Sky in the Deep, a new YA novel by Adrienne Young, is the story of two clans, the divides between them, and how one girls’ destiny can either bring them together or destroy them once and for all.
The Aska clan lives by the sea; the Riki in the mountains. Worshipping rival gods, the feud between them spans generations and requires a blood price to be paid every five years.
Eelyn’s life as an Aska warrior is focused on one thing and one thing only: killing as many Riki as she can to both avenge the death of her brother Iri and to please her god Sigr. After a series of events forces Eelyn to see things from a different point of view, will she still feel the same way about the Riki? Or can she look past years of prejudice to unite these two warring clans against a common enemy?
In my opinion, this book seamlessly blended historical references with a fictional land to create an engaging read. Eelyn is a relatable, strong, compassionate heroine, and I enjoyed escaping into her story. Ms. Young’s writing style is fluid and I appreciated that her heroine was not perfect, but grew throughout the book.
Cons: The reader is thrown into the book a bit abruptly in the beginning, which can be jarring. There are also some more graphic descriptions of injury and violence than are typically found in YA fiction.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in viking/ nordic era history, and a strong heroine. A very good read!
A Little Bit Bookish Rating: 3.5/5
**Any and all opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not paid for my review.**
A Little Bit Bookish 