel the rage and the grief, the writing is that good.

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bookwisp's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hessa is an Eangi, a warrior priestess to the war goddess Eang, able to turn her enemies to dust with a scream. Exiled for refusing to kill a traveller at her Goddess’ command, she survives the slaughter of her people. Broken, alone, adrift, Hessa is charged to atone for her weakness and must hunt down the man she spared. But the New Gods are dying, the Old Gods are rising, and, when all is through, nothing shall be as it was.

A Viking-inspired fantasy, Hall of Smoke feels new and fresh. Slow-paced (though not without some excellent combat scenes), introspective, and character driven, it’s a novel that is exactly as long as it needs to be. Lucy Holland nails it when she describes it as ‘a book about what it means to have your deepest illusions shattered and still scrape together the courage to begin again’.

Though I guessed some of the broader strokes, I found the plot extremely compelling. The gods are real – and they’ve got their own problems, flaws, and agendas.

I can’t really explain why this book has resonated with me as much as it has, but I think it’s got a lot to do with our protagonist. Hessa is a wonderful lead. Her grief and loneliness cut deep but it doesn’t drain her compassion; she listens, she learns, and, although she gets lost from time to time, she finds her own way forward. What would otherwise be a simple tale of revenge and redemption is, instead, an emotionally charged journey towards a new truth and a new identity. I liked this a lot and I'll be scooping the sequel as soon as possible.

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