The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

SYNOPSIS

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future.

​She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? 

And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Synopsis from Goodreads

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PERSONAL REVIEW

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I adored Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young, so I was thrilled to find out that she had another book coming out set in the same world! Halvard was so young in Sky so it was really exciting to read about him as a leader and the roll he has been chosen to play in his community. I was also happy to have any opportunity to see how my other favourite characters were doing!

Loved Returning to This World
I was thrilled to jump back into this Viking-esque world and see some of the characters I had previously fallen in love with. Although Halvard doesn't spend much time with Eelyn, Fisk and the rest, it was really wonderful to find out what the Aska and Riki clans have been doing over the last 10 years and how they've merged into a new community. I loved Halvard's relationship with the other characters and how he's become a leader in this new community.
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Lack of Tova & Halvard Time 
One of the biggest disappointments (for me) of this book was the lack of time Tova and Halvard actually spend together. Although both of their stories are developed, we rarely get the opportunity to actually see them interact before the novel ends. While I'm a fan of Young's ability to build romantic tension with minimal conversation, The Girl really stretched that to the limit for me since it felt like Tova and Halvard spend maybe a total of one day in each other's company. It just wasn't enough time for me to fall in love with them as a couple.

Disconnected from Tova's Story 
While I enjoyed the mystery around Tova's ability, I felt really discounted from her as a character and found that I was usually more excited to read Halvard's chapters over hers. There just wasn't enough to hold my interest about her; she needs to stay under the radar for her own safety, but it seemed to lead to her being left in the shadows of the book as a whole. I think her potential is there, but it takes her too long to actually do anything for me to care about.

Overall, I enjoyed parts of The Girl the Sea Gave Back, even if the story as a whole didn't grab my attention as thoroughly as its predecessor. Young continues to impress with her world-building, but I didn't find myself connecting with all the characters in this book. That said, I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Sky in the Deep and want to see some of those characters again, or those who enjoy YA fantasy novels that are character-driven. The Girl the Sea Gave Back comes out September 3, 2019​!

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FINAL RATING: 3/5