A review by livy22
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
3.0
2.75 stars
My review will be brief, but this book didn't quite hit the high note I was hoping for. I loved Sky in the Deep, and this book follows one of the beloved side characters from the first book. We also follow a girl marked by mysterious runes with the ability to read the will of the Spinners. With new clans and cameos from familiar characters, I thought this one would be a no-brainer. But unfortunately, a few issues kept me from loving The Girl the Sea Gave Back.
First off - and most prominently - was the pacing problem. The first 3/4 of this book dragged by with little-to-no advancement for either the plot or character arcs. It was basically one long introduction to the stakes of the story. The events that did occur could've been condensed considerably, as it feels like the real story began with only a thumbful of pages left.
My other qualms surrounded the lack of dynamic in the characters and their relationships. Halvard, who I loved in Sky in the Deep, felt like a stock character with no personality. Our other protagonist, Tova, was interesting, but a lot of her story revolved around Halvard, and the two only truly meet near the end of the book! Their romance lacked the development and tension that I loved so much in Eelyn and Fiske's story in Sky in the Deep. Instead, Tova and Halvard's "connection" felt very insta-love and star-crossed lovers, minus any of the angst.
Overall, I didn't hate this companion novel, but I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read for fans of Sky in the Deep.
My review will be brief, but this book didn't quite hit the high note I was hoping for. I loved Sky in the Deep, and this book follows one of the beloved side characters from the first book. We also follow a girl marked by mysterious runes with the ability to read the will of the Spinners. With new clans and cameos from familiar characters, I thought this one would be a no-brainer. But unfortunately, a few issues kept me from loving The Girl the Sea Gave Back.
First off - and most prominently - was the pacing problem. The first 3/4 of this book dragged by with little-to-no advancement for either the plot or character arcs. It was basically one long introduction to the stakes of the story. The events that did occur could've been condensed considerably, as it feels like the real story began with only a thumbful of pages left.
My other qualms surrounded the lack of dynamic in the characters and their relationships. Halvard, who I loved in Sky in the Deep, felt like a stock character with no personality. Our other protagonist, Tova, was interesting, but a lot of her story revolved around Halvard, and the two only truly meet near the end of the book! Their romance lacked the development and tension that I loved so much in Eelyn and Fiske's story in Sky in the Deep. Instead, Tova and Halvard's "connection" felt very insta-love and star-crossed lovers, minus any of the angst.
Overall, I didn't hate this companion novel, but I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read for fans of Sky in the Deep.