Christian's Reviews > Sky in the Deep
Sky in the Deep (Sky and Sea, #1)
by
by
"They hated me like I hated them. But they'd won. And they knew it."
3 1/2 stars
Initially, I hadn't even really planned on reading Sky in the Deep, but, and this happens quite often and is very detrimental to my financial responsibilities, I randomly was really in the mood for it and none of the other books I already own. I don't question that anymore. So I just went ahead, got it and dove right in.
The first chapter opens with this massive action sequence, and if I tell you that I was here for it. I love me some badass girls wielding axes and swords, and the viking influences made for such a refreshing, unique touch that presented itself very early on. Still, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the overall story arc, and I knew very little going into it besides the fact that the main character, Eelyn, would shockingly discover her brother to be alive - and fighting for the enemy.
This happens very early on, and it immediately pulled me in, because not only was the entire previous fight super action-packed and hectic, but the emotional turmoil this discovery awakens in Eelyn was written so beautifully and made you feel for her right away. And all in all, this remained one of the biggest strengths of the novel up until the end: The emotions are conveyed extremely raw, real and heartbreaking. This was probably what surprised me the most. This books is sad. Not in a "My eyes are liquifying and I can't see the words anymore"-type of way, but rather it hits you in subtle, yet very piercing blows every now and then. For example when the weight of the truth - that Eelyn's brother is not in fact dead and joined the rival clan - gets too heavy and makes Eelyn say things like this:
"What are you thinking now?"
The weight of it fell from my head, down into the rest of my body. The words were small but they were true. "I'm thinking that I wish you'd died that day."
This books lives off of its characters. It shows more internal struggles than it does external ones, which thankfully works out Pretty well because 1. I really liked Eelyn, whom you might consider your regular "I kill everyone"-heroine, but a bit softer around the edges 2. the love interest tries to kill Eelyn on the battlefield, puts an arrow in her shoulder and does not fall for her 20 pages later (looking at you, Children of Blood and Bone), and 3. Halvard is my precious, small child and if any harm ever comes close to him I will murder both clans to the point of extinction.
I don't want to give too much away, but I also enjoyed the conflict that weaves its way throughout the plot, namely how Eelyn, after spending quite some time with the enemy, that they might just be trapped in a vicious circle - family members getting killed, thirst for revenge, killing someone else's family in return… it didn't reinvent the wheel, but it was crafted with such careful wording that I couldn't help but approve.
While Sky in the Deep certainly didn't hold back any emotions, it did, unexpectedly, not contain a lot of actions. Besides the first 20 pages and the final 40, it was rather… quiet. Which I didn't particularly mind, but at some point I couldn't help but feel like the plot was stuck and something was missing. It didn't bore me, but it also didn't fully captivate me throughout its 350 pages, which I know other readers might have an even bigger problem with. (view spoiler)
Additionally, it occasionally dipped its foot into fantasy-waters, but I'm not sure if maybe those were a bit too cold, because it never really went any further into it, leaving it at just a few drops here and there, which was disappointing to me because it left me feeling rather unsatisfied in terms of not only world building, but also this "mysterious common enemy" that is introduced to the storyline. It was just never really resolved who this enemy was (and why they didn't have any irises or pupils, like, I WANT TO KNOW).
In the end, Sky in the Deep is definitely story that lives off of its characters more than it does its action, which wasn't bad, but the latter and some more fantasy aspects, which I was expecting, were lacking in the long run, which surprised me quite a bit. Nonetheless, a beautifully written debut, which, tone-wise, reminds me quite a bit of The Wrath and the Dawn, minus some of that purple-ness. So if you liked that, you might want to check this one out.
* * *
Spontaneously ordered this yesterday because I didn't feel like reading any of the 40 unread books I own, and I don't understand my weird moods in the least but they completely control my reading life. :))
3 1/2 stars
Initially, I hadn't even really planned on reading Sky in the Deep, but, and this happens quite often and is very detrimental to my financial responsibilities, I randomly was really in the mood for it and none of the other books I already own. I don't question that anymore. So I just went ahead, got it and dove right in.
The first chapter opens with this massive action sequence, and if I tell you that I was here for it. I love me some badass girls wielding axes and swords, and the viking influences made for such a refreshing, unique touch that presented itself very early on. Still, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the overall story arc, and I knew very little going into it besides the fact that the main character, Eelyn, would shockingly discover her brother to be alive - and fighting for the enemy.
This happens very early on, and it immediately pulled me in, because not only was the entire previous fight super action-packed and hectic, but the emotional turmoil this discovery awakens in Eelyn was written so beautifully and made you feel for her right away. And all in all, this remained one of the biggest strengths of the novel up until the end: The emotions are conveyed extremely raw, real and heartbreaking. This was probably what surprised me the most. This books is sad. Not in a "My eyes are liquifying and I can't see the words anymore"-type of way, but rather it hits you in subtle, yet very piercing blows every now and then. For example when the weight of the truth - that Eelyn's brother is not in fact dead and joined the rival clan - gets too heavy and makes Eelyn say things like this:
"What are you thinking now?"
The weight of it fell from my head, down into the rest of my body. The words were small but they were true. "I'm thinking that I wish you'd died that day."
This books lives off of its characters. It shows more internal struggles than it does external ones, which thankfully works out Pretty well because 1. I really liked Eelyn, whom you might consider your regular "I kill everyone"-heroine, but a bit softer around the edges 2. the love interest tries to kill Eelyn on the battlefield, puts an arrow in her shoulder and does not fall for her 20 pages later (looking at you, Children of Blood and Bone), and 3. Halvard is my precious, small child and if any harm ever comes close to him I will murder both clans to the point of extinction.
I don't want to give too much away, but I also enjoyed the conflict that weaves its way throughout the plot, namely how Eelyn, after spending quite some time with the enemy, that they might just be trapped in a vicious circle - family members getting killed, thirst for revenge, killing someone else's family in return… it didn't reinvent the wheel, but it was crafted with such careful wording that I couldn't help but approve.
While Sky in the Deep certainly didn't hold back any emotions, it did, unexpectedly, not contain a lot of actions. Besides the first 20 pages and the final 40, it was rather… quiet. Which I didn't particularly mind, but at some point I couldn't help but feel like the plot was stuck and something was missing. It didn't bore me, but it also didn't fully captivate me throughout its 350 pages, which I know other readers might have an even bigger problem with. (view spoiler)
Additionally, it occasionally dipped its foot into fantasy-waters, but I'm not sure if maybe those were a bit too cold, because it never really went any further into it, leaving it at just a few drops here and there, which was disappointing to me because it left me feeling rather unsatisfied in terms of not only world building, but also this "mysterious common enemy" that is introduced to the storyline. It was just never really resolved who this enemy was (and why they didn't have any irises or pupils, like, I WANT TO KNOW).
In the end, Sky in the Deep is definitely story that lives off of its characters more than it does its action, which wasn't bad, but the latter and some more fantasy aspects, which I was expecting, were lacking in the long run, which surprised me quite a bit. Nonetheless, a beautifully written debut, which, tone-wise, reminds me quite a bit of The Wrath and the Dawn, minus some of that purple-ness. So if you liked that, you might want to check this one out.
* * *
Spontaneously ordered this yesterday because I didn't feel like reading any of the 40 unread books I own, and I don't understand my weird moods in the least but they completely control my reading life. :))
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Sky in the Deep.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
May 25, 2018
– Shelved
May 25, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
May 25, 2018
– Shelved as:
released-2018
May 26, 2018
–
Started Reading
May 27, 2018
–
41.18%
"I expected this to be a lot more action-packed, but I appreciate the depths of the characters and their pain so so much and don't mind the slow unraveling of it at all."
page
140
May 29, 2018
–
82.35%
"Would have finished this yesterday, but I dragged it out in hopes of some of my pre-orders maybe finally being shipped, but I just checked and nope. :)) Do I need to sacrifice a goat or something?"
page
280
May 29, 2018
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)
date
newest »
message 1:
by
Brigitte
(new)
26 mai 2018 12:48
reply
|
flag
I've stopped trying to make sense of anything.
Aaah that's awesome! It's really cool so far.
@Lily's mom, your daughter is a star!!
STAHP. (But also, thank you so much, they take quite the amount of time but this proves that sometimes that can be worth it, thanks!!)