Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young is a stand alone Viking book. I actually got this book through a book box when it was recently released. Which book box did I get it from? I have no idea, it was so long ago that I don’t remember. Since I was on an Adrienne Young kick, I figured it was about time that I picked Sky in the Deep up and finally read it. Like always, I will not have any spoilers for Sky in the Deep.
SPACE
Plot
Eelyn, a seventeen year old raised as a warrior, fights an ancient rivalry against the Riki with her Aska clan. She leads a brutal but simple life: fight and survive. However, that all changes when she witnesses the impossible: the brother she witnessed die five years ago fighting with the enemy.
Dealing with her brother’s betrayal, Eelyn now must endure the winter in the mountains in a Riki village, where everyone is an enemy and every scar one she may have given. However, when the Riki village is raided by a clan believed to be legend, Eelyn’s need to get back to her family grows immensely.
Now she is forced to trust her brother’s friend, Fiske, who views Eelyn as a threat. Together they must accomplish the impossible: bring their two clans to fight alongside each other, or be slaughtered. Moved by her love for her people and budding love for Fiske, Eelyn must rethink her definition of loyalty and family while boldly putting her faith in those she’s hated her whole life.
Review
First, Sky in the Deep is a Viking story and right up my alley. I’m very interested in Viking and Nordic history. Now, Sky in the Deep focuses mainly on the social and fighting aspects of Viking culture, with just a touch of their belief system. First, Eelyn is the main character we follow through Sky in the Deep. Despite acting like a typical defiant captive from the rival clan, Eelyn has soft spots in her warrior heart. Although Fiske sparks her anger, he brings out Eelyn’s softer side and shows her how they aren’t that different. As a result, Eelyn and Fiske take up the challenge of uniting their warring clans together to fight a common enemy. Not only that, but they must gain the acceptance of the Aska of not only Fiske and the Riki, but of Eelyn and Fiske’s relationship. They really are two halves of a whole.
Now the story itself. To start, I love Adrienne Young’s writing style and her stories. First positive for me is the amount of interaction that Eelyn had with Fiske, the love interest, and his clan. Normally in shorter fast paced stories, the romance is overly rushed and comes out of nowhere. The love story happens quickly, but there is a lot of interaction between the two and the growth feels natural. It doesn’t come out of nowhere. Next is how Eelyn interacts with the Riki clan and her personal growth to accept them and be accepted in return. Now, my preference for books is: around 600 plus pages, immense world building, drawn out relationships, and long series. However, I enjoy shorter books despite feeling way too fast paced. I wish for more story, but that’s my problem.
Favorite Quotes
““Vegr yfir fjor.” Honor above life.”
“She’s got fire in her blood, Fiske.”
“This kind of bond is formed when a soul is broken. It’s formed through pain, loss, and heartbreak.”
“Because it was the end. And at the end, life becomes precious.”
“Breathe fire.”
“Now it was my turn to make a choice. To choose him the way he’d chosen me.”
“”Yes, you do.” He pulled the hair back out of my face so he could look at me. “Like I belong to you.””
Star Rating: 
/5
Spice Rating: 0
/5
Add it to Your List: Add to your Goodreads
Snag a Copy: I will always suggest getting the hard cover, but buy in any format on Amazon
Interested in other books that I’ve read? Check out my other book reviews here!
