gennabean13's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was really excited about reading this because I love Sky in the Deep so much. This book was still good, but not as good as the first. I felt like the first had more depth and you felt more immersed into the world and what was happening.
The romance felt more like fate made them be together, like they had this pull to each other that made sense because of the Spinners, but they just accepted it. It was just not as fun as a reader to witness a romance where they didn't even know each other they were just kinda fated together.
Guntar has my heart though.
The romance felt more like fate made them be together, like they had this pull to each other that made sense because of the Spinners, but they just accepted it. It was just not as fun as a reader to witness a romance where they didn't even know each other they were just kinda fated together.
Guntar has my heart though.
kayladaniella's review against another edition
2.0
“There’s no need to go looking for war. War is faithful to come looking for us time and again.”
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young is the sequel to Sky in the Deep. It takes place 10 years later, with new characters. This book was bleak.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Type: 2nd in a duology
POV: 2 POV's, first person, past tense
Age Rating: 12-18 years old
~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. 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. 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.
“The Spinners were wise, but they weren’t always kind. Sometimes fate was a tangled knot. Sometimes it was a noose. Or a net. But sometimes, it was the rope that pulled you from the sinking deep.”
~Writing and Setting~
This is the fourth book by Young that I read and the worst written. I couldn't focus when reading it and I wasn't motivated to keep on reading. The writing was all over the place and the setting was basically nonexistent.
“They weren’t afraid of battle. They were afraid of losing what they loved. And that’s what made them brave in battle.”
~Plot~
There was hardly a plot. Or at least a plot I understood. Suddenly there was magic and fate reading in this world, in which the previous book there wasn't. It was confusing and didn't make sense. I couldn't understand the motives. There was no unique twists or really any twists at all. And the romance was forced.
“There will always be war, Halvard. War is easy. It comes again and again, like waves to a shore.”
~Characters~
It was a shame because I really liked Halvard character in the last book. But, he was eight and now he's eighteen. He's become extremely unlikable and acted like a weak little boy. I didn't like him. Tova was even worse. She was confusing. She was the misunderstood girl who doesn't belong and it just didn't fit. The only characters I liked were Eelyn and Fiske who were barely briefly mentioned, but I was so excited to learn that they were married! For me, the once sentence where Fiske called Eelyn his wife was the best part about this book.
“They weren’t afraid of battle. They were afraid of losing what they loved. And that’s what made them brave in battle.”
~Overall~
The Girl the Sea Gave Back was an extremely disappointing sequel. I disliked the characters, the conflict, and simply did not understand it. I expected more from Young.
“You’ve made me a bringer of death, Jorrund. And there’s no offering of reparation for a crime like that."
1.5/5 stars
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young is the sequel to Sky in the Deep. It takes place 10 years later, with new characters. This book was bleak.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Type: 2nd in a duology
POV: 2 POV's, first person, past tense
Age Rating: 12-18 years old
~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. 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. 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.
“The Spinners were wise, but they weren’t always kind. Sometimes fate was a tangled knot. Sometimes it was a noose. Or a net. But sometimes, it was the rope that pulled you from the sinking deep.”
~Writing and Setting~
This is the fourth book by Young that I read and the worst written. I couldn't focus when reading it and I wasn't motivated to keep on reading. The writing was all over the place and the setting was basically nonexistent.
“They weren’t afraid of battle. They were afraid of losing what they loved. And that’s what made them brave in battle.”
~Plot~
There was hardly a plot. Or at least a plot I understood. Suddenly there was magic and fate reading in this world, in which the previous book there wasn't. It was confusing and didn't make sense. I couldn't understand the motives. There was no unique twists or really any twists at all. And the romance was forced.
“There will always be war, Halvard. War is easy. It comes again and again, like waves to a shore.”
~Characters~
It was a shame because I really liked Halvard character in the last book. But, he was eight and now he's eighteen. He's become extremely unlikable and acted like a weak little boy. I didn't like him. Tova was even worse. She was confusing. She was the misunderstood girl who doesn't belong and it just didn't fit. The only characters I liked were Eelyn and Fiske who were barely briefly mentioned, but I was so excited to learn that they were married! For me, the once sentence where Fiske called Eelyn his wife was the best part about this book.
“They weren’t afraid of battle. They were afraid of losing what they loved. And that’s what made them brave in battle.”
~Overall~
The Girl the Sea Gave Back was an extremely disappointing sequel. I disliked the characters, the conflict, and simply did not understand it. I expected more from Young.
“You’ve made me a bringer of death, Jorrund. And there’s no offering of reparation for a crime like that."
1.5/5 stars
vinterthunder's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. It’s not as good Sky in the Deep. For me, this one didn’t grip my attention until about half the book. The language is beautifully written, lyrical like SITD, but I wasn’t sure about the plot.
3-word description: Slow start, mystical, lyrical
3-word description: Slow start, mystical, lyrical
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
3.0
So after not loving the first book of this series I decided I'd still give this one a go. But I was disappointed by this one as well. The premise has the right ideas but the author doesn't do enough with it. The plot ends up being boring and slow in my opinion.
gwens's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the first book, but unfortunately, this one did not appeal to me. The world-building was minimal, the plot was predictable, and there was a lack of tension to keep the story moving.
Additionally, I feel that there was insufficient information provided about the clans, and it would have been helpful to have a map to refer to. Furthermore, I would have appreciated a more detailed explanation of the mythology, rather than just references to it.
Additionally, I feel that there was insufficient information provided about the clans, and it would have been helpful to have a map to refer to. Furthermore, I would have appreciated a more detailed explanation of the mythology, rather than just references to it.
taylorreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Three stars for the battle scene alone. The rest of the book was actually pretty boring and no where near as good as Sky in the Deep.
junghoseok's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy
The rumors are true, folks--people actually do win giveaways on Goodreads! I almost fell out of my chair when I got an email saying I'd won (and had totally forgotten I'd even put my name in for this giveaway). ANYWAY, winning this book made me read Sky in the Deep, and I would recommend reading that book first even though you can technically read them in any order. But you will recognize and appreciate more characters if you read Sky in the Deep first.
Without going into too much detail, this book is about Tova, a Kyrr girl who washed up on the shores of the Svell people twelve years ago. The Svell use her to foretell the future by casting the stones of the Spinners of fate. When she casts the stones at the beginning of this book, she sets into motion a brutal war with Halvard's people, a war she might have started--and one perhaps only she can stop.
I liked this book better than Sky in the Deep, but they are very similar in vein and style. The writing is also excellent. It took me a bit to get my footing in the first few chapters because there were a lot of names and gods and different clans thrown around, but once I figured out what was going on the story really pulled me in. I was fascinated by the character of Tova and her role as a seer. She was sort of a Cassandra figure, but instead of no one believing her prophecies, they blamed her for the bad things she foretelled even though it wasn't really her fault--she was just the messenger. Seeing her grow as a character and confront the people who abused her while claiming to be her family all along was fascinating. There's a subtle romance that happened a little quickly, but I found I didn't mind it.
If you love Vikings and discussions of fate vs choosing your own destiny, pick this one up. Also the cover is beautiful (and I was more than a little bitter that my ARC didn't have the official cover yet, but I'll get over it).
The rumors are true, folks--people actually do win giveaways on Goodreads! I almost fell out of my chair when I got an email saying I'd won (and had totally forgotten I'd even put my name in for this giveaway). ANYWAY, winning this book made me read Sky in the Deep, and I would recommend reading that book first even though you can technically read them in any order. But you will recognize and appreciate more characters if you read Sky in the Deep first.
Without going into too much detail, this book is about Tova, a Kyrr girl who washed up on the shores of the Svell people twelve years ago. The Svell use her to foretell the future by casting the stones of the Spinners of fate. When she casts the stones at the beginning of this book, she sets into motion a brutal war with Halvard's people, a war she might have started--and one perhaps only she can stop.
I liked this book better than Sky in the Deep, but they are very similar in vein and style. The writing is also excellent. It took me a bit to get my footing in the first few chapters because there were a lot of names and gods and different clans thrown around, but once I figured out what was going on the story really pulled me in. I was fascinated by the character of Tova and her role as a seer. She was sort of a Cassandra figure, but instead of no one believing her prophecies, they blamed her for the bad things she foretelled even though it wasn't really her fault--she was just the messenger. Seeing her grow as a character and confront the people who abused her while claiming to be her family all along was fascinating. There's a subtle romance that happened a little quickly, but I found I didn't mind it.
If you love Vikings and discussions of fate vs choosing your own destiny, pick this one up. Also the cover is beautiful (and I was more than a little bitter that my ARC didn't have the official cover yet, but I'll get over it).
lifeinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
erinarkin20's review against another edition
3.0
I loved Adrienne Young’s first book Sky in the Deep so when I heard she was writing a new book and it was going to be a in the same world, I was excited! The Girl the Sea Gave Back is one I couldn’t wait to open up and dive into and I wasn’t disappointed.
This story introduces us to Tova who, as a child is found floating on the shore, and taken in by the Svell only because of the things they think she can do for them. Unfortunately for Tova, she is led to believe that her family didn’t want her, and she figures out a way to survive among the Svell even though they fear and hate her.
The chieftain of the Svell is not interested in war but when his brother goes against his wishes and attacks, they end up face to face with the leaders of the Nadhir, including the man who will take over leadership if/when something happens, Halvard. If you recall, the name, that is because Halvard is the younger brother to Fiske. Ten years later he has grown into someone the Nadhir have nominated to lead them and now that war imminent, he has some difficult decisions to make.
As Tova is tasked with finding Halvard or facing her own death, she has to make some decisions. When she and Halvard eventually come face to face, she chooses to another path. I thought the interactions between the two were interesting, but I didn’t really feel a connection between or with them.
Young writes this story beautifully but it was a bit slow in the beginning. If you haven’t read Sky in the Deep, you don’t really have to in order to enjoy this book. In the end, I do think I enjoyed the first book more as I was more connected to Eelyn and Fiske. With that said, I did love that we got a glimpse of what the future held for them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for a story that has some mystery, plenty of action, and beautiful writing, consider picking this one up. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a final copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story introduces us to Tova who, as a child is found floating on the shore, and taken in by the Svell only because of the things they think she can do for them. Unfortunately for Tova, she is led to believe that her family didn’t want her, and she figures out a way to survive among the Svell even though they fear and hate her.
The chieftain of the Svell is not interested in war but when his brother goes against his wishes and attacks, they end up face to face with the leaders of the Nadhir, including the man who will take over leadership if/when something happens, Halvard. If you recall, the name, that is because Halvard is the younger brother to Fiske. Ten years later he has grown into someone the Nadhir have nominated to lead them and now that war imminent, he has some difficult decisions to make.
As Tova is tasked with finding Halvard or facing her own death, she has to make some decisions. When she and Halvard eventually come face to face, she chooses to another path. I thought the interactions between the two were interesting, but I didn’t really feel a connection between or with them.
Young writes this story beautifully but it was a bit slow in the beginning. If you haven’t read Sky in the Deep, you don’t really have to in order to enjoy this book. In the end, I do think I enjoyed the first book more as I was more connected to Eelyn and Fiske. With that said, I did love that we got a glimpse of what the future held for them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for a story that has some mystery, plenty of action, and beautiful writing, consider picking this one up. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a final copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
acozyadventurer's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book! Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me the opportunity to read it ahead of its release date.
This story has vikings, witchcraft, and plenty of mystique. It emphasizes familial love (with a tad bit of romance as well) and tests the loyalty and ethics of its characters. I loved getting pulled into the worlds of the three people groups!
I give it 3.5 stars!The only thing is that I wish I had read its predecessor first. It’s my understanding that this novel is a standalone, however it took me a while to completely understand the background of the plot. It’s my understanding that this novel is a standalone, but it was a bit difficult to completely understand the background of the plot (the different groups and way of the land), and I believe the setting was probably naturally introduced in a more easily understood way in the first book that takes place in their world.
This story has vikings, witchcraft, and plenty of mystique. It emphasizes familial love (with a tad bit of romance as well) and tests the loyalty and ethics of its characters. I loved getting pulled into the worlds of the three people groups!
I give it 3.5 stars!The only thing is that I wish I had read its predecessor first. It’s my understanding that this novel is a standalone, however it took me a while to completely understand the background of the plot. It’s my understanding that this novel is a standalone, but it was a bit difficult to completely understand the background of the plot (the different groups and way of the land), and I believe the setting was probably naturally introduced in a more easily understood way in the first book that takes place in their world.