Firstly, just be aware that this is a very short novella (63 pages on Kindle). I was able to read it in about 30 minutes.
This is a story about a younFirstly, just be aware that this is a very short novella (63 pages on Kindle). I was able to read it in about 30 minutes.
This is a story about a young Viking woman who goes on a journey after her village is raided. She meets a Celtic woman on her way, and they both find a place in a new village. It's a pretty simplistic story, and it reads more like a Norse Saga than it does a typical novel. While, this does give it a legend-like feeling, it does make a bit hard to connect with the characters.
The book being so short as well really condense the time of the story. It does feel like everything happens very quickly and with very little time passage.
If you are looking for a quick, refreshing read to get out of a slump, it's a nice option. ...more
I'm surprised by how much I disliked this book, as I gave Divine Rivals 5 stars. I tried to justify a 3-star review for this one, but the more I thougI'm surprised by how much I disliked this book, as I gave Divine Rivals 5 stars. I tried to justify a 3-star review for this one, but the more I thought about it, the more plot holes and inconsistencies revealed themselves.
This book picks up where Divine Rivals leaves off, with Iris back in Oath with her brother, and Roman captured by Dacre and apparently memory-less. This becomes a convention to have Iris write to Roman via the magical typewriters except now she's the one in the know, and Roman is unaware. This sounds like it could be good in concept, but it just falls flat. It feels like a pale retread of the original, and not well done.
Characters are put into forced interactions constantly and it's utterly confounding. Iris and Roman don't act like the same characters and are frequently doing incredibly dumb (and dangerous!) things. And the Gods! How completely useless are these two? Dacre is the world's least observant boss, with zero motivations. Enva is somehow even worse, popping up at the end like an RPG quest giver.
(view spoiler)[The ending feels like bad fanfiction. Enva shows up and hands Iris a sword and tells her to kill Dacre. Come on. (hide spoiler)]
Reading this made me realize that Divine Rivals should have just had more pages and been a standalone novel. ...more
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book.
In this historical fiction we are following along through the life of a fictional slave inDisclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book.
In this historical fiction we are following along through the life of a fictional slave in ancient Rome named Kallias. He becomes entangled in the life of Julia Agrippina (and if you know who she is, you will know how some of this will go). While this book does feature some of those famous Roman personalities, it really is a book about power, and about how systems of power change people.
If you're a fan of Ancient Roman history, this is a no brainer. The historical accuracy is superb, and there's no modern liberties taken. The writing is rather utilitarian, but it suits the main character of Kallias. The character of Kallias is fascinating and even though I knew that certain events were going to occur, I really was interested to see how Kallias would play into it.
Kallias being a slave, and the system of slavery and inequality is really portrayed in a raw and at times, brutal way. It really made me think about those interconnections of inequality in a society, and what drives individuals to want to amass power.
Though there have been other books written about this period of Ancient Rome (I, Claudius being a famous one), the events being played out through this character who is on the lowest rung of Ancient Rome is a really fresh perspective. ...more
Love is always harder. Love means weathering blows for another’s sake and not counting them. Love is loss of self, loss of other, and faith in the
Love is always harder. Love means weathering blows for another’s sake and not counting them. Love is loss of self, loss of other, and faith in the death of loss.
This book is dark and visceral, and yet has some very endearing moments to it. It has some of the most creative and breathtaking imagery I've ever read. Buehlman captures the Western Medieval spirit so well. You really see the world through their lens, one that is influenced heavily by religion and death. I loved certain scenes where it's hard to discern whether or not it is quite as fantastical as it seems, or if it's how the characters are interpreting what they're seeing.
The story itself is not overly complex, which gives room to the visuals and overall feeling. It's essentially a pilgrimage and feels almost like a video game (think Dark Souls meets Blasphemous.
This book has stayed with me for a while, which is always a great sign. It's a unique and grisly peek into a fascinating medieval realm....more
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