A review by bookwisp
Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long

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.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings