Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A warrior must ally with her enemies in this vivid debut.In the five years since her brother Iri was lost in battle against the Riki, 17-year-old Eelyn and her best friend, Mýra, have become fierce Aska warriors, eager for revenge. Unlike the terrifying, unpredictable Herja raids, the fighting season repeatedly pitches the mountain-dwelling, Thora-worshipping Riki against the fjord-settling, Sigr-worshipping Aska. Distracted in battle, Eelyn is captured by the Riki and is taken as a dýr (slave). Violent and angry, Eelyn is slow to trust and slower to show affection, yet she is a sympathetic and heart-rending protagonist. Unlike the slew of lethal (but tormented) young ladies populating young adult literature, Eelyn is an unapologetic warrior, mercifully neither anachronistic nor modern-minded. Although the era and location are not specified, the language, rugged geography, weapons, and religion suggest a pre-Christian Nordic world and white characters. Action and aftermath are graphic and brutal, anchored in rich details. Young's staccato prose matches her fierce fighters, but the raw emotions and rapid pacing belie a well-honed voice and taut narrative.A rousing saga and moving coming-of-age tale, perfect for those who appreciate the wild and the wildlings, strong female protagonists, and cinematic battles. (Historical fantasy. 14-adult)

ALA Booklist

Every five years, the Aska and the Riki are at war, battling out the old blood feud between the two clans. Thus, war and battle are all Eelyn has ever known, until one day she sees her brother on the battlefield, fighting for the opposing side r brother who was supposed to be dead. Soon she is captured by the Riki, and to make it back to her Aska clan, she has to survive the winter with the Riki. Young's brutal, emotional debut is set in a land that is as unforgiving as its people. The strongest aspect of Young's work is the world building; she packs it with details that viscerally pull the reader into Eelyn's world. Young has also populated this world with complicated characters who evolve as readers get to know them. Even better, the theme at the core of the story ercoming prejudice and unifying to fight a greater threat sonates with current real-world issues. With its gorgeous prose and epic battle scenes, fantasy lovers will be easily satisfied.

Horn Book

In a brutal ancient Nordicesque world, seventeen-year-old warrior Eelyn's brother is dead. Or so she thinks, until she finds him on the battlefield fighting for their clan's sworn enemies. Despite a somewhat formulaic plot--in which the two rival clans confront a common enemy and realize they are more alike than they are different--the visceral battles and touching family love make for an engaging historical fantasy.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A warrior must ally with her enemies in this vivid debut.In the five years since her brother Iri was lost in battle against the Riki, 17-year-old Eelyn and her best friend, Mýra, have become fierce Aska warriors, eager for revenge. Unlike the terrifying, unpredictable Herja raids, the fighting season repeatedly pitches the mountain-dwelling, Thora-worshipping Riki against the fjord-settling, Sigr-worshipping Aska. Distracted in battle, Eelyn is captured by the Riki and is taken as a dýr (slave). Violent and angry, Eelyn is slow to trust and slower to show affection, yet she is a sympathetic and heart-rending protagonist. Unlike the slew of lethal (but tormented) young ladies populating young adult literature, Eelyn is an unapologetic warrior, mercifully neither anachronistic nor modern-minded. Although the era and location are not specified, the language, rugged geography, weapons, and religion suggest a pre-Christian Nordic world and white characters. Action and aftermath are graphic and brutal, anchored in rich details. Young's staccato prose matches her fierce fighters, but the raw emotions and rapid pacing belie a well-honed voice and taut narrative.A rousing saga and moving coming-of-age tale, perfect for those who appreciate the wild and the wildlings, strong female protagonists, and cinematic battles. (Historical fantasy. 14-adult)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Drawing on Viking history and lore, debut author Young crafts an exciting, at times heart-wrenching story centered around 17-year-old Eelyn, her Aska clan, and their centuries-old war with the Riki. Every five years, the clans meet at Aurvanger to fight because of a perceived disagreement between their respective gods, Sigr and Thora. Eelyn watched her brother, Iri, die in battle, and now she wants to avenge him. But when she is attacked by Fiske, a Riki warrior, Iri steps in to save his sister: Iri has not only survived, but he has joined the enemy. Determined to figure out why Iri abandoned her clan, Eelyn seeks Fiske out on the battlefield and is taken prisoner. Once in the Riki village, Eelyn realizes that perhaps the two clans aren-t so dissimilar and begins to question the war. Young-s often poetic writing (-The cliff jutting up from the water like a wall. Green moss climbing down it in long, bright strands-) forms a stark juxtaposition with her vivid descriptions of battle and bloodshed, creating a clear picture of the brutality of war. Ages 12-up. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary. (Apr.)