Qnd Eldr. Breathe Fire. • Sky in the Deep

Eelyn has grown up knowing that the Riki clan are her enemies, that their ancient rivalry means it’s destined for her and her Aska clansmen to face them on the battlefield time and time again. But everything changes the day she sees her brother on the battlefield, the brother who is supposed to be dead but who is now fighting alongside their enemies. Her curiosity about his survival finds her captured and taken up to the mountains, where she is forced to spend a winter among the Riki… only to discover that perhaps they’re not so different from her own clan after all. Her tentative trust in the family that takes her in, her desire to return to her own clan, her warring loyalties and love – these things all come to a head when a greater enemy appears that threatens to slaughter them all without discrimination. Together with her brother’s friend Fiske, Eelyn knows she must make the impossible happen: she needs to get the Riki and the Aska to fight together to ensure the survival of the world she loves.

I really loved Sky in the Deep, friends. It’s part historical, part fantasy, and wholly compelling from start to finish. At its heart, it’s the story of a girl raised with a defined set of core beliefs that influence her actions and how she finds herself questioning all that she’s ever known when life unexpectedly redirects her path. Throw in a dash of Viking culture, both in the form of everyday village life and brutal battles, and you’ll end up with this story in a nutshell. I was hooked from the very first sentence (a rarity for me!), and easily gave in to the desire to let this story take me along for the ride (and what a ride it was!).

I was immersed in this world and the culture, though it’s as different from my own reality as night and day. And I was swept up in the events as they unfolded, which, to me, is always the mark of excellent storytelling. But, most importantly (and predictably, if you’ve been reading my thoughts on books for a while now), I formed a real connection with Eelyn. She’s so different from me in a lot of key personality traits, but that made her even more intriguing. I admired her brute battle strength and bravery, her fierce loyalty to her clan and those she loves, her cleverness and her vulnerability. I felt deeply for her as she navigated her own emotions and perils, rooting for her to figure out her truth and what it meant for the rest of her life. It was such a treat to witness her character growth (alongside the rest of the stuff going on in this story, of course), and it’s what made this read even more special.

It’s fairly obvious that Sky in the Deep is, to me, one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. It’s a stunning debut novel in every aspect – characters, story, setting, and writing. I’m thrilled that it lived up to my expectations (and the slight hype I was sensing surrounding it). I know for sure that I need more stories from Adrienne Young and I’ll be eagerly anticipating what comes next! In the meantime, you can snag a copy of Sky in the Deep next Tuesday – and I hope you do.

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books | Publication Date: April 24, 2018

Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)