fantasy
Set in a land created by and devoted to the Norse gods, a
new mother curses the population with no female babies born until her son grows
to save the people.
Amy Harmon does it again with a fun fantasy novel. I loved the world as she laid it out in The First Girl Child and I
found the story and characters charming. She based the framework in Norse mythology and clan politics but made it her own. This novel is very different from all the
other novels of Harmon’s that I’ve read and she is constantly amazing me at her
diverse repertoire.
While much about the outcome is easy to guess, I really
enjoyed riding the waves and watching everything play out. You’ve gotta love
brave, intelligent, humble characters set against an evil ruler. Harmon’s creativity was on full display when
it came to the characters and their situations.
If you enjoy royal fantasy and good vs. evil, you’ll enjoy
this book.
fantasy
As a blind youngster, Hod is left in the care of the temple
keepers by his ill mother. The Highest Keeper recognizes the child’s affinity
with runes and is sure his appearance was prophesized. He entrusts Hod’s care
and upbringing to a keeper who lives in a remote cave location. When Hod is a
teenager, Ghisla is washed up on the beach near his home. She is the sole
survivor of her people who died from illness. She is a “songer” and Hod is
amazed that he can see in his mind the things about which she sings. However, Hod’s
guardian feels that Ghisla’s singing distracts Hod too much and he sends her to
the Temple Mount to serve as one of the six daughters of Freya. What will
happen to Ghisla? Will Hod ever see her again?
The events in The Second Blind Son take place at the same
time as those in the first novel in the series and are
also based on Norse Mythology. However, while many characters and situations
are referenced from the first novel, this one focuses on Ghisla (aka Liis, a
minor character in The First Girl Child) and Hod (a brand new character). Their
story has its own joys and tribulations and is just as gripping as the first
novel in the series. The overlaps are
perfectly crafted yet this novel is certainly good enough to stand on its own.
It’s full of danger, uncertainty, warring clans, prophecies, and friendship.
I fell in love with the characters Amy Harmon created. She
is such an outstanding storyteller and I couldn’t help but care for her
characters and their worlds. It would be easy for Harmon to continue this
series, focusing on different people with future novels. I would gladly read
them.
The audiobook narrator, Rob Shapiro, was fabulous! His voice acting was perfect and he had a decent
repertoire of different voices. He imbued so much personality into the
characters and so much compassion into their situations, he made the novel even
better than I could have read it to myself. A+!
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