Summary:
Freya has always felt like she's been cursed. First, she's had to spend her whole life with a secret. Then, she gets married off to a boor of a husband. Now? Her secret is out to the world – and everyone either wants to control her or kill her.
You see, Freya is the Shield Maiden – the one foretold to make a king capable of bringing all of Skaland together. This unity will come at the price of war, putting Freya's life in great danger. Unfortunately, her troubles do not end there.
Review:
I've been hearing so much about A Fate Inked in Blood, so when it popped up on BOTM, I knew I had to give it a chance. Honestly, though, the pull of Norse mythology would have been enough on its own.
If you love Norse mythology and creative retellings on the matter, you'll like A Fate Inked in Blood. It brings many of the gods into the picture in an indirect way. I enjoyed this take on the world, even if it was a bit darker than I expected (primarily thanks to how real the characters and their actions felt).
This book was different from what I expected. I loved the concept of the shield maiden right from the start, and that premise would have been strong enough without the added romantic plot (though I have no doubt people loved that arc!). It made for a lot happening on the pages.
But that ending left me so conflicted! On the one hand, it's tense and brilliant. On the other hand, it was so abrupt. I think I'll have to read the rest of the series just to see how it goes (I'm sure that was the intention).
Highlights:
High Fantasy
Norse Mythology
God Gifted-Cursed
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 9 April, 2024: Finished reading
- 9 April, 2024: Reviewed