Reviews tagging 'War'

Hild by Nicola Griffith

3 reviews

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

 When I first received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book, I was in high school. The beautiful cover art appealed to me, and I have always been interested in history, even as a kid. Yet sat on my shelves for 10 years, survived many collection weedings and two moves. The size intimidated me. I'm sad I didn't get to it sooner, but I also think this was the perfect time for me to pick up this magnificent behemoth. 

Hild is an epic and sweeping historical fiction novel full of some of the most captivating language I've ever encountered. Nicola Griffith truly unlocked her word-hoard in this one (haha). The turns of phrase and descriptions brought me to a halt numerous times and the highlighter was put to work. I read the lines over and over again, enchanted. Ways to describe feelings, colours, sounds in such inventive and uncommon ways. Not the first, second, or third way you'd think to illustrate the image, but something uncanny and magical. I was struck by Griffith's skill and feel that she is a writer of exceptional talent. 

It is a book to be savoured. The pacing is slow which gave me a chance to savour the language and bathe in the rich worldbuilding of this dynamic historical landscape. The scale and culture of this time took shape as the novel progressed, like watching the construction of a building day by day. The atmosphere felt authentic and the way she wrote setting was sensory and palpable. Their lives fleshed out and their desires and goals came into view on the horizon. I lived in their skin and experienced their emotions. It's expansive in its spread and I got comfortable in the sprawl of the story. Griffith didn't show and tell all the details, there was some of the story that remained a wondrous mystery, a hint of the past and the fantastical beliefs without it being too much. A concealed and secretive delight to feel in the dark with a character, wondering as they do what's happening and what's true.

I could write a novel myself about my love of this beautiful beast, telling all about the natural, positive queer rep, the fascinating history of Christian influence on early British pagans, the outstanding cast of secondary characters that fill out the scenes. But the treat for me was learning all this for myself when I finally chose this arc off the shelf and fell hard for <i>Hild</i>. 

This is for fans of the complex and delicate political intrigue of A Song of Ice and Fire and Wolf Hall, the queer historical feminism of Groff's Matrix and Gornichev's The Witch's Heart, and the compelling, shrewd, and gifted heroine of Katherine Chen's Joan,  but it's also not quite like anything I've read before. A set of sparkling carnelians held up to the sun that dazzled my senses and kept me engaged for hundreds of pages. 

With Menewood coming in just a month, I'm diving straight into the advanced copy I was sent by the publisher who thankfully hasn't given up on my ability to read and review arcs (much better turnaround than last time...)



Expand filter menu Content Warnings

solntse's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Rich with fascinating historical detail and insights, Nicola Griffith has yet again enchanted me with her writing. I went into the novel not knowing too much about the time period, but the novel interested me enough to start doing my own research. The prose was beautiful, and I enjoyed the character's internal action and development. The author was good at giving clues about new political developments, and Hild's logical way of thinking was a great way to make me familiar with the implications of them while reminding me of characters that I had forgotten about- especially when they had similar names! The pace of the novel is slow, and I would not recommend this to someone who is looking for an action-filled novel with lots of battles. The author depicts trauma well, and I really felt for Hild as she tried to process the horror of what she had seen and done. I did become a bit impatient towards the end, and the final climax was disappointing for me due to my feelings on the character. I'd recommend this novel to someone who enjoys historical fiction, rich characterisation, and lots of details about political intrigue. The grim realities of Hild's era are displayed and brought to life, and you realise how fearful and brutal life at that time could be. At the same time, the author shows moments of beauty and community that I really enjoyed. I am definitely going to pick up the sequel!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

alliebliterary's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...