http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2023/12/03/genevieve-gornichec-ver-szovetsege... ( )

Gunnhild, Oddny, and Signy have been best friends since they were little. After a visit from a wisewoman who makes an ominous prophecy involving the girls, the three take a blood oath to always help one another.

Years after Gunnhild had run away from her cruel mother, Oddny and Signy’s farm gets raided and Signy gets taken. Oddny and Gunnhild are reunited in their journey to stop at nothing to save Signy. Oddny, who was spiraled out of the life she always imagined, finds herself drawn to one of the raiders who participated in the attack. Gunnhild, who fled her childhood home to learn the ways of the witch, is surprised to find her destiny intertwined with King Eirik, heir apparent to the ruler of all Norway.

But the bonds the women have are strong and on the journey to save Signy, these bonds will be tested and stretched in ways they never could have seen.

Just like The Witch’s Heart, I absolutely loved and devoured this novel. I also adored the characters - even with all their flaws. All of the side characters stood strong on their own as well and I always wanted to hear and read about all of them.

Everything about this book was captivating and absorbing for me. Genevieve Gornichec has always done an amazing job at getting me into ancient settings and keeping me there throughout the entire book. I could practically picture myself there.

I didn’t know much about Icelandic and/or Norwegian folklore or sagas before this (some Norse Mythology). I really enjoy when a historical fiction book also teaches me things as well - or gives me something to look up and research myself afterwards.

I would highly recommend this book - especially those who like historical Norwegian fiction. And for those who liked The Witch’s Heart and are wondering if you’ll like this one too - I say give it a shot!

*Thank you Ace and NetGalleyfor an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

I've been a fan of Naomi Novik for awhile and this sounded like it would be right up my alley. I love fantasy with some folklore and mythology mixed in. I did thoroughly enjoy the story but I had a hard time feeling any empathy for Gunnhild. She was just not a very likeable character. She was short tempered and pretty self centered and I found myself really not liking her. On the other hand I really enjoyed Oddny's character, she had real depth and character development throughout the story. Overall a good, fairly quick read for fans of Novik or Katherine Arden. ( )

Set in 10th century Norway, this is the tale of Oddny, Gunnhild, and Signy. Gunnhild runs away with a visiting sorceress and commits herself to learning magic. Years later, when raiders take Signy, Gunnhild vows to find her sister and seek revenge. Oddny travels back to their village to help Gunnhild, meeting and joining forces with King Eirik.

The relationship between the three girls was well developed, and twined throughout the novel. I enjoyed reading from Oddny and Gunnhild's points of view an wish Signy's point of view had also been explored. The story was well paced, the world well developed. I look forward to reading more from this author! ( )

I really enjoyed this book! I fell in love with Genevieve Gornichec’s writing when I read The Witch’s Heart last year. I couldn’t wait to dive into her sophomore novel. Once I started this book, I did not want to stop because I was fully invested in the fate of these 3 women. I found this to be a very entertaining novel set against a compelling Viking backdrop.

Gunnhild, Oddney, and Signy were fantastic characters. I could tell just how much they meant to each other as children. They haven’t seen each other for years but their paths cross just as Oddney and Signy’s farm is raided and Signy is taken away. They are both determined to do what it takes to get her back. This story was exciting and sometimes heartbreaking. There was just the right amount of magic and enough romance to keep things very interesting.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Nina Yndis did a remarkable job with the story. I believe that this is the first time that I have had the chance to listen to this narrator’s work and I must say that I was impressed. I thought that she did a great job of bringing this extensive cast of characters to life. I found her voice to be very pleasant and had no issues listening to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that her narration only added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I was drawn into this entertaining and often exciting novel featuring characters that I found easy to like. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio. ( )