ARC Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Title: Sky in the Deep
Author: Adrienne Young
Series: none
Genre: young adult, historical, fantasy

A 2018 Most Anticipated Young Adult book that is part Wonder Woman, part Vikings—and all heart.

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and 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.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, 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 thought to be a legend, 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, who sees her as a threat. 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 while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

“THIS IS A GRIPPING STORY, RICHLY TOLD.” —Renée Ahdieh, New York Times bestselling author of Flame in the Mist
"FIERCE, VIVID, AND VIOLENTLY BEAUTIFUL.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
“A STUNNING DEBUT” —Roshani Chokshi, New York Timesbestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen
“BLEAK BEAUTIFUL AND DEADLY” —Traci Chee, New York Times bestselling author of The Reader
“WHOLLY UNIQUE AND INSTANTLY ADDICTIVE” —Kerri Maniscalco, New York Times bestselling author of Hunting Prince Dracula
“HEARTRENDING, HEART-MENDING” —Kayla Olson, bestselling author of Sandcastle Empire

Amazon US | Amazon UK

SANDY’S REVIEW

*4 Breathe Fire stars*

This book was a pleasant surprise! Being her first book Ms. Young captives her readers into the world of warriors, where blood, loyalty, and survival are the ethical bases of their tribe. Sky in the Deep is a well-written and a well-balanced story with rich description, complex characters, strong emotional connections, violence, and deep-rooted morals.

This story takes us on the journey of young Aska girl, Eelyn who was groomed her entire life to be a ruthless warrior. Losing her brother Iri, in the battle against theRiki tribe five years ago, she is more than determined to kill any Riki she comes across in the battlefield. Now, In the middle of a bloody war, she sees the ghost of her brother and starts chasing him. This chase leads her to discover the truth of her brother, not only is he alive but she is baffled to find out Iri is now a Riki, her sworn enemy.

Being captured, broken, betrayed and away from home, Eelyn’s life will be thrown out of its axis once she becomes a slave to Iri’s adopted Riki family. She is stuck between love for her brother and his betrayal to her clan. What follows once Eelyn becomes a prisoner living with the enemy is the heart and soul of this story. This is where the author shines as a storyteller.

“I could still see a young Eelyn standing on the beach turned into the wind, a sword in one hand and an axe in the other.
I hadn’t lost her.
I hadn’t buried her.
I’d only let her change into something new.”

Ms. Young seamlessly captures the struggle of Eelyn throughout the story. I wish the ending wasn’t as rushed. I wanted a different perspective of the story as we a have primary characters from rival clans keeping their hatred aside and uniting for a good cause.

Overall, it was quick and a compelling story.

ARC provided by the publisher, St Martin’s Press via NetGalley, for an honest review*