Sky in the Deep

by,

Rating:

SPOILERS FOR DAYZZZZZ

Goodreads summary:

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.

Well, I am happy I decided to read this book- it kept my attention and I enjoyed Young’s writing style. I liked how the author took the time to describe the culture, tradition, and gods but the majority of the book was slow.

The Plot?

The story starts off with a battle, then slavery, and more battles, and then peace?

So the two opposing clans fight every 5 years because their gods hate each other. Eleyn has been trained her whole life to fight and she relishes the idea of destroying her enemy, the Riki.

But when Eleyn spots her brother in battle, Iri, who apparently died in battle, she chases after him and is kidnapped and becomes enslaved by the Riki.

Being a slave was obviously humiliating for her but she learns that the Riki were just like her and all the little hoos danced and lived happily-ever-after… well, not exactly. We learn that both clans have a common enemy and Eleyn and Fiske use that factor to urge the clans to fight together and bury the… hatchet… haha.

And then, all the little hoos lived happily-ever after.

My Opinion-Rant

I feel like the battles should have been expanded on rather than Eleyn’s life as a slave because it was pretty obvious that it was just a ploy for Eleyn to learn that the Riki are human too. And now that i think about, the whole reason the Clans were fighting one another was pretty stupid–your god said these people are awful and you are just going to keep on fighting and fighting foreverrrrrrrrrrr? Like when were they going to stop? How long were they fighting? DID NO ONE STOP and be like, “Hmmmmm this is pointless and I am tired of watching my loved ones die?”

What Grinded my Gears

The one thing that really made me not like the book was the romance or the lack of need for romance. I know what you are thinking–me, Mecca-Amirah who only reads books if there is an ounce of romance in it, did not like a book with romance? :0

But, it was not necessary. I know all YA novels need romance to sell but I honestly do not know when the romance began–before or after Fiske manhandled Eleyn for the 1000th time? Like I get it, he needed to play the part but I felt like all his actions toward her were forgiven because he has dreammmmmy eyes, no character buildup, and lack of personality. Like, sign meeee uppp!

I hate when the female character must forgive the sins of the romantic love interest, even when he is a complete jerk to her because he is cute and his life was a little rough. What are we showing these young, impressionable girls? I remember reading Twilight in Middle School and thought Edward Cullen watching Bella while she slept was sweet. Now, as an adult, I am terrified that the story was designed in a way to normalize stalking.

AND ONE MORE THING: Eleyn is bruised and battered the entire time yet everyone is in shock how pretty she is. I doubt anyone is that pretty with bruises all over and an infected wound. LIKe C’MON!

Other than that, a pretty solid story and a quick read. 3 Stars