I persevered with this one primarily because I had already got it out of the library and it seemed a shame to return it without giving it a chance, and I am glad I did, because it was a stronger book than the first one in the series.

I would still say that the characters and plot are weaker than the setting and detail, but they are more balanced this time, as though the author has settled more into the narrative. There was certainly a lot more depth to the plot than in the first book, and Svanhild has come into her own as a character and while still not as vivid and relatable as I would like from a main character it is a definite improvement, although Ragnvald remains a character that I struggled to really feel invested in.

An improvement to be sure, and I have to say that I do admire the author’s dedication to detail and the world-building, but I don’t think I will be going any further with this series.