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tashshaw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
jeffburns's review against another edition
I can't remember the last time I couldn't finish a book as highly rated with as many glowing reviews as this one, but I just couldn't do it. I made it a quarter of the way through, and I can't recall reading as much uninteresting, unmoving, bleak, meh in a long time. Nothing happened. Nothing made me care about anything. The book was as boring and unrelenting as the arctic landscape of its setting. And I am a big reader of books on Native American culture, history, and mythology.
The book is allegedly an exciting and magical fantasy inspired by Inuit culture and involving Inuit and Norse first contact (A quarter of the way in, there was no sign of anything Norse yet.) I saw none of that. I felt nothing at all that resembles anything in this publisher's blurb (which also had the temerity to compare it to Neil Gaiman's American Gods, one of my favorite novels):
"A sweeping tale of forbidden love and warring gods, where a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies in a war that will determine the fate of the new world.
There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. . .
Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people.
But the gods have stopped listening and Omat's family is starving. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she encounters Brandr, a wounded Viking warrior, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world. . .or save it."
ramblinred77's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
lynnelw's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
asthebugglows's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mcdsweetea's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
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
sialia95's review against another edition
5.0
A sad, exciting, beautiful, scary, and ultimately deeply satisfying collision of two worlds. I learned so much about Inuit culture; I do have mixed feelings about the author being white and telling someone else's story but it seems like she really did her research and the representation feels as objective as a speculative tale can be. Omat's journey is hard to read at times but it is such a powerful story.
zzzzread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
mikarala's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Interesting concept and exploration of gender identity. I liked the mix of mythology and historical fiction, too. Unfortunately I just found the characters kind of boring and the prose somewhat lacking. It took me a while to finish this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Transphobia, and Violence
pandoozled14's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic read, the last part of the book was a little bit too much "epic godlike" for me , but the story itself was great.