In the sky, the fire spirits dance and ripple. Grandma says they showed our Tribe that I’d be a captain, before I was even born.
Ever since Ma died, Mouse has looked after her little brother, Sparrow, dreaming of her destiny as captain of the Huntress. But now Da’s missing, Sparrow is in danger, and a deathly cold is creeping across Trianukka . . .
Sea-churning, beast-chattering, dream-dancing, whale-riding, terrodyl-flying, world-saving adventure. The first book in a stunning new fantasy adventure trilogy, perfect for readers aged 9+ and fans of Philip Pullman, Piers Torday, Abi Elphinstone, Katherine Rundell and Frances Hardinge.
336 pages
I went into this blind, not sure what to expect. I knew it had been named the Children’s book of the month for Mach at Waterstones (a big UK book chain) so I had a feeling there must be something about it.
There was!
This is marketed as a book for 9-12 year olds, but as a woman close to turning 40, I can honestly say that it didn’t feel like a children’s book. I agree that it is suitable for that age range, but I really enjoyed it as an adult!
The characters were well created and fleshed out – with plenty of room left for more in the following 2 books. Mouse was particularly good, as she was struggling with regular 13 year old problems despite being in this fantastical world.
The story was exciting and quite fast paced. It read almost like a pirate story – really good fun and crazy adventuring to be had!
The only problem I had with it was the language, as there were some words being used that were invented. This was fine once I got used to it, and probably wouldn’t be an issue for younger readers, but it made the first part of the book quite slow to read for me as I was trying to assimilate the new world and creatures within it.
It also felt as though there was an inspiration from Norse mythology – which I LOVED!
Overall a great read, not just for kids – and with the ending as it was, I really cannot wait for the next one!
Received via Netgalley for review.
Finished April 10th 2017
You can buy the book here if you wish
Helly Reads 