Odin's Child

BySiri Pettersen,Siân Mackie(Translator),

BySiri Pettersen,Siân Mackie(Translator),+1 more

2013 • 519 pages

Ratings8

Average rating3.8

An epic fantasy trilogy about thousand-year-old secrets, forbidden romance, and what happens to those who make a deal with the devil at last comes to the U.S. after taking European audiences by storm. 15-year-old Hirka has always been an outsider in the world of Ym: she’s the only person without a tail, and the only one unable to access the Might, a current of power that runs through the earth. Her differences become more and more of a concern as the date approaches for the Rite—the ceremony where everyone is to be blessed by the all-knowing Seer and the Council of powerful families who rule in His name. With only a few weeks until the Rite, Hirka discovers the shocking secret behind why she is tailless and Mightless: she is not from this world. As an infant, she was brought here through an ancient stone circle known as a Raven Ring. As long as she’s in Ym, the passageway between worlds remains open, and terrifyingcreatures called the blind may follow. No one can know the truth of Hirka’s identity, especially not Rime, her childhood friend who just might become something more... Rime, meanwhile, has secrets of his own. Born into one of the most powerful families in Ym, he has refused to inherit his grandmother’s seat on the Council and has instead pledged himself to become one of the Kolkagga—assassins who kill in the name of the Seer. He suspects the Council of being selfish and manipulative, but even he can’t fathom the depths of their corruption, or how far they will go to hold on to power. When Hirka runs away to a rebel region rather than reveal her true self to the Council, and Rime is sent to track her down, they uncover a shocking web of lies that could spell the end—not only of their lives, but of the entirety of Ym.

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Series

Featured Series

3 primary books

#1 in Ravneringene

Ravneringene is a 3-book series with 3 released primary works first released in 2013 with contributions by Siri Pettersen.

Popular Reviews

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Jordan

First, thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a young woman named Hirka. She has grown up her whole life believing her tail was taken by wolves when she was a baby. One day, her father reveals that her life is not as it seems. In a world run by a Council who work for the Seer, and where ravens are holy symbols, Hirka must discover who she is and what she can do to stop the coming war.

The premise of this book was unique and interesting. It set a very dark tone from the beginning. However, I think the pacing was off throughout a lot of the book. There were multiple times where I would get confused about what was going on because I felt like we had time jumped without any preamble or explanation. I am still confused on a lot of the magic system. It's never fully explained what the Might is or how it's used. I was waiting for something to happen that would make it make sense, but it never came. I'm not sure if these problems are because this book wasn't originally written in English, so things might have been lost in translation, but it made some of my reading experience jarring at times. This made the middle of the book feel very boring at times. The beginning drew me in, and then it felt like it took a long time for me to get interested again.

I really enjoy Hirka and Rime as characters. I especially enjoyed their character development throughout the novel. They both started as naïve children who were forced to grow up pretty quickly. Their ending was a HUGE cliffhanger, and this alone is making me want to read the sequel.

Overall, the premise of this book is strong, and the characters are complex and interesting. However, the pacing is very weird and can definitely draw you out of the story for a bit.

TW: sexual assault, sexual harassment, violence, drug use, suicide

March 10, 2021

Melly

Absolutely fantastic. The story has amazing pacing especially for a large book. The problems and ways they are faced feel authentic. The plot kept me feeling like I knew more than the main character... and then realizing I knew nothing at all.
It was such a clever way to introduce Norse Mytholodgy espeically from a different view than I've had it before at least. I feel so grateful this was translated over. It is one of my favorite books now, and I can hardly wait to go read the rest of the series.

If you enjoy fantasy with both political intrigue and action along with mytholodgy and retellings... check this one out!

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