The Girl the Sea Gave Back: A Novel (Sky and Sea, 2)

I read Sky in the Deep last year and absolutely loved it, so I definitely couldn't wait for this book to continue the story of Halvard and his family. This book is best read after Sky in the Deep, but it can also be read as a standalone.Tova came from the sea in a boat that washed up on the shore of the Svell lands. When Jorrund, a respected leader of the Svell, finds out that she can cast rune stones and predict the future, he brings her back to the village and takes care of her so the village can use her ability to their advantage. When the stone casting spells certain death for the Svell, they decide to attack the combined villages of Riki and Aska, now called the Nadhir, in the largest village of Hylli to steal away their land. Tova disagrees, but feels powerless to stop the Svell until she meets Halvard, the heir apparent chieftain to the Nadhir people. Somehow, they feel like their fates are intertwined, and they may have to work together in order to prevent more bloodshed.Being able to return to this unique, sharply atmospheric world was a pleasure. The writing was so realistic and the descriptions were so detailed that I could almost smell the salt air and the moist earth, feel the cold wind on my face, hear the clang of axes, and see the events unfolding before me. Adrienne Young's books have now become an insta-buy for me because her writing has taken on a life of its own. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gritty, realistic fantasy. I cannot wait to read Adrienne's next book!I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, and I purchased a beautiful hardcover from Amazon. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sky in the Deep was one of my favorite reads of 2018. It was so refreshing and original....how many YA Viking books are out there? So of course, I did everything I could to trade for a copy of Adrienne Young's follow-up novel, The Girl the Sea Gave Back. Then, of course, I heard such mixed reviews and was so nervous to start it...but I loved Sky so much, I pushed myself to ignore what others thought and determine for myself and I am so glad I did!Let me start by saying that TGTSGB is very different from Sky in the Deep. Sky is a plot-driven story in which the point, at least in my opinion, was to tell a story. TGTSGB isn't. It's a character-driven story that is about two Viking characters whose story comes to remind readers of the power of hope and fate. I won't say anything else at the risk of spoiling, but I think it's really important to get that point across because if you go in expecting another Sky in the Deep, you're going to be disappointed and miss out on how wonderful a novel TGTSGB really is.The other thing I want to address is that TGTSGB is marketed as a standalone. And it is true, you can read it without having read Sky in the Deep. HOWEVER! I do think reading Sky first does provide some more detailed information that makes it easier to understand the background presented in TGTSGB. Adrienne does a great job of writing it out again, but much like reading the Grisha books can help give you a better background for Six of Crows, so too will reading Sky in the Deep first give you a better understanding for this novel. Plus, as with most secondary books set in the same world, there are spoilers left and right in TGTSGB for Sky in the Deep so if you don't want to be spoiled, I suggest reading Sky first.All of that being said, I really really enjoyed this book! As usual, Adrienne's writing is gripping and interesting and her Viking background is genuine...or at least, genuine compared to what I've seen on the History channel's Vikings show lol. Halvard and Tova are two intriguing characters that make you feel like a part of the story, of their lives. While Sky in the Deep may have been more gripping because of the plot, this book has only reaffirmed my love for all things Adrienne Young!My rating: 3.5 stars Favorite Quote: "Sometimes, it's the most destructive storm that brings life."

This duology is so much fun. A Viking style fantasy adventure that hits all the right spots of war, family, love, and mystery. So great! The author writes the best battle scenes! Loved it!

Adrienne Young is awesome, and she created an introspective story based in the world of her previous book, Sky in the Deep. It is NOT a continuation of the main characters. Not really anyway. Kind of. But not.It's hard not to compare The Girl the Sea Gave Back to SITD because it IS in the same place, just a different, later time, and because SITD was a book I thought about for daysss after I finished reading it, it was so good. It's hard not to compare to something like that, which is why I gave Girl the Sea Gave Back only 3 stars. It's probably not fair because it was very good and worth reading.This book felt like more inner observations and turmoils (which were detailed and so well-written) and less dialogue, and no banter. It was quite serious most times, and I could resonate with the struggles of what the characters were feeling because it was so deep. I was missing the breadth of the story that SITD had.I didn't like:-the timeframe of the story, it all happened wayyy fast-the main characters' special connection even though they were trying to kill each other basically the whole time (although the connection was compelling and I wanted to see them interact more)I liked:-it was very descriptive and the story I found beautifully written-the introspection of the characters, made me feel what they were feeling-Halvard's rising to meet his calling-action-packed battle scenesI am looking forward to reading Fable! I hope the storyline has more breadth AND depth like SITD, and that the way the main characters are feeling toward each other is developed more fully. Adrienne Young has such a talent for making your heart twist and jump and you feel like you're actually living in her carefully crafted world.Worth buying and reading for sure! I wish I could give it like, a 3.7, but I just can't justify rounding up to give the full 4 stars.

Very well written, great book!

Pela primeira vez, resolvi me aventurar na Era Viking e me surpreendi bastante. O livro é muito bem escrito, os personagens são sensacionais e a maneira como eles amadurecem, é mais incrível ainda. Amei a ambientação da história, em como a natureza estava sempre tão presente, o toque místico e o suspense que me deixava ainda mais ansiosa para entender tudo.O livro é muito bom! Recomendo 💖

Espero poder empezar a leerlo pronto, lo único que puedo decir es que llego un poco golpeado pero no se nota mucho, en lo demás es perfecto.

The Girl The Sea Gave Back; to put it quite simply was brilliant! A true Viking feeling moment of history made to feel so real by the writing and the heart of our two main characters Halvard & Tova.This book is written from two different perspectives, of two people on the same timeline but you can always tell whose talking or thinking, whether you’re in a flashback or coming up to this persons turn of the future.This book wasn’t very long at all and somehow you took in two characters life stories without being overwhelmed!What I was most apprehensive about was the battle scenes I knew was coming; war was a huge foundation and direction for all these characters that I was worried by the time we finally got to it, it would be anti climatic or so many people would be fighting if mentally lose track of whose who! I’ll be honest, twice I reread a few lines to be safe I was understanding the angle of an eye sight or the direction of an arrow but the drum pounding of Viking battle was completely there!This is an era of history that’s very important to me, I think that hugely helped with certain aspects of the story, but I do think an open minded historical fiction loving person will appreciate it to, or even just the avid fan of insanely brilliant writing!I went through so many emotions with each character throughout this book, felt the pain, the joy and the sea salt on my lips!I’ve been waiting to have more Vikings or Viking-esque moments in the fantasies and historical YA’s I read and this book just felt like I opened it and it’s first words were just ‘For you’.I truly feel like I have a love hangover from these characters and I think I had made up my mind I’d feel that way about this book pretty early on!It’s an adventure, it’s family and it’s war!

The Girl the Sea Gave Back is apparently the sequel to Sky in the Deep but can also be read as a standalone novel since the most important things from Sky in the Deep are summarized and retold. Also the main protagonists of The Girl the Sea Gave Back are different from the ones in Sky in the Deep.Protagonists are Tova, a Kyrr truthtongue washed ashore the Svell territory as a young girl and Halvard, future chieftain of the Nadhir, formerly known as the Aska and Riki. Fate has woven their destinies together in an upcoming war only the two of them can change in the outcome.The story is told in changing perspectives from both Tova and Halvard while also giving background in flashback chapters where both of their pasts are explored. The style is heavy but also very tempting that makes it possible to dive into the whole plot without noticing it. The theme of an upcoming war because of smoldering anger and negative feelings is a charming alternative to a love driven plot, the side plot of the Spinners who are responsible for the fate of everyone and everything gives the book a magical and mystical touch while also connecting it to the Norse Mythology.Tova, as a truthtongue, can read the runes she casts and tell the future the Spinners are holding while also being aware that the future isn't a fixed construct and can always be influenced by the present. Which is represented as Halvard, who is among the generation of Nadhir being raised mostly in peace not war and who is confronted with the responsibility of becoming the chieftain of his people after the old one dies while trying to maintain peace with the Svell - who started the war with attacking a Nadhir village. Tova and Halvard both realize that fate has woven their destinies together leading Tova to become independent of the people she used to live with and who used her while Halvard becomes more and more responsible, wise and decisive about his tasks as a young chieftain.All characters presented in the book are fleshed out and have a depth which benefits the whole narrative. The development of Tova and Halvard is portrayed in a parallel manner since the chapters are told in change in their perspectives. But also the non main characters are all well written, with strengths and weaknesses, logical reason and backgrounds who make them more believable. Another charming addition is the fact that the plot isn't love story driven but focused on the upcoming war and the development of Tova and her past and Halvard and his future. Of course the love story is hinted at but just at the end and not the main focus of the story.Lovely side characters as Kjeld - the only other Kyrr on the whole territory of the Svell and the Nadhir - and Gunther - the silent warrior who helped Tova - make the whole reading experience into a refreshing while also heavy and dark time. The finale is a bit driven by an overuse of ex machina and it nearly tips the whole setting and mood of the story but with the open end it is still balanced out.All in all the whole book is a round thing with almost nothing to complain about and if it was something it would be on a high level which does not fall into the rating of the book. The new interpretation of known Norse Mythology combined with unique and deep characters in full development of their own selves in the midst of an upcoming war which could end the lives the knew until then is a great reading experience and although it is a sequel it doesn't feel in the slightest like one and can be read as a standalone novel.