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Skane #1
A Shiver of Snow and Sky
The sky speaks on the frozen island of Skane. Beautiful lights appear and their colours have meaning: Green means all is well, blue means a snowstorm is coming. And then there's red: Rare. A warning. When the sky last shone red, a terrible plague came to the island - this time around, can our heroine Osa prevent so many lives being lost again?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2017
73 people are currently reading
4848 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
December 17, 2018
"In mountains tall,
where snow falls deep,
the shadows crawl,
the demons sleep.
The giants stalk,
the misty ways,
where darkness walks,
through night and day.
Beware the hills,
beware the peaks,
where night time kills,
and mountains speak."
4.5 ⭐️
YES! This was so flipping great you guys! Magic, winter, monsters, mythology. A new genre I didn't even know existed until I read some one else's review. Polar Fantasy - now one of my new fave genres :D
Osa lives in a tiny village on the island of Skane with her nasty sister and hard, unfeeling father, her only escape being her best friend Ivar (heck yeah best friend trope - my fave!)
Skane is a magical place, not least because the sky frequently changes colour. When the sky turns deep red, the village is filled with terror - the last time this happened a terrible illness swept the island and killed hundreds.
When Ivar and Osa are out exploring and are ambushed by two Or creatures that reminded me quite a bit of the White Walkers from GOT, they realise things are about to get a whole lot worse.
Osa decides to speak to the Goddess, to ask for her help, to save her village. So she begins a perilous journey through the mountains facing giants, snow drifts and numerous other monsters and dangers. I love me a good journey story, so this was so fun to read about.
Overall, a magical tale of overcoming the odds and battling the elements, with some violence and darkness involved as well.
Highly recommend!
"There was a place in this world for the daydreamers and the souls who dared to believe that stories were more than just words that froze in the air."
where snow falls deep,
the shadows crawl,
the demons sleep.
The giants stalk,
the misty ways,
where darkness walks,
through night and day.
Beware the hills,
beware the peaks,
where night time kills,
and mountains speak."
4.5 ⭐️
YES! This was so flipping great you guys! Magic, winter, monsters, mythology. A new genre I didn't even know existed until I read some one else's review. Polar Fantasy - now one of my new fave genres :D
Osa lives in a tiny village on the island of Skane with her nasty sister and hard, unfeeling father, her only escape being her best friend Ivar (heck yeah best friend trope - my fave!)
Skane is a magical place, not least because the sky frequently changes colour. When the sky turns deep red, the village is filled with terror - the last time this happened a terrible illness swept the island and killed hundreds.
When Ivar and Osa are out exploring and are ambushed by two Or creatures that reminded me quite a bit of the White Walkers from GOT, they realise things are about to get a whole lot worse.
Osa decides to speak to the Goddess, to ask for her help, to save her village. So she begins a perilous journey through the mountains facing giants, snow drifts and numerous other monsters and dangers. I love me a good journey story, so this was so fun to read about.
Overall, a magical tale of overcoming the odds and battling the elements, with some violence and darkness involved as well.
Highly recommend!
"There was a place in this world for the daydreamers and the souls who dared to believe that stories were more than just words that froze in the air."
December 8, 2020
I really underestimated this one. I was intrigued years ago, but passed it up thinking I’d never get round to reading it until I picked it up on a whim a few days ago. I fell into this story SO easily!
The writing style in this is beautiful. Not in a flowery descriptive way, but just in a way that uses words not often used in everyday conversation, and yet still sounds completely natural to the character. It flowed so nicely, and worked particularly well as an audiobook because it was just so lovely even when the content itself proved brutal. That contrast was striking, and something that is often missed when attempted in books.
The alternating perspectives seemed to fit together seamlessly, keeping pace with one another despite straying down completely different routes. At no point did I favour one over the other, or think one a tad too slow because all the action was happening in the previous chapter. They worked together really nicely, and with a combination of imminent battles and celestial magic, it won me over quickly.
I really do think this is an incredible example of YA fantasy done well. It feels fairytalesque and is set in a Nordic (I think specifically Scandinavian) inspired world, with the lore behind it all subtly showing through. That, combined with the writing style and general sense of “tale as old as time” storytelling, just proved to be a fab combination and a book that really pleasantly surprised me.
CW: suicide, mutilation
The writing style in this is beautiful. Not in a flowery descriptive way, but just in a way that uses words not often used in everyday conversation, and yet still sounds completely natural to the character. It flowed so nicely, and worked particularly well as an audiobook because it was just so lovely even when the content itself proved brutal. That contrast was striking, and something that is often missed when attempted in books.
The alternating perspectives seemed to fit together seamlessly, keeping pace with one another despite straying down completely different routes. At no point did I favour one over the other, or think one a tad too slow because all the action was happening in the previous chapter. They worked together really nicely, and with a combination of imminent battles and celestial magic, it won me over quickly.
I really do think this is an incredible example of YA fantasy done well. It feels fairytalesque and is set in a Nordic (I think specifically Scandinavian) inspired world, with the lore behind it all subtly showing through. That, combined with the writing style and general sense of “tale as old as time” storytelling, just proved to be a fab combination and a book that really pleasantly surprised me.
CW: suicide, mutilation
June 17, 2023
2.5 ⭐
I'm gonna be completely honest- this was not good 😬😬 I really wanted it to be a great underrated fantasy and it had sm potential, but it just didn't hit. I'm so disappointed... 😒🥲
“There was a place in this world for the daydreamers and the souls who dared to believe in the things they couldn’t see. For those who believed that stories were more than just words that froze in the air.”
A Shiver of Snow and Sky follows our mc Osa, who lives on the frozen island of Skane where the sky speaks. Lights appear and their different colours convey meaning to the people below- green meaning all is well, Blue meaning there's a big snowstorm coming and red, which is a warning. Red appeared in the sky 17 years ago when Osa was born and a deadly plague killed hundreds of villagers. And now the red lights are back....
“Fear is a beast that haunts darkest of nights
And swallows our minds one by one
But hope is a light that takes root in the heart
And can grow to be strong as the sun”
This seemed so good- the premise seemed really interesting and I was excited to give an underrated book a try. But it blew up in my face bc this wasn't my favourite at all.... 🙈🙈
Despite not enjoying it overall, there were some things I enjoyed so let's start with that. I must say that the vibes of this book were definitely there- I love a good atmospheric fantasy and this delivered on that! 🤩 The wintry vibes were great and really made me feel like i was in the world of this book ❄❤ I really liked that. I also felt like it wrapped up decently- it was a pretty good climax and I liked the ending enough 😊
However, the rest of the book wasn't as good. Let's just get into it:
➳ One thing I have realised is that if I don't like the writing, then reading the book is just an unpleasant experience. And this writing.... *winces* 😬😬😬 I didn't like it. For me it just felt so clunky almost and unpolished that reading it was just not that enjoyable 🙈🙈 It felt very bland and for me that was just a big no 🥲
➳ I literally didn't care about any of the characters 🙄🙄 Osa was such a bland mc- I never connected to her and found rooting for her difficult. None of the side characters were good either- I disliked Anneka and Osa's father intensely and Ivar was kinda... just there??? 😑😑 Yeah they were all so underdeveloped ☹
➳ The plot also wasn't my fave. Something about it didn't flow well at all and i just found myself so uninterested. Also, the blurb makes it seem like the plague returning was the main conflict and that... didn't happen at all?? I was so annoyed about that 🙈🙈
➳ The romance- why was it even in here?! The chemistry wasn't there AT ALL and it felt so forced 🙈 I must admit I prefer fantasy books with romance to ones that don't have romance, but if you can't write romance then just don't include it 🙄 *sigh*
“There was a solace in a snow-laden forest wrapped in night found nowhere else, a loneliness that made me better acquainted with myself.”
Overall, yeahhhhh.... it wasn't great ☹☹ Tbh i should've DNFed and i probably wouldn't recommend it, but pick it up I guess if you want:
✔ Winter vibes
✔ Decent ending
✔ Something underrated i guess
I'm still so disappointed that it was such a flop 😭😭
《 2023 Challenge: Book 76 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeahhhh.... it's a no from me 😬😬
I saw the potential in this book and really wanted to love it, but it just did not deliver 😭😭
RTC!
I'm gonna be completely honest- this was not good 😬😬 I really wanted it to be a great underrated fantasy and it had sm potential, but it just didn't hit. I'm so disappointed... 😒🥲
“There was a place in this world for the daydreamers and the souls who dared to believe in the things they couldn’t see. For those who believed that stories were more than just words that froze in the air.”
A Shiver of Snow and Sky follows our mc Osa, who lives on the frozen island of Skane where the sky speaks. Lights appear and their different colours convey meaning to the people below- green meaning all is well, Blue meaning there's a big snowstorm coming and red, which is a warning. Red appeared in the sky 17 years ago when Osa was born and a deadly plague killed hundreds of villagers. And now the red lights are back....
“Fear is a beast that haunts darkest of nights
And swallows our minds one by one
But hope is a light that takes root in the heart
And can grow to be strong as the sun”
This seemed so good- the premise seemed really interesting and I was excited to give an underrated book a try. But it blew up in my face bc this wasn't my favourite at all.... 🙈🙈
Despite not enjoying it overall, there were some things I enjoyed so let's start with that. I must say that the vibes of this book were definitely there- I love a good atmospheric fantasy and this delivered on that! 🤩 The wintry vibes were great and really made me feel like i was in the world of this book ❄❤ I really liked that. I also felt like it wrapped up decently- it was a pretty good climax and I liked the ending enough 😊
However, the rest of the book wasn't as good. Let's just get into it:
➳ One thing I have realised is that if I don't like the writing, then reading the book is just an unpleasant experience. And this writing.... *winces* 😬😬😬 I didn't like it. For me it just felt so clunky almost and unpolished that reading it was just not that enjoyable 🙈🙈 It felt very bland and for me that was just a big no 🥲
➳ I literally didn't care about any of the characters 🙄🙄 Osa was such a bland mc- I never connected to her and found rooting for her difficult. None of the side characters were good either- I disliked Anneka and Osa's father intensely and Ivar was kinda... just there??? 😑😑 Yeah they were all so underdeveloped ☹
➳ The plot also wasn't my fave. Something about it didn't flow well at all and i just found myself so uninterested. Also, the blurb makes it seem like the plague returning was the main conflict and that... didn't happen at all?? I was so annoyed about that 🙈🙈
➳ The romance- why was it even in here?! The chemistry wasn't there AT ALL and it felt so forced 🙈 I must admit I prefer fantasy books with romance to ones that don't have romance, but if you can't write romance then just don't include it 🙄 *sigh*
“There was a solace in a snow-laden forest wrapped in night found nowhere else, a loneliness that made me better acquainted with myself.”
Overall, yeahhhhh.... it wasn't great ☹☹ Tbh i should've DNFed and i probably wouldn't recommend it, but pick it up I guess if you want:
✔ Winter vibes
✔ Decent ending
✔ Something underrated i guess
I'm still so disappointed that it was such a flop 😭😭
《 2023 Challenge: Book 76 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeahhhh.... it's a no from me 😬😬
I saw the potential in this book and really wanted to love it, but it just did not deliver 😭😭
RTC!
December 18, 2017
This book was so atmospheric and detailed with the world-building. It felt like an actual quest with stakes and obstacles and general adventure! Although there were some slow moments, the threatening battle and temple scenes made up for it. There was also something interesting going on with narrative, using both first and third person, and including flashbacks and songs. It switched up the pace and always kept me interested. If you like wintery or very legend based fantasy, this is the one for you!
November 4, 2018
It’s no secret that I am a fan of polar fantasy, and it baffles me, how I had this gorgeous book sat on my shelf for so long, with absolutely no idea that it was a polar fantasy. How did I miss that? Look at the cover! Look at the title! What was I thinking?! Anyway, I’ve made that discovery now, and am so pleased that I got around to reading this. It was beautiful.
This book takes place on a snowy island, where the sky glows with certain colours to demonstrate the Goddesses feelings. Through years of watching the lights, the people of the island have come to learn that the red lights offer warning for an inevitable plague that will sweep through their population, killing many. But there’s another threat to the island, lurking beyond the horizon.
“Red, red, the lights glow red. Beware the danger up ahead.”
Our main character is the headstrong Osa, who has a really poor relationship with her father and sister, but a strong loyalty to her people and an eagerness to do all she can to help. I admired Osa as a character, despite the hostility she’s been subject to, her courage doesn’t falter, her determination to help her people always drives her forward. Her love, knowledge and understanding of the stars was also admirable, and I enjoyed how this was woven into the story. Osa was underestimated at every turn, but never gave up. She was a strong, believable, and admirable female protagonist.
Accompanying Osa with a lead role is her best friend, Ivan. Ivan was a sweetheart, that’s the best way to put it. Ivan cared for Osa, that much was clear, and was very possibly the only person who ever believed in her. Their friendship was so pure, his desire to protect her, but strength to let her go on and protect herself was admirable, he never stood in her way. Ivan’s character stood on his own too through, as an intelligent man and strong protector of his people. I enjoyed the fact that this strong ‘warrior’ type was also the character to decipher old languages to tell stories and warnings, this flipped the architype on its head.
Now let’s talk about my favourite part, the atmosphere. Give me an atmosphere like this one any day and I will be happy. I adored the atmosphere we had here, and a decent portion of that comes from how immersed I felt in the setting of this story. We know I have a weakness for polar fantasy, and the execution of it here was done so incredibly well. This could potentially be one of my favourite polar fantasy atmospheres. The eeriness of the mountains was carried through so nicely, contrasting with the stark beauty of it, and lurking at every edge was an imminent threat, blended together, I was entirely captivated. I don’t want to spoil anything, but a certain something that lurked in those mountains added something so spectacular to the atmosphere, music wouldn’t necessarily be expected, but it was so very welcome.
In a way, I feel like I’ve seen the basis of this plot done before, but this novel did it so right, with some fantastic additions and twists. ‘Girl leaves family to go on dangerous mission to save her people’ sure does sound familiar, it seems to be a base plot of a lot of fantasy novels! But let’s add into that the will of the goddess being shown in lights in the sky, a snowy mountain adventure full of tension, a set of unexpected and completely suspenseful trials (the second one had my heart physically racing), the importance of the stars, a romance that wasn’t forced at you or a main plot point, and an ice dragon (yeah that’s right, AN ICE DRAGON). There were so many aspects to this story that I fell in love with, and despite that typical base, the plot ended up being quite original, I loved it.
Nothing particular about the writing style of this novel boldly stood out to me for any reason, it wasn’t overly flamboyant, but it definitely was atmospheric. Lueddecke definitely has a very visual way of writing, her descriptions were certainly very vivid to me, fully immersing me in the scene, world and story overall. The writing all flowed very nicely, there were no unnatural breaks in the story, which helped me to fly through this book very quickly, which I always appreciate.
Upon reflection, the one tiny thing that sort of irked me about this novel was the relationship Osa had with her father and sister, I understand it, and at the time of reading it didn’t actively bother me, but that hostility bothers me now. I’m a little tired of seeing these sorts of relationships in fantasy novels, I want characters whose parents support them in their life threatening adventures, where can I find those?!
If you couldn’t tell already, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. We all know how much I adore Polar Fantasy, and this was no exception to that. After reading this I immediately went out to purchase the sequel, and can’t wait to crack on with that one (I’ve now learnt that the seque is actually a companion!).
To conclude, this book was so very nearly a 5* read for me, I found myself waiting to rate it because I couldn’t quite decide if I would give it a 4 or a 5 star rating. It was my indecision that resulted in the 4*, if I’m not 100% certain about something blowing me away and being 5*, then it’s not (I’m being super fussy with my 5 star ratings you know). That being said, this is an incredibly high 4* from me, I adored this story so very much.
This book takes place on a snowy island, where the sky glows with certain colours to demonstrate the Goddesses feelings. Through years of watching the lights, the people of the island have come to learn that the red lights offer warning for an inevitable plague that will sweep through their population, killing many. But there’s another threat to the island, lurking beyond the horizon.
“Red, red, the lights glow red. Beware the danger up ahead.”
Our main character is the headstrong Osa, who has a really poor relationship with her father and sister, but a strong loyalty to her people and an eagerness to do all she can to help. I admired Osa as a character, despite the hostility she’s been subject to, her courage doesn’t falter, her determination to help her people always drives her forward. Her love, knowledge and understanding of the stars was also admirable, and I enjoyed how this was woven into the story. Osa was underestimated at every turn, but never gave up. She was a strong, believable, and admirable female protagonist.
Accompanying Osa with a lead role is her best friend, Ivan. Ivan was a sweetheart, that’s the best way to put it. Ivan cared for Osa, that much was clear, and was very possibly the only person who ever believed in her. Their friendship was so pure, his desire to protect her, but strength to let her go on and protect herself was admirable, he never stood in her way. Ivan’s character stood on his own too through, as an intelligent man and strong protector of his people. I enjoyed the fact that this strong ‘warrior’ type was also the character to decipher old languages to tell stories and warnings, this flipped the architype on its head.
Now let’s talk about my favourite part, the atmosphere. Give me an atmosphere like this one any day and I will be happy. I adored the atmosphere we had here, and a decent portion of that comes from how immersed I felt in the setting of this story. We know I have a weakness for polar fantasy, and the execution of it here was done so incredibly well. This could potentially be one of my favourite polar fantasy atmospheres. The eeriness of the mountains was carried through so nicely, contrasting with the stark beauty of it, and lurking at every edge was an imminent threat, blended together, I was entirely captivated. I don’t want to spoil anything, but a certain something that lurked in those mountains added something so spectacular to the atmosphere, music wouldn’t necessarily be expected, but it was so very welcome.
In a way, I feel like I’ve seen the basis of this plot done before, but this novel did it so right, with some fantastic additions and twists. ‘Girl leaves family to go on dangerous mission to save her people’ sure does sound familiar, it seems to be a base plot of a lot of fantasy novels! But let’s add into that the will of the goddess being shown in lights in the sky, a snowy mountain adventure full of tension, a set of unexpected and completely suspenseful trials (the second one had my heart physically racing), the importance of the stars, a romance that wasn’t forced at you or a main plot point, and an ice dragon (yeah that’s right, AN ICE DRAGON). There were so many aspects to this story that I fell in love with, and despite that typical base, the plot ended up being quite original, I loved it.
Nothing particular about the writing style of this novel boldly stood out to me for any reason, it wasn’t overly flamboyant, but it definitely was atmospheric. Lueddecke definitely has a very visual way of writing, her descriptions were certainly very vivid to me, fully immersing me in the scene, world and story overall. The writing all flowed very nicely, there were no unnatural breaks in the story, which helped me to fly through this book very quickly, which I always appreciate.
Upon reflection, the one tiny thing that sort of irked me about this novel was the relationship Osa had with her father and sister, I understand it, and at the time of reading it didn’t actively bother me, but that hostility bothers me now. I’m a little tired of seeing these sorts of relationships in fantasy novels, I want characters whose parents support them in their life threatening adventures, where can I find those?!
If you couldn’t tell already, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. We all know how much I adore Polar Fantasy, and this was no exception to that. After reading this I immediately went out to purchase the sequel, and can’t wait to crack on with that one (I’ve now learnt that the seque is actually a companion!).
To conclude, this book was so very nearly a 5* read for me, I found myself waiting to rate it because I couldn’t quite decide if I would give it a 4 or a 5 star rating. It was my indecision that resulted in the 4*, if I’m not 100% certain about something blowing me away and being 5*, then it’s not (I’m being super fussy with my 5 star ratings you know). That being said, this is an incredibly high 4* from me, I adored this story so very much.
February 18, 2018
Przy nieco zmarnowanym potencjale opowieści, która mogła przemówić także do dorosłych czytelników, „Gdzie niebo mieni się czerwienią” Lisy Lueddecke oczaruje swoich młodzieżowych odbiorców, którym niestraszne gatunkowe schematy.
December 7, 2018
Oh my gosh this is so wintery and magical and such a wonderful winter read! The worldbuilding is honestly gorgeous (Scandinavian-inspired fantasy worlds are my favourite) and the quest narrative is so fun and I loved the trials Òsa had to complete to reach the Goddess. Also, Sejer is my fave.
(Full review to come)
(Full review to come)
November 22, 2017
What a beautiful book. The writing is enchanting, the world-building stunning. A perfect book to read during the colder months!
December 22, 2023
Niestety nie podobała mi się w ogóle. Bohaterowie byli mi totalnie obojętni i całą fabułę odbieram jako dosyć płytką pod tym względem, że w ogóle nie czułam, o co w niej chodzi i miałam wrażenie, że autorka leci tu po łebkach. Myślę, że to za krótka, cienka książka na taką historię.
Ale klimat zimowy ma bardzo wyczuwalny, więc jako lektura na tę porę roku może się sprawdzić.
Ale klimat zimowy ma bardzo wyczuwalny, więc jako lektura na tę porę roku może się sprawdzić.
January 23, 2018
Gold, gold, the lights glow gold
Reawakens something old.
This book was so beautiful, I never once lost interest. I kept rereading some lines because they were so beautifully written. The world is magical, constellations come to life, the main character is brave, selfless and smart I mean what else do you need.
The part that won my heart was the stars/constellations part in the very beginning. Everything was so described in detailed and it was just so beautiful I'm honestly speechless.
All around us, the constellations were coming to life.
Ósa has my heart, the way she used her brain to succeed in the quest was simply amazing, she is kind, brave, selfless. Ivan's bravery and kindness and his willingness to protect his people was heartwarming and his parts were interesting to read.
I felt like I, myself was on a quest that's how wonderfully written this book was. This book was honestly so beautiful I would definitely recommend it!
Reawakens something old.
This book was so beautiful, I never once lost interest. I kept rereading some lines because they were so beautifully written. The world is magical, constellations come to life, the main character is brave, selfless and smart I mean what else do you need.
The part that won my heart was the stars/constellations part in the very beginning. Everything was so described in detailed and it was just so beautiful I'm honestly speechless.
All around us, the constellations were coming to life.
Ósa has my heart, the way she used her brain to succeed in the quest was simply amazing, she is kind, brave, selfless. Ivan's bravery and kindness and his willingness to protect his people was heartwarming and his parts were interesting to read.
I felt like I, myself was on a quest that's how wonderfully written this book was. This book was honestly so beautiful I would definitely recommend it!
October 11, 2017
It took a while to get into it (about 100 pages) but after that, it gets very action packed and interesting and I really liked the ending :) all I can say, is get past the first 100 pages and you’ll enjoy it then ;)
November 15, 2017
I loved this book. Osa was an interesting and developed character and I really liked following her and Ivar throughout the book. The setting was amazing and the people both Osa and Ivar meet through their journeys were intriguing and engaging. A very enjoyable read. 4 and a half stars.
January 14, 2018
Lo he disfrutado mucho. La trama me parece original, lo he leído en un plis. 😊
January 20, 2023
bardzo ciekawy pomysl, szybko sie czyta, ale czegos mi brakowało, a fabuła moglaby być bardziej rozwinięta
didnt-finish
October 19, 2017I read about half of the book and then skimmed through the ending. There was nothing utterly horrible about it but I got so bored after the first few chapters. I expected this to be something along the lines of the movie The Village and kept waiting for a shocking twist but that never happened. Instead flat characters followed a linear storyline told in a repetitive writing style. The Nordic inspiration for the world was a breath of fresh air but apart from that everything else was black and white, like her father and sister hating Ósa because she "killed" her mother by being born or the barbaric foreign people from an island further north.
September 28, 2017
2.5 stars.
I got an ARC of this from YALC and I was so excited to pick it up, but it sadly missed the mark for me. I really liked the Nordic inspiration, but there were a lot of contradictions in the world-building and the different languages were elaborated on very little (which made my linguistic heart sad). The inclusion of astronomy was enjoyable, but I found the plot very one dimensional until the final chapter, where it seemed to rush to the conclusion.
I got an ARC of this from YALC and I was so excited to pick it up, but it sadly missed the mark for me. I really liked the Nordic inspiration, but there were a lot of contradictions in the world-building and the different languages were elaborated on very little (which made my linguistic heart sad). The inclusion of astronomy was enjoyable, but I found the plot very one dimensional until the final chapter, where it seemed to rush to the conclusion.
August 12, 2018
When the skies above the island of Skane glow red, the Goddess is sending a warning of plague. The plague last ravaged the population seventeen years ago when Ósa was in her mother's womb. Her mother died that year and her father has never forgiven her. Now the island faces the plague as well as another threat and Ósa needs answers to help save her people.
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed about the lack of plague. Instead it's more of a quest, as Ósa must survive harsh weather, avoid being eaten by giants and communicate with people she once saw as lesser as she journeys into the mountains. There is some beautiful evocative writing in this Nordic inspired folk-lore style story. I could imagine this taking place on Svalbard.
It's quite light on romance, Ósa is by herself for much of the story, with her childhood friend Ivar back at home fighting off the enemy from their people's past. Because I listened on audiobook, I'm not sure what they were called but their name was a bit like orc and therefore I imagined them as such and it's not a bad comparison. They are brutal and the people of Skane stand little chance of surviving.
It is a bit slow to get going and I'd picked this up for the plague aspect so it wasn't really what I was expecting. I found the relationship with her father and sister irritating. It was repeatedly stressed how much her father blamed her for her mother's death and it's kind of a horrible thing that happens in fiction a lot, but in reality most fathers would try to love the child, at the very least out of respect for the woman they lost.
Listening Notes
I disliked the breathy, girlish voice Charlie Sanderson uses for Ósa, which was the bulk of the narration. Occasionally it is in third person to follow Ivar and that was much better but still felt a little childish. I would hesitate to listen to other books narrated by her, I'd at least have to listen to sample first. It's quite softly spoken apart from now and then a character will shout and this isn't pleasant if you've turned up the volume and are listening with headphones.
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed about the lack of plague. Instead it's more of a quest, as Ósa must survive harsh weather, avoid being eaten by giants and communicate with people she once saw as lesser as she journeys into the mountains. There is some beautiful evocative writing in this Nordic inspired folk-lore style story. I could imagine this taking place on Svalbard.
It's quite light on romance, Ósa is by herself for much of the story, with her childhood friend Ivar back at home fighting off the enemy from their people's past. Because I listened on audiobook, I'm not sure what they were called but their name was a bit like orc and therefore I imagined them as such and it's not a bad comparison. They are brutal and the people of Skane stand little chance of surviving.
It is a bit slow to get going and I'd picked this up for the plague aspect so it wasn't really what I was expecting. I found the relationship with her father and sister irritating. It was repeatedly stressed how much her father blamed her for her mother's death and it's kind of a horrible thing that happens in fiction a lot, but in reality most fathers would try to love the child, at the very least out of respect for the woman they lost.
Listening Notes
I disliked the breathy, girlish voice Charlie Sanderson uses for Ósa, which was the bulk of the narration. Occasionally it is in third person to follow Ivar and that was much better but still felt a little childish. I would hesitate to listen to other books narrated by her, I'd at least have to listen to sample first. It's quite softly spoken apart from now and then a character will shout and this isn't pleasant if you've turned up the volume and are listening with headphones.
September 28, 2022
3.5
A phenomenal heroine who makes her way through a complex world that you discover as she fights to fulfill her destiny.
I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, but it was certainly an interesting read.
I imagine that the companion novel will soon fall into my hands because I believe that this world has much more to give.
A phenomenal heroine who makes her way through a complex world that you discover as she fights to fulfill her destiny.
I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, but it was certainly an interesting read.
I imagine that the companion novel will soon fall into my hands because I believe that this world has much more to give.
December 22, 2023
Świetnie się przy niej bawiłam. Kocham klimat tej książki
December 14, 2019
3.5/5 stars
December 13, 2017
Skane was built on superstition. Always enter your home right foot first. When you sneeze, someone who bears you ill will has just spoken your name. Don't whistle while looking towards the sun or you might bring on rain. But mostly, the superstitions were about the lights."
4.25
Rating of various aspects of book (out of 10):
Quality of writing: 9
Pace: 6
Plot Development: 7
Characters: 8
Enjoyability: 8.5
I can't believe that this is Lisa Lueddecke's debut novel because I fell in love with her writing right on the very first page. Her writing is so beautiful and lyrical — it keeps you wanting more. I'd say that the whole plot of the story was not fully captured in the synopsis but it did take me by surprise. I find the pacing of the storyline to be a little slow (and at certain parts to be a little draggy), but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I was on the tip of my toes the entire time because I had no idea what was going to happen (whether something bad will happen to our characters etc) and I believe that that does say something about Lueddecke's writing!
I love reading from Ósa's POV. As a seventeen-year-old girl, I find her to be really mature for her age. She is also bold, headstrong and determined. Throughout the entire book, I was rooting for her and amazed at her bravery and the love she has for the people around her!
There was romance in the novel but it wasn't the main focus of the plot. It's always refreshing to read about a slow-burning romance! Ahhh I 100% ship Ósa and our love interest!
Overall, I am glad that I decided to pick up A Shiver of Snow and Sky. Highly recommend if you're looking for an adventurous read in a mysterious world that's able to fill your heart with warmth on this cold, wintery day.
4.25
Rating of various aspects of book (out of 10):
Quality of writing: 9
Pace: 6
Plot Development: 7
Characters: 8
Enjoyability: 8.5
I can't believe that this is Lisa Lueddecke's debut novel because I fell in love with her writing right on the very first page. Her writing is so beautiful and lyrical — it keeps you wanting more. I'd say that the whole plot of the story was not fully captured in the synopsis but it did take me by surprise. I find the pacing of the storyline to be a little slow (and at certain parts to be a little draggy), but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I was on the tip of my toes the entire time because I had no idea what was going to happen (whether something bad will happen to our characters etc) and I believe that that does say something about Lueddecke's writing!
I love reading from Ósa's POV. As a seventeen-year-old girl, I find her to be really mature for her age. She is also bold, headstrong and determined. Throughout the entire book, I was rooting for her and amazed at her bravery and the love she has for the people around her!
There was romance in the novel but it wasn't the main focus of the plot. It's always refreshing to read about a slow-burning romance! Ahhh I 100% ship Ósa and our love interest!
Overall, I am glad that I decided to pick up A Shiver of Snow and Sky. Highly recommend if you're looking for an adventurous read in a mysterious world that's able to fill your heart with warmth on this cold, wintery day.
October 7, 2019
Having finished this, I’m surprised not to have heard more of a buzz about this.
The book is set on the remote island of Skane, a place of superstition and folklore. Osa, our main character, has always felt alienated by her family. She feels blamed for her mother’s death, and knows that she doesn’t have the support she should expect. However, she does have close friend Ivar who believes in her.
Our story begins with an evocative description of a land filled with lights. Red lights. Everyone knows that the last time this happened, plague came to their village and many died. Also facing invasion from a group of vicious fighters, the villagers have to decide whether to flee or fight.
Osa struggles to accept the sentiments of many. She vows to do whatever is possible to protect her people and sets out on a dangerous quest to speak to the goddess.
Switching between what happens to Osa and the villagers left behind, this was a fairly standard fantasy quest. There were trials faced throughout, and there’s a plethora of new and unusual characters. However, the writing style was evocative and the description given to key moments was not standard stuff. I enjoyed some of the more magical elements, and this certainly looks like one to continue with.
The book is set on the remote island of Skane, a place of superstition and folklore. Osa, our main character, has always felt alienated by her family. She feels blamed for her mother’s death, and knows that she doesn’t have the support she should expect. However, she does have close friend Ivar who believes in her.
Our story begins with an evocative description of a land filled with lights. Red lights. Everyone knows that the last time this happened, plague came to their village and many died. Also facing invasion from a group of vicious fighters, the villagers have to decide whether to flee or fight.
Osa struggles to accept the sentiments of many. She vows to do whatever is possible to protect her people and sets out on a dangerous quest to speak to the goddess.
Switching between what happens to Osa and the villagers left behind, this was a fairly standard fantasy quest. There were trials faced throughout, and there’s a plethora of new and unusual characters. However, the writing style was evocative and the description given to key moments was not standard stuff. I enjoyed some of the more magical elements, and this certainly looks like one to continue with.
February 13, 2019
I read this for the Polar-thon and it was my first experience with the sub-genre of “Polar Fantasy.” I really liked it, but it was very...heavy. Even when things were going well in this world, it was still a fight to survive. It doesn’t help that in this story, the figurative walls were closing in - fast. Very atmospheric, with a well developed, and very believable main female protagonist. Would definitely recommend, and I’m very interested in reading the companion novel set in the same world.
February 20, 2020
This was fast-paced, atmospheric and very enjoyable. I needed a bit of escapism and this provided that nicely.
June 26, 2022
2,75⭐️
przyjemna lektura chociaż trochę schematyczna. na pewno dobrze się spełnia, jako rozrywka
przyjemna lektura chociaż trochę schematyczna. na pewno dobrze się spełnia, jako rozrywka
March 10, 2019
Kiedy książka Lueddecke została wydana w Polsce, przez jakiś czas było o niej całkiem głośno. Wielu się nią zachwycało, wielu polecało. Wtedy też strasznie się nią ekscytowałam i obiecałam sobie, że ją przeczytam. I w końcu przyszła ta wiekopomna chwila.
Przede wszystkim, nie rozumiem tych zachwytów. Owszem, książka jest dobra, może nawet bardzo. Jednak jaka jednostajna akcja, powoli płynąca - to nie moje klimaty. Owszem, "Gdzie niebo mieni się czerwienią" jest historią magiczną, mityczną i ma piękną okładkę, ale chyba na tym się kończy. Nie poznajemy dobrze bohaterów, może trochę bliższa nam jest Ósa, ale Ivar, jej siostra, ojciec? Postaci z potencjałem, ciekawe są spychane na drugi, trzeci plan.
Szczerze, to jakby autorka rozciągnęła fabułę w czasie, dodała kilkadziesiąt stron i lepiej rozwinęła bohaterów, to mogła to być jedna z lepszych książek, jakie w życiu czytałam. Ale tak nie jest, chociaż nie jest zła. Dla mnie czegoś brakowało, ale jednak zakończenie mocno mnie zaskoczyło, więc nie jest tragicznie.
Przede wszystkim, nie rozumiem tych zachwytów. Owszem, książka jest dobra, może nawet bardzo. Jednak jaka jednostajna akcja, powoli płynąca - to nie moje klimaty. Owszem, "Gdzie niebo mieni się czerwienią" jest historią magiczną, mityczną i ma piękną okładkę, ale chyba na tym się kończy. Nie poznajemy dobrze bohaterów, może trochę bliższa nam jest Ósa, ale Ivar, jej siostra, ojciec? Postaci z potencjałem, ciekawe są spychane na drugi, trzeci plan.
Szczerze, to jakby autorka rozciągnęła fabułę w czasie, dodała kilkadziesiąt stron i lepiej rozwinęła bohaterów, to mogła to być jedna z lepszych książek, jakie w życiu czytałam. Ale tak nie jest, chociaż nie jest zła. Dla mnie czegoś brakowało, ale jednak zakończenie mocno mnie zaskoczyło, więc nie jest tragicznie.
August 7, 2017
Ósa knows her village is in danger when the sky over Skane glows red. Last time the lights turned crimson, a plague spread through their village, killing many – including Ósa’s mother. With little love from her father and sister, Ósa spends most of her time with her friend Ivar. Together they try to discover the meaning behind the red lights to prepare for what’s coming, but they find an even greater threat is right on the horizon.
I couldn’t get enough of this gorgeous book. It’s so magical and just became my new favourite thing. I’m craving more of this world, of Ósa’s fierce determination and Ivar’s caring nature. I loved the atmosphere, the tales and superstition, and was completely swept away in this fantasy world. One of the best books I’ve read all year.
I couldn’t get enough of this gorgeous book. It’s so magical and just became my new favourite thing. I’m craving more of this world, of Ósa’s fierce determination and Ivar’s caring nature. I loved the atmosphere, the tales and superstition, and was completely swept away in this fantasy world. One of the best books I’ve read all year.
May 24, 2020
Dnf I hate being treated like an idiot by the author
September 27, 2021
Brnąc przez tę książkę, czułam się jakbym czytała jakąś powieść na Wattpadzie napisaną przez nastolatkę zafascynowaną fantastyką.
December 4, 2019
I love when you discover a surprise new favourite book in December!! I had to change my favourites page in my reading journal because I loved this book so much!! I will be rushing out to buy the second book tomorrow!
In this book we follow Ósa, who lives on the island of Skane, where her people settled after feeling their homeland and they rely on the the lights in the sky to warn them of danger. I absolutely lovely this snowy setting, I’m not sure the exact inspiration perhaps Nordic or just generally Polar, but it was exactly what I love in a fantasy.
The MAGIC in this world & the way the constellations play such a book role was just wonderful. I loved the way the plot went and felt that the stakes were very high which meant I couldn’t put it down!
I absolutely loved Lueddecke’s writing and I can’t wait to pick up the next book.
In this book we follow Ósa, who lives on the island of Skane, where her people settled after feeling their homeland and they rely on the the lights in the sky to warn them of danger. I absolutely lovely this snowy setting, I’m not sure the exact inspiration perhaps Nordic or just generally Polar, but it was exactly what I love in a fantasy.
The MAGIC in this world & the way the constellations play such a book role was just wonderful. I loved the way the plot went and felt that the stakes were very high which meant I couldn’t put it down!
I absolutely loved Lueddecke’s writing and I can’t wait to pick up the next book.
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