Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I might change this to a 4 in time. Overall a very enjoyable book!! But I found the plot very obvious, and I never guess the end of the murder mysteries right. Like maybe it’s because I’m Icelandic and grew up hearing the Sagas, but I feel like anyone who’s seen the Thor franchise was rolling their eyes by the end. I’ll still finish the series though! Less cringe than Maas, but also less intrigue.
I liked this a lot and will def continue the series, but did find that I predicted most of the plot/twists. I'm not sure if that's because I read a lot of fantasy romance or if it was well-foreshadowed...perhaps a little of both? The characters were hotties for sure and had some good chemistry, though the romance did feel a bit insta-lusty. I would have enjoyed more emotional connection but still ate it up. Anxiously awaiting book 2!!
*blows the dust off my long retired shield and hugs it to my chest as i take a seat in the jarl's chair of a longhouse. my feet dangle off the edge of the chair and do not touch the floor, this detail is ignored*
i wasn't expecting this book to unlock repressed memories of my vikings history hyperfixation circa 2016, yet here we are.
what can i say about this book that perhaps hasn't already been said? to start things off, is this the worst book i've ever read. no. does that mean it's good? also, no.
the frustrating thing to me is how much the plot is rooted in blissful ignorance about norse history/mythology. the author almost proudly implemented elements of percy jackson's take on mythology and molded it into its own being, tho whereas rick riordan was always respectful and clever about his takes, jensen instead creates a world that makes little sense.
what makes vikings and saxon history unique to other time periods is the way that women wielded power in both culture and politics. contrary to what this book implies, it wasn't strange at all for women to become shieldmaidens (or jarls!). in fact, in vikings' culture, women were renowned and considered formidable beings simply because of their ability to bear children (seers were typically women as well); they weren't considered weak, fragile things as jensen's characters claim. i bring up the saxons bc, while not norse, anglo-saxon law considered women as having claims over property and their own being in the same accord as men, and the law granted them rights that weighed the same in court as that of men.
even the polygamy part of the story was strangely done, especially when it's well-known by historians that sisterwives and brotherhusbands weren't a big deal in viking culture.
idk, it all just felt lazy, like jensen and/or her publisher had a preset list of tropes she/they wished to checkoff.
i have other problems with the way jensen molded norse historical figures (is harald meant to be harald finehair-coded???? who's to say), but these problems aren't as glaring overall. it's strange to me that jensen's main themes explore sex and sexism tho when this is probably the worst cultural example to set those themes in.
i know this is fantasy/romantasy ??? but i don't think fantasy means one should get away with having a historical fiction setting and then removing all the history. just write a vikings inspired fantasy then, why are we in a parallel version of the 10th century?
in the end, i can't even blame freya or bjorn or the rest of the menagerie of characters from acting as they do. they're just as confused in this alternate world as i was.
i wasn't expecting this book to unlock repressed memories of my vikings history hyperfixation circa 2016, yet here we are.
what can i say about this book that perhaps hasn't already been said? to start things off, is this the worst book i've ever read. no. does that mean it's good? also, no.
the frustrating thing to me is how much the plot is rooted in blissful ignorance about norse history/mythology. the author almost proudly implemented elements of percy jackson's take on mythology and molded it into its own being, tho whereas rick riordan was always respectful and clever about his takes, jensen instead creates a world that makes little sense.
what makes vikings and saxon history unique to other time periods is the way that women wielded power in both culture and politics. contrary to what this book implies, it wasn't strange at all for women to become shieldmaidens (or jarls!). in fact, in vikings' culture, women were renowned and considered formidable beings simply because of their ability to bear children (seers were typically women as well); they weren't considered weak, fragile things as jensen's characters claim. i bring up the saxons bc, while not norse, anglo-saxon law considered women as having claims over property and their own being in the same accord as men, and the law granted them rights that weighed the same in court as that of men.
even the polygamy part of the story was strangely done, especially when it's well-known by historians that sisterwives and brotherhusbands weren't a big deal in viking culture.
idk, it all just felt lazy, like jensen and/or her publisher had a preset list of tropes she/they wished to checkoff.
i have other problems with the way jensen molded norse historical figures (is harald meant to be harald finehair-coded???? who's to say), but these problems aren't as glaring overall. it's strange to me that jensen's main themes explore sex and sexism tho when this is probably the worst cultural example to set those themes in.
i know this is fantasy/romantasy ??? but i don't think fantasy means one should get away with having a historical fiction setting and then removing all the history. just write a vikings inspired fantasy then, why are we in a parallel version of the 10th century?
in the end, i can't even blame freya or bjorn or the rest of the menagerie of characters from acting as they do. they're just as confused in this alternate world as i was.
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
Plot and magic mechanics that are actually interesting on their own. Sometimes freya annoys me but not in an unrealistic way
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes