Thank you New South Books for this book in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.
For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.
Review:
The first few chapters were slow if I am to be straight up honest. It took a while for the backstory to get where it was needing to get to. SO if you can hold on and get through this part of the book than the rest of it will be Viking glory and make you ready to enter Valhalla
This story is based around Tova who was found as a child washed up on the shore. Tova was originally on a funeral boat and Jorrund, who found Tova, believes that she is a seer. The village began to see Tova as a bad omen and resented her as the messenger of bad things.
This was well written, it is the first Young book I have ever read and it won’t be the last. Though it was well written I found that there was inconsistently to the pace. There are amazing and epic battle sense that grip you to your core but between the battles there was a lot of dialogue that did seem to draw out the battles.
Overall though this was brilliant – I loved it. I love Vikings and I am here for it!
Rating: 4.5
Publisher: Wednesday Books
ISBN: 9781250168481