Sky in the Deep

By: Adrienne Young

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In her highly-anticipated debut audiobook, Adrienne Young brings to life a lush, vivid world that will enchant listeners everywhere. Sky in the Deep is mythic in scope and speaks straight to the heart.

Raised to be a warrior, 17-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: train to fight and fight to survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield - her brother, fighting with the enemy - the brother she watched die five years ago.

Eelyn loses her focus and is captured. Now, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan settling in the valley, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother's friend. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family to find a way to forgive her brother while daring to put her faith in the people she's spent her life hating.

This epic audiobook adventure will transport listeners to a distant time and place, but the characters themselves will seem like old familiar friends.

"Fearless in its exploration of family, forgiveness, loyalty, and love, Sky in the Deep is fierce, vivid, and violently beautiful. This book will wage a war with your heart as brutal and as bold as the battles inked in its pages." (Stephanie Garber, New York Times best-selling author of Caraval)

©2018 Adrienne Young (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Young’s often poetic writing forms a stark juxtaposition with her vivid descriptions of battle and bloodshed, creating a clear picture of the brutality of war." (Publishers Weekly)

"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." (Kirkus)

Finally a book where the main character isn’t the chosen one!

I got this book on a whim. It was in every bookstagram post, booktube video, and subscription box. So it had to be good right?
It was so much better then just “good”. I didn’t know what this book would turn into. It always kept me guessing. And like the header said, the main character wasn’t the chosen one and that makes my heart soar.

Beautiful story…

I LOVED this narration. Although I understand that she does not necessarily sound as young as the protagonist, her performance is one of the best I have heard to date in an audiobook. Beautifully done. This quickly became my favorite book this year.

I enjoyed it

This was a good book. It was a lot of "meat" and not much sides, but it was short and entertaining. I'm glad to have stumbled upon it.

Beautiful Story..

An easy listen, with a great narrator, captivating characters and a well developed, world. I loved listening to this book and look forward to future works by this author.

One of my favorite reads this year!

I loved this book so much. It's one of my favorite reads this year. Actually, it's one of my favorite reads of all times. It's so different and so immersive!

Love

I loved this book. The story was great, I enjoyed the characters and setting, I felt like I was there. I could see them. It’s impressive to have such a power in a book that isn’t 30 hours long. The performance was excellent. Exactly what I needed it to be.

Amazing

The story drags you in and under and into their amazing world. I loved all of the characters and enjoyed the gritty realism along with the slow-growing romance. The only issue I had with the story is that it felt like it would have been better served as two books instead of one. I spent most of the ending of the book waiting for the cliffhanger for the next book. What I didn't expect was for it to all fizzle out into its ending, which I felt was rather weak. The lead up to the climatic battle scene felt contrived.

I think it would have worked better to have the realization of love end the book and then having the 2nd book about creating peace between two people. The way it was done didn't really feel natural, it felt like the author needed an ending and this was all she could come up with. Overall though, it was a great book and the main character was so raw and amazing that I definitely see myself listening all over again.

Extraordinary

I loved this book so much. I felt like I was there. There was heartbreak, adventure and just enough romance. I loved the narrator and would listen to her again and again.

Solid Book

Eelyn has been raised to fight the Riki since she was a child. Her hatred for the Riki has only burned hotter since they killed her older brother five years ago, but then Eelyn sees a ghost on the battlefield—her supposedly dead brother. She is captured by the Riki and forced to become their slave, and Eelyn discovers that her brother is alive and fighting for the wrong side. Now, Eelyn must trust Fiske, the warrior who has somehow become her brother’s best friend.

The narration performed by Khristine Hvam was passable. Her pronunciation was helpful in understanding Norse vocabulary, and her character voices were varied enough to keep the listener engaged.

The novel has a promising start with its opening chapter set on a battlefield. However, once Eelyn is captured, the writing and plot becomes stagnated. I was unable to discern the motivation behind certain characters, and found it difficult to sympathize with Eelyn’s brother. The action does pick up towards the end of the novel, and yet I was still disinterested because I was not invested in the characters’ fate. Aside from the ambling plot and characters the world building was exemplary, the Viking backdrop was definitely researched down from the food and clothes to how Vikings wage war. Sky In the Deep is for anyone who is interested in immersing themselves in Norse history.

Great quick read!

I absolutely loved this book! However the beginning was a little rushed I wish there could have been a little more character development and I wish it was a series but if your looking for a good quick read I highly recommend.