This book was a solid three stars for me right up until the ending. Was that deliberate on the author's part? Who knows. Did I eat it right up? Hell yes. ( )

Difficult to like main character.

Dead brother who isn't dead, but didn't explain what happened in the first several chapters.

Stack of other books to read.
=
Returning this one to the library and starting some other book. ( )

I did listen to this book Via audibook and overall I really did enjoy this read. It was not my favorite book. I really did enjoy the world building as well. I also thought the overall plot was super complying and really did like the large cast of characters that we were introduce to. The war settings was very cool to read about. I think this book was fast pace adventure and handled so many hard topics that was done so well. I really did grow to like the romance as well. I would def read more by this author in the future.
( )

I did listen to this book Via audibook and overall I really did enjoy this read. It was not my favorite book. I really did enjoy the world building as well. I also thought the overall plot was super complying and really did like the large cast of characters that we were introduce to. The war settings was very cool to read about. I think this book was fast pace adventure and handled so many hard topics that was done so well. I really did grow to like the romance as well. I would def read more by this author in the future.
( )

First Buddy Read with my incredibly patient friend Tammy (TheTeaOnBooks) .
Plot:

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young is a Viking story with a badass female heroine. Eelyn is part of the Aska tribe that lives on the fjord. She has been raised to be a warrior, preparing to one day take up the traditional role of fighting against her tribe’s enemy clan, the Riki. The Riki live up in the mountains and the two tribes clash on the battlefield of Aurvanger every 5 years. This tradition is one that has carried on for centuries, the Viking warriors fighting in honor of their respective Gods who have an ancient feud with each other. This particular fighting season will end up changing history however, because Eelyn sees something impossible on the battlefield- or rather, someone: her brother Iri, who died during the last fighting season, 5 years ago.

Eelyn gets taken captive by the rival clan as she tries to figure out how her brother is still alive and in the process she begins to see another side of the Riki. When the legendary, thought-to-be-mythical tribe of the Herja begins attacking both tribes however, the Aska and Riki may need to come together after all this time or risk that they both die off for good. Eelyn must put some of her faith in her brother’s new found family— particularly Fiske, Iri’s Riki friend— if she wants to survive and help her tribe. But trusting in the Riki? Even maybe liking a Riki? It’s unheard of and wrong. They are the enemy. And yet, they are not all they once seemed and now a bigger enemy looms over both tribes.

The plot is fairly intriguing. There’s not necessarily a great sense of suspense yet you are left with questions throughout. And I thought each of the answers eventually given were satisfying and made sense, which of course is extremely important. The major plot points are fairly basic and I found that the story is mainly character and setting driven, so I will go more into detail on those aspects. But first, let’s get what I didn’t like out of the way.

Cons:

The only real complaint I have with this book is that the editing was not the best. There are quite a few grammatical errors and awkwardly worded sentences that I would have to read over several times, trying to figure out what was actually being said. It seems like this particularly occurred in the beginning of the book and then got a lot better further along, though more instances did pop up throughout. The main issue with this is the added confusion and how it pulls you out of the story. To happen as frequently as it did really put me off at first. However, I do think it says something about the quality of the story and characters that I was eventually able to overlook this and really get into and enjoy this book.

Setting:

One of my favorite parts about Sky in the Deep is the atmosphere. Though there may be some grammatical errors, Young is good at descriptive writing and it shows in the close detailing of the world we have stepped into. Beginning in the bitterly cold, icy winter and traveling from fjord into mountains really shows the duality of the environment— beautiful and harsh at the same time. This duality carries over brilliantly into all aspects of the book. We see it in the rival tribes and each character as the Riki and Aska clash in new ways and must come to terms with a new reality. I found the setting and tone to compliment and motivate each other in a way that I don’t believe I have seen very often.

And it’s not just the descriptions of the landscapes, but each moment. The battle scenes are not glossed over as is so often done, they are described in such a way that you feel you are on the battlefield alongside Eelyn. You feel the chaos of the moment, but also Eelyn’s focus on what is directly before her. All senses are brought into the fight as you can see the chaos of the field, the movement, the flash of weapons and difference between Riki and Aska armor; hear as weapons are pulled from their sheaths, words are panted out between breaths, and knives and axes clash; taste the blood, sweat, dirt, and grime; feel the adrenaline, fear, excitement at the same time as the grip of the axe, the arrow shooting past your ear; and smell all the things you taste in addition to leather, the trees and snow, and the sour combination of everything at once.

But then, there are intimate moments that are also described in such a way to pull you into the moment though they are so different than the battlefield. They give you a sense of closeness, vulnerability, quiet, and curiosity.

Characters:

Eelyn is what I would love for more YA main characters to be. She has a sense of herself from the beginning and while this changes throughout the book, her transitions and thoughts on the changing parts of herself feel so real. At first, she is adamant about sticking to the labels that have always defined her, yet as her world and reality begins to shift, she starts dealing with the inner chaos of figuring out what that means about who she is. She struggles through the changes but you can see the different levels of her acceptance and how each new bit of information either changes or reinforces certain sentiments or beliefs.

Eelyn is not whiny, thank god. And while she may be quick to action, those actions align with her warrior upbringing. She does not make split second decisions based on budding feelings or selfish desires. She thinks over what is best for her tribe and the people she loves because she is fiercely loyal and dedicated. She has a more tactical mind and yet she does have soft spots that can throw her off sometimes when it comes to family.

She is also not repetitive in her thoughts and it is interesting to see from her perspective as we take in this enemy tribe and slowly learn more about who they are as individuals.

Would Recommend:

I would recommend Sky in the Deep to anyone who enjoys reading about Vikings, battles, good character change and development, excellent meshing of the setting and tone, family, friends, and a bit of romance that is more realistic and doesn’t take over the story.

My final rating for this one is a 4/5 stars. I’m very interested in reading more from this author and only hope that the editing in the next one will be improved.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

( )