Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

What’s it about – Eelyn is a 17yo girl and member of the Aska clan, who is locked in a who knows how long blood feud w the Rikis. Every 5 years they have an epic battle to sate their gods’ demands and their own revenge for lost ones. But when Eelyn sees a ghost from her past–her assumed dead brother Iri–on the battlefield, shes thrown off her game and taken by the Rikis. She struggles for survival, questions what shes always know, etc. etc.

What I drank – ROSE ALL DAY. That’s not true. It was rose some of the evening, because I was adulting like hell during the day. I dug up bushes. I am so tired so so tired.

Initial impression? I enjoyed it. The protag is likeable, her motivations and reactions relatable. I like the mythology of the gods. I REALLY like that the clans aren’t defined by an ethnicity but by their armor. And while the clans have this bloody rivalry, a. Women and men are both duking it out on the battlefield and b. not every single person is a warrior, so it’s not a wholly warrior-based society. (So Eelyn, who is often described as small, isnt devalued because of that, but taught to fight differently.)

Side note – I saw this book advertised by several sites as a YA romance. I mean for sure there’s a love story but I would happily not call this a romance but a … I dunno, journey of changing perceptions? With a dose of romance. Which is nice, not everything has to be for love of someone.

What I didn’t like… I wanted more descriptive language for everything. Of the villages, of the people, of it all. I had a decent grasp of what things looked like but … yeah I just wanted more. Also…alright let’s move to spoilers

************** spoilsssss****************

So Eelyn thought her brother Iri died in battle but he was actually saved by Fiske, a Riki. And because the Rikis saved him and nursed him to health, Iri thinks his people abandoned him on the battlefield and so adopts the Riki as his new family? Its…kind of a giant leap. Hes a warrior, he had to have known he was assumed dead, but he seems kind of mad?

Side note – Speaking of Iri and Fiske, I honestly thought Fiske was in love with him and was totally going to look at Eelyn as a sister and not love interest. Iri and Fiske seemed, like, REAL into each other.

**************end of spoilers*************

Overall, good weekend read, great solid debut novel, and I’d for sure read more of her work.

What I gave it – 3 shots

Pairing: Mead, because it’s pretty vikingy