I was unsure, going into this, how well I would enjoy it or understand it as various reviews made me worried that the translation was not well-done. My only complaint in that regard, and it could very well be the writing as a whole, is that the grand conflict at the end was somewhat difficult to keep up with and hard to understand.

I found Hirka to be a compelling character. Despite having every reason to complain about the life she had been given, she very rarely did. She was mature, fairly level headed, and typically thought of others before herself. I found her internal monologue to be refreshing in the YA genre and much more realistic and grounded then most YA books.

Rime was stereotypical, but I did enjoy him. He seemed to be the more flawed of the two characters, so it was interesting to see how it seemed, though he was the older of the two, Hirka was more in charge of situations and ready to make really tough choices where Rime wanted to give up.

I found the more prominent side characters to be fairly well-developed and while they were more obviously there to aid in Hirka's story, I did find them interesting and compelling in their own rights. I loved how she interacted with other characters and how they did with her. I also loved the more villainous and morally grey characters. They brought up a lot of good questions regarding politics and keeping people in line, and it was interesting to see the main characters struggle with the same decisions and wonder if the more morally grey, self-serving people were maybe not all that wrong in what they did.

I loved the lore of the story, the build up of the world and the plot were so cool. As someone who is not well-versed in Scandanavian and Nordic mythology and history, I am somewhat in the blind (hah) on what may be references to people and places in myth, but everything is explained well enough that I don't feel lost.

I do hope that the next two books get translated. I have been wanting to read these for a few years due to some friends' recommendations, and I would love to see what happens to Hirka next.

I highly recommend this book. The characters were lovable, the plot moved, and the world was so unique. I can't wait for the next book to be translated!

The story follows Hirka and Rime as they both try to understand what their identity and role is in the world. Hirka, a 15 year old tailless girl, is struggling to keep her secret that she can't bind (an important magic concept in this world) a secret. Rime, an 18 year old boy, who is trying to defy all expectations of what his family wants him to be. It was a fast paced book with excellent character development.

It could be confusing at first because the story just rushes right in and only telling you what you need to know and when you need to know it. It's the "Scandinavian minimalism" in book form. I appreciated this though because I find that when the entire world is described in the beginning of the book I usually am even more confused and don't understand why I should care.

The translation could use some improvements, but overall I would definitely recommend this book for others to read.

I didn't care much for this one and didn't make it very far before stopping. I liked the concept, but the writing jusr didn't grab me.

3.5 mythically adventurous stars!

I was really excited when I learned that this book was being translated into English so of course I jumped at the chance of reading it. I can safely and excitedly say that I am not disappointed. This book follows Hirka, a girl born without a tail, in a world where everyone else has a tail. Hirka always felt different and most of the people in her village made her feel that way as well. Everyone but her childhood friend/rival, Rime. After learning why Hirka really has no tail and the danger she is in, both Hirka and Rime must decide who to trust and which side they are really on.

This coming-of-age novel initially drew me in with its intriguing setting. As a Nordic fantasy, this book really stands out from the competition. I fell in love with Hirka and loved her energy and bravery. It was refreshing to see a female heroine who could truly hold her own. She is sassy, bold, and cunning and her journey drew me in the further I read. Rime's character arc is my favorite thing about the book. His blind faith in their society in the beginning of the book morphs into confusion and an internal battle that makes him question his beliefs.

The idea of tails definitely took some getting used to for me. It was not my favorite detail in the story but eventually, I got used to it and enjoyed the book a lot more. I did not feel that the book picked up until about half way through. This made the beginning a little challenging for me. I am glad that I continued reading and overall it was a pretty good read.

*Thank you to Siri Petterson and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh wow! Where should I begin? I'm so glad to see this being translated to English. Absolutely brilliant, breathtakingly beautiful written and the plot is out of this world. It's clever, imaginative, just fantastic.

I fell in love with Hirka. The girl without the tail. The Odins child. She is one of the most amazing main characters I have EVER read about. And I am so glad I get to join her for two more books!
I also fell in love with Rime. He is amazing and brave and he has WHITE HAIR AND WEARS ALL BLACK AND CAN YOU IMAGINE ANYONE SEXIER??? I love him. Can't wait to read about him again.

I fell in love with the world Siri Pettersen created. I always loved Norse mythology and oh you guys, this book is mythology and fantasy at it's finest. My highlight of 2021 so far.

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3.5 stars

This story is of Norse Mythology with which I am only slightly familiar with. I enjoyed the mystery and darker themes that ribboned through this telling. It’s exciting that it’s finally available to us in English!

Hirka is a tailless girl among the Ymlings, believing to have lost her tail to wolves as a child.
Her Father, however, harbors a deadly secret; she was found with no tail, having come from another realm. Could she be a child of Odin, bringing with her the feared rot that could plague the Yms? If so, how did she get here?

The story starts us off during the season of the Rite, a ritual that blesses the children and could earn them a place under the great Seer. The Rite could reveal Hirka’s secret and cost her her life.

I adored Hirka and Rime. Rime appears having been absent for three seasons after being blessed by the Rite. Hirka isn’t sure what to do now that he’s back in her life; or is he?
Their romance was a very, very slow build, obvious to me from the beginning but unknown to them until the end. The point of view switched among Hirka, Rime, and a politically rising character, Urd. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs. Many paths slowly, over the course of 500 pages, converge and desperate questions are slowly given answer.
The plot unraveled too slowly for me. It would surge momentarily only to sputter out and drag once more. However, the questions and mysteries were so many that I had to know the answers. I liked the characters and the world building- introduced as if we knew it already and slowly explained throughout the pages to keep us caught up.
The political scheming and plot twists were somewhat predictable yet also a bit shocking. I am genuinely and eager for the second book, with the first leaving off at a cliffhanger.

Arc provided kindly by NetGalley!

2.5 stars.

CW/TW: rape, sexual assault, violence, gore, etc.

I liked many things about this, the mythology, the world and new concepts that I haven’t read in a YA book before (Norse mythology written by someone who was from the culture for instance!). This was translated from Norwegian, so I will take word and literary choices with a grain of salt.

Now for the negative, I was expecting some graphic gore based on the cover so I wasn’t surprised. But what did surprise me was the graphic rape and sexual assault. It made me very uncomfortable. As someone who isn’t overly familiar with Norse magic and lore, I found it very hard to understand the magic system most of the time- I’m still not sure if I understand. It’s extremely detailed, but isn’t detailed with the aspects I really would’ve liked it to be (explaining magic system and world building, character appearances, etc).

This is a good read overall though, and I recommend giving it a go if you are intrigued by the summary!

A Norwegian Norse-inspired fantasy about a young girl named Hirka, her friends, family, and blind faith. She is a tailless girl, the rot. This is a story where the main character isn't all-powerful. I recommend reading this if you need encouragement in life! This story is about courage.
I could not put this book down! While the book is 600 pages, the chapters were short and fast-paced. As a reader, I appreciate it when I get to stay in a story for a long time. The worldbuilding was phenomenal!
The stakes were so high and Hirka was a very likable character, I was in her corner the entire time. The characters were all equally complex and interesting.
It was a thrilling read and I can't wait for the next one.

TW: Violence, Sexual Assault.

This is another book I have plenty of mixed feelings about, some bits I absolutely loved and some bits just didn't engage me strongly enough.

So what did I like? The best aspect of this book is definitely the characters. We have Hirka, a young girl who is tailless, an outcast in a world of people that can Bind. But she is strong, fearless and has so much kindness in her heart. I loved her relationship with every character (particularly the man she calls father, and her friend Rime who she sees for the first time in 3 years). Rime is also another great character, and his story arc is probably my favourite as he learns everything he has been brought up to believe is not true. I even liked reading Urd's chapters, getting a perspective from the other side. Urd invoked a lot of hatred in me as the story progressed, that's for sure.

What didn't I like? Honestly, the book was a bit too long for the story it told. I found the plot to drag in places, and it did get a little confusing at times. I think the world-building could have been a bit stronger too. Sometimes the politics could be a bit messy.

Overall, an interesting introduction to this world. I'll probably pick up the second when it is translated just to be re-united with the characters.

Part one of a fantasy trilogy from Norway about thousand-year-old secrets, forbidden romance, and what happens to those who make a deal with the devil.

We are introduced to 15-year-old Hirka who 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 of a worry to her 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 was not born into this world; as an infant, she was brought through an ancient stone circle known as a Raven Ring, and as long as she’s in Ym, the passageway between worlds remains open inviting terrifying creatures called the blind to follow.

No one can find out the truth of Hirka’s identity, especially
not Rime, her childhood friend who just might become something more. But is Rime is hiding secrets of his own?
I would recommend this to YA but it is also a great historical fantasty for adults too.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Arctis Books for an advance review copy of Odin’s Child in return for an honest review.

Thank you Negalley and for the Arctis Books for a copy of Odin's Child in exchange for an honest review.

Having norwegian friends that have read and raved about The Raven Rings trilogy, I was, as you would expect, very excited to finally be able to read it in a language I know.

Odin's Child lived up to it's national reviews. It is a fresh breath on Norse fantasy, still based on Norse mythology but with innovative approaches.

The worldbuilding and the story are excellent, I never felt bored or tempted to skip paragraphs. It's fast paced enough to keep things going but without revealing too much of the intricacies of the story. I loved the fact that halfway though the book I had two or three theories going around my brain.

I cannot wait for the next books to be available in English.
5 stars for me!

The concept was really good and the writing was good it just took over half the book to pick up. I really struggled to keep reading on multiple occasions because it just wasn't holding my attention.
Don't get me wrong I definitly want to read the second book if it comes out in English because it did pick up near the end and I want to know what happens to Hirka and Rime.
I think a pronunciation page would really help this book aswell, because I have no idea if I'm pronouncing most of the names right in this book which I feel is a disservice to the original language.

While I really enjoyed the characters of Hirka and Rime, as well as their story, I think that this title's major downfall was its pacing. To be honest, the first third or so of this book was painfully slow. Once we started moving along and getting more reveals, I definitely started to enjoy the story more. I'm not going to spoil anything, but the last quarter was definitely my favourite part. Because I enjoyed the world and the ending so much, I think I will be continuing on in the series.

TLDR: The characters and world are really interesting. While the pacing was slow at the beginning, it is worth it to push through because things eventually pick up.

This book beat my reading slump. I found the beginning a little slow, but Odin's Child rewarded my patience.
I didn't have much interest in the main characters, Hirka or Rime. Somewhere around the 150 word mark, something snagged me and I devoured the rest of the novel. The stakes kept rising and the storyline developed really well. We got hardly any answers about what's going on... only more questions, but I can accept that in a fantasy trilogy.
Hirka felt realistic to me. Yes.. She's a little naive and dramatic, but she's trying to find her place in this world and building her confidence in herself. The romance plot felt a little childish (especially how jealous Hirka could be) but for the most part, her crush felt authentic. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about Rime at first, but I really felt for him toward the latter half of the book.
In the end, Siri Pettersen did a phenomenal job in crafting an intriguingly corrupt society. She brought the story to a point where I wasn't entirely positive how they'd get out of it alive. I couldn't quite rate it five stars though.

At the beginning of this story I will admit the confusion I felt, stranger to unknown concepts and words. Yet as the story progressed, I was quickly entranced. Hirka is outstanding, beautiful, and strong. Who am I to deny a strong female main character? Additionally, I think Odin's Child made it blatantly clear how much of a sucker I am for romance. It is impossible to ignore the electricity between Hirka and Rime, their relationship so elegantly constructed over the pages of this story where when it's time to set the book down, you feel only pain and longing. I fell in love with this story and would recommend it over and over again. I cannot wait to read the second book to this outstanding trilogy.

Odin's Child

If you're looking for a slow burn type of fantasy book, then you'll enjoy Odin's Child. Pettersen takes their time weaving an intricate story about Hirka, Rime, and and Council. In a world of tailed beings, Hirka is born tailless, which only a child of Odin can be this way. As the tailless can bring rot to this world, they are killed upon discovery.

Unfortunately, this is as far as I made it into the book. While the story is interesting enough to make a reader want to keep going, the drawn out scenes made me feel like I would never get to the point of the story.

Odin's Child will enthrall the patient reader who loves a slow build. I'm not that kind of reader, so this book was not for me.

I was very excited to get my hands on this once I saw the reviews for it in its original language. Let me tell you, this book does not disappoint. Hirka is likeable, from the way she hates the system was a raised in, to her emotional turmoil of finding out that everything you knew about yourself is a lie. I found the romance between Hirka and Rime interesting, and realistic. They’re strong characters on their own, which really builds for a fantastic relationship. There were moments that this book felt confusing, or slow and that took away some of my love for it. In the translation, there are still some terms that I wasn’t sure if they were apart of this new world, or apart of the Norwegian language. Additionally, I feel as though Urd’s part of the story was somewhat confusing. However, knowing this is a trilogy means that I may get those answers when the next books are translated.
I found the plot of this and the world-building fascinating. It felt entirely new, despite it not being too new of a concept to the fantasy world. The way things were written and woven into one another was great, and Pettersen has really done an amazing thing introducing this into the world of epic fantasies. I am incredibly excited for the next two books to be translated into English and get my hands on them.

I laughed out loud and there were times that I was on the verge of tears, if you’re looking for a fantasy to get lost in, this is the one. Set in an old world built on natural born magic (Might) with a twist on Norse mythology the author introduces us to different races, creatures and personalities through the eyes of three very contrasting perspectives. Odin’s Child was for sure a wild ride, and one I am looking to continue when the rest of the trilogy is published here in the U.S. I faced my own struggles within the first half of the book. Keeping track of a lot of names and places that were difficult to pronounce was a challenge for me. Once I became familiar with the characters and the locations within my own “imaginary map,” I started to truly enjoy this title.

Hirka, a young female living in a society she was raised in but not born into, faces the challenge of not belonging, being hunted and the struggle of finding love with someone whom it is forbidden to love. Amidst her trials she discovers she was not the only one or thing to have broken through the gates and comes face to face with the greatest question of who she truly is. She is not just tailless and Mightless, she discovers who she is at her core with courage and more grace than most.
These characters are portrayed with such character and depth that I was able to truly experience the emotions of their struggles, their successes and their growth.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to any fantasy lovers, Odin’s child is engaging, exciting and entertaining.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Odin's Child has a pretty interesting synopsis that sucked me in. So, yeah, I'll admit that I was pretty freaking excited to dive into it's pages. I was pumped for the mythology and fantasy things that were going to come my way. They did but this book and I just weren't connecting all the time.

I think the lack of chapters really bugged me. Okay, I know it did. Then there's the beginning. It was interesting and a bit heartbreaking at the same time. Once we got to know more about Hirka, Rime, and Vetle, well - honestly they were okay. Yeah they had destinies and stuff but I couldn't really connect with anyone. I tried, trust me I tried, but nothing was clicking.

Then there's the romance, adventure, challenges, and evil lurking every where. The romance had it's cute moments but some things that happened throughout it confused me. The adventure was entertaining with some weird and disgusting things alone the way. I could keep going on and on saying that this book had some good parts and others that were okay or boring.

In the end, I feel like if this had chapters and paced a bit better for me then I would be in love with the book.

I thought the book was engaging and had a clever plot, I think I just didn't connect to the characters as much as I wanted to.