Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield — her brother, fighting with the enemy — the brother she watched die five years ago.
Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.
She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.
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Review:
Sky in the Deep is Adrienne Young’s debut novel is a powerful and vivid story set against an icy landscape and infused with Viking mythology, brutal and bloody violence and unexpected romance.
Seventeen year old Eelyn is a warrior; a fighter; a survivor. As a member of the Aska clan, Eelyn fights alongside her family and clan mates against their enemies, the Riki, in an ancient tradition and long standing rivalry. It’s simple; fight and survive. Until one day on the battlefield, Eelyn catches a glimpse of her long dead brother….fighting with the enemy clan. Soon taken prisoner by the Riki, Eelyn struggles to comprehend her brother’s betrayal. She must find a way to survive the harsh mountain winter even if it means relying on her brother’s best friend Fiske, a Riki warrior who only sees her as a threat. Torn between her loyalty to her clan and her growing feelings for Fiske, Eelyn will have to reassess her definition of loyalty and family as she finds herself caring for people she has always viewed as the enemy. And when the Riki village is attacked by a ruthless clan thought only to be legend, Eelyn will have to find a way for the Aska and Riki to work together before both clans are destroyed….forever.
I have to admit; I was somewhat apprehensive when I began Sky in the Deep as I hadn’t had any experience reading Viking themed novels in the past, nor am I a big fan of the violence and brutality that comes along with them. That being said, I had heard so many positive things about this story that I decided to give it a go….and I’m very glad I did. I really did enjoy Sky in the Deep and was delighted by the story that Adrienne Young has created.
Told through the poignant and powerful voice of Eelyn, Sky in the Deep is a compelling story. Beautifully written and with a genuine and authentic feel without author Adrienne Young feeling the need to bombard her reader with complex and complicated Norse and Viking history, Sky in the Deep is a very fast paced and exciting novel, that also features nice undertones of family and romance.
I liked the characters within the story very much including love interest Fiske and protagonist Eelyn who is a strong and easy to follow main character. Young sets up many moments of reflection and development as her characters struggle—again Eelyn most importantly—with the new reality of their lives. Decades of distrust and rivalry do not disappear overnight and I liked seeing Eelyn slowly begin to trust members of the Riki clan, even as she faced an internal war with what she had always known and what she was now witnessing.
Adrienne Young has created a great story of survival and romance that bridges the gap between clans and age old rivalry. Perfect for anyone wishing to dip their toes in the Viking genre while discovering a conflicting world of brutality and simmering hope, Sky in the Deep is a great read and proves Adrienne Young is an author to keep an eye on!
Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher via Netgalley (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Format: Kindle ebook via Netgalley
Release Date: April 24th 2018
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this and am keen to read more from Adrienne Young in the future!
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