Take a photo of a barcode or cover
ryner 's review for:
The Mercies
by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A catastrophic storm off the coast of northeastern Norway has taken the lives of nearly all the men in the small island community of Vardø. In the aftermath, as the women remaining cope with the tragic loss and are focused on their future survival, some members of the community become convinced that nefarious forces (i.e., witchcraft) were the cause of the storm.
I enjoyed Hargrave's writing, and in particular the research done into 16th-century Norwegian culture and language. I did find the climax to be oddly anticlimactic, and there were a few weird story beats. Overall, it was all right. Had the story not been based on actual historical events I'm not sure there would have been enough there for me to recommend it.
I enjoyed Hargrave's writing, and in particular the research done into 16th-century Norwegian culture and language. I did find the climax to be oddly anticlimactic, and there were a few weird story beats. Overall, it was all right. Had the story not been based on actual historical events I'm not sure there would have been enough there for me to recommend it.