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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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, War, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, and Pedophilia
kennyleigh1999's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So fast-paced, I never wanted to put it down. HM Long weaves a tale of love, loss, and betrayal that will keep you on your toes from start to finish.
We come along on Hessa’s journey as she learns the inner workings of the gods and what makes them so powerful. As she learns more about her own goddess, Eang, she begins to question the goddess’ power.
Ultimately, Hessa will have to decide whether to trust in Eang’s power, or submit to something far more powerful.
We come along on Hessa’s journey as she learns the inner workings of the gods and what makes them so powerful. As she learns more about her own goddess, Eang, she begins to question the goddess’ power.
Ultimately, Hessa will have to decide whether to trust in Eang’s power, or submit to something far more powerful.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Gore, Violence, Child death, Grief, and Blood
missmoth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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? N/A
4.0
Mythology, quest, gods
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
walkie_check's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Self harm
Moderate: Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Racism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Self harm, War, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Colonisation, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry
akatrinaschu's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking, War, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual violence
anntharai's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Self harm, War, Violence, Trafficking, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Torture, Sexism, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
The self harm tag refers to ritual bloodletting, but self administered and could well be upsetting for some readers.phiabia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Genocide, and Grief
Moderate: War and Rape
darkefyres's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexism
bookwisp's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Slavery
ka_ke's review against another edition
As intriguing as the story is, I found it too slow for my ADHD to truly enjoy and immerse myself in it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Violence