Odinsbarn

Ravneringene #1

by Siri Pettersen

Tenk deg å mangle noe alle andre har. Noe som beviser at du hører til i denne verden. Noe så viktig at uten det, er du ingenting. En pest. En myte. Et menneske.

Femten vintre gammel får Hirka vite at hun er et odinsbarn - en halelaus råttenskap fra en annen verden. Foraktet. Fryktet. Og jaget. Hun aner ikke lenger hvem hun er, og noen vil drepe henne for at det skal forbli en hemmelighet. Men det finnes verre ting enn odinsbarn, og Hirka er ikke den eneste skapningen som har brutt gjennom portene. Odinsbarn er original fantasy på norrøn grunn. Et oppgjør med fremmedfrykt, blind tro og retten eller viljen til å lede. Det er den første av tre bøker om Hirka, i serien Ravneringene.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy

621 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2013

About the author

Siri was born in 1971, under the northern lights of Norway, with a severely overactive imagination. It survived countless attacks from the outside world, rendering her an expert escapist, frolicking in a wide range of media: Design, web, comics, illustration, animation and text. Anything for a good story. In 2002 she won a national comic contest with "Anticlimax", the comic strip that made her "Newcomer of the year" in the Norwegian Sproing Awards. Siri has worked as an Art Director for many years, but she is now writing full time, devoted to her fantastical worlds.

Reviews

[Melissa | melisthereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. The world, the story, the characters! My heart was on fire at the end.

Kort og enkelt. Denne boka får meg til å favne!

[Lada · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating this book is hard. I read it in czech, and I am sure something got lost in the translation, because I HATED, really really hated the way this book was written.
I loved the world, but not how needlessly detailed everything was. I loved the concept I guess. But not the characters. Not a single one (does Kuro count?), and that was probably what made it so hard for me to read. The pacing as well was so... slugish. I was bored most of the time. The book could be shorter. From the page 500 up, I liked the action a lot. Ending not so much. Sentences were too short, clipped (my head spinned). I would prefer some of them merging into a longer ones. There was no flow to it. And I hated how characters knew what others thought just by looking at them. They(the author) didn't let me choose what to think of their actions. It felt manipulative.

Yeah so, spoilers:
- first, I was thrown into this unknown world right away and I was annoyed for at least 50 pages, because nothing was explained to me, absolutely nothing. Characters just went on, but I was so confused (This is a personal preference, I just really hate these types of books. I don't want infodumps either, but would a little help in this mess hurt anybody? Not every reader is familiar with norse myths and legends, and so for me this world felt very unfamiliar and was hard to grasp)
- the cover is so ugly and revolting

Hirka
- I just don't like her. For one, I am tired of ginger protagonists. But other than that, I couldn't identify myself with her in any way, at all. We couldn't connect. She is 15 and acts stupid a lot. Fine, she is really young. Yet sometimes, she acts as if she knew everything (so wise) or she is staring people down her nose while being just one of them (but of course she needs a special treatment and she is not like others... like that situation towards the end, when the heigher-ups showed up at that Kolkagga hideout). She seems irrational to me too. Why freeing that puppet man? She didn't know him at all! It's so random.
- yeah, it's interesting how everybody loves her... I mean: her father, that dude that listens to the stone, Eirik, Tein, Rime of course, the man that leads the Kolkagga, that dude that sweared on his name that will protect and follow Rime, the man who owns the tea shop, Ramoja, Vetle... Basically every important man huh? Hirka gives me "not like other girls" vibe bc of this.
- yet Hirka is so jealous of every girl! She is a tomboy and has no friends. Girls her age. Oh wait, she had one girl friend. But her friend from the village turned out to be "a slut"(of course), throwing herself at Rime, so that was that. We are supposed to hate her for that, okay? And everytime Rime is near some other girl, Hirka goes like this: oh he can't love me, he can't have me because he would die and he will forget me in a few days and will find another...
- like.... girl, have some confidence in yourself. She kept belittling herself all the time, saying something like: Rime Al-blablabla, the heir, the blessed and feared, he is so above me I can't reach him, I can't dirt him with my hands, oh my what do I do... I just got tired of it quickly. She thinks he is a god and... just no. They are the obvious pairing, even if I like that other dude she met in the bath better, it was clear she will end up with Rime... so forcing this conflict was annoying. They already did not act all that bothered by their "class" being different. And since they knew each other before the story began there is very little development there. I like childhood friends only within a specific context and here it felt cheap, only there so the author did not have to bother building up their relationship. Anyway.
- they kissed (not once), both acting obviously in love... yet how can Hirka even think Rime doesn't know she likes him? And why can't she believe he likes her, dammit?! For the angst??
- her talk about plants and herbs was tiresome. Look, I'm a gardener, I would love more lore about the plants and their names, but it was there only to fill her character with something. Bc she didn't have much of a personality besides: I am a healer, I never saw violence, I will never let Rime win over me, I want to touch Rime, honeybread, climbing and being without a tail.
- oh yeah... so they live in this kind of medieval society(at best), right? ? Yet Hirka is so stunned to see violence? An actual fight with weapons? And I am just like... why are you so surprised? Are there no brawls around, no wars or battles, no executions?
- and wow, Hirka thinks about Rime a lot. I began to cringe everytime Rime showed up in her thoughts because like... alright, she is a teenager, I was there too. But she has other things, more important things, to worry about, yet her world is revolving around him, she thinks he is holy or something... Hirka was willing to die for him (not once). What was most the hideous moment between them: that time when Rime told her she is good and not mold/rot/blight (I don't know the translation for this one) and every worry of hers just melted away. Hahaha... NO. Just no. A person doesn't need another person (a romantic partner) to told them what they are for them to finally become confident... Like, it helps if people around you believe in you and respect you, but to put your whole self-worth on a love interest? It just didn't felt right.
- this book as a whole feels very outdated in places, it checks many of the tropes that were popular around 2010s and earlier
- so yeah, Hirka is stupid and I don't like her. She should have slept with Rime when she could if she really cannot help herself, instead of creepily watching him naked by the pond or always staring at him while saliva is dripping from her open mouth, and dreaming about touching him, or him filling her (with a Force/Might, of course). I don't think he would be against that. Maybe then they would shut up for a minute about each other and could focus on the real problems (and the plot)
- wtf was that scene where she went almost hysteric about her backpack? the hell
- also, when you are in a cave, at night, with a thunderstorm raging outside and no fire/light... you will probably not be able to see paleness of someone's lips, crescents under someone's eyes or their facial expressions, no? ...just sayin
- was that part with a tea shop necessary? why was that man even important? what a filler
- everything came to Hirka easily (in Ravnhov, in Manfalla), I didn't get a feeling she had it that hard. Rime always showed up in time to save her anyway
- simply put, she is a special snowflake

Rime
- this boy is so melodramatic and emo, oh my (and trust me, I loved my fair share of melodramatic, emo boys, but this one is just not doing it for me)
- he is always whining about how bad the life was to him... while being rich, and from a respected family, with a brilliant future awaiting him (yeah, you sure have it bad, boy)
- but he is moping around instead of doing something with it, and then he rejects it all, just to show them who is in control (or something)
- also, Rime is beyong handsome, beyond skilled in martial arts and his enemies are shaking in fear when he enters the room
- also, he is just a young boy
- I don't know, maybe wolfs in this world have silver eyes. But it seems strange to me to call his eyes "wolf's" when I imagine yellow or orange... IDK, it just felt wierd to me, probably a cultural difference
- I found him too perfect (yet too whiny) to be likable
- also, anybody knows why Rime and Hirka are supossed to love each other so much? They obsess over each other, yet what is the base of these feelings? They don't have any other friends and it's weird. Is this about looks only? IDK. Everything is about these two and I DON'T FEEL IT
- simply put, he is the archetype of a prince who doesn't want to be royalty, poor baby

- RAPE... in this book surprised me. There was no warning on the jacket. I was so repulsed to know Urd raped Ramoja as well (why going this way, dear author? no other idea how to make a villain, hm?), and even more repulsed by that scene in dungeons. Was is necessary? Like, was it, really? Because how convinient, that someone showed up seconds before the man raped Hirka. Really, what a lucky girl. Yet she doesn't suffer bc of this afterwards, and not even 24h after she wants to fuck Rime. So, why the hell was that in this book? Why?? If you put this into a book simply to make it edgy and dangerous, just stop. I am lucky this kind of thing does not trigger me, but there are many people who NEED a trigger warning for this.

Urd.
- he could have been a better villain. He was impulsive and abusive and used violence often. Pfft. I was more scared when he was manipulating people, when he used his mind as a weapon. Like other characters in this book he is very 2D. I would really like to see maybe someone he cares about, his other sides. If he cared about Ramoja or his son, THAT would be interesting.

- I liked Kuro a lot

- the rest of the characters.... nah. They did nothing for me. Too many names. Everybody seems to always like Hirka, because she always says what they need to hear. How convenient. I thought Tein will have a bigger role (wtf was that bathing scene with him and Hirka?? Again, what was the point? Why did we stop in that place? Is everything just a setup?)

- I liked everything about the Force/Might, it was so interesting. But here I am, having read the entire book one, and I know not much about it. Nobody cared to explain how it works exactly, nobody commented on Hirka and her strange powers etc.
- the worldbulding... on one hand, the world could feel really rich and interesting, but there were times when the tiniest details were described without being relevant
- the world feels strangely empy, not lived in
- there are interesing things about things about this realm, like the religion, the form or government, the architecture, history and all the lore about stones (but again, we learn nothing)
- why do they have tails when it seems like they are just humans anyway
- Rime could have changed towards the end, but he seems as self-centered and selfish as always
- Hirka didn't change at all.
- so no character development(for anyone)
- what was the point of this book I wonder

- overall I am hopeful for the next book

[Helene Jeppesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a YA fantasy story based on Norse Mythology. It was written by a Norwegian author, and so far it has only been published in Scandinavia, to my knowledge.
That being said, I definitely recommend this book if you are able to get it and read it. It tells the story of Hirka who is very different from everyone else around her - that's because she has no tail. When Hirka turns 15, she is considered a grown woman who has to go through a certain ritual; the only problem is that because Hirka is different, she's not sure she can complete that ritual like everyone else. The story takes off from there and becomes a long journey for both Hirka and her best friend Rime.
I really liked this novel because it became kind of nostalgic to me. It reminded me of when I was younger and enjoyed reading a fantasy novel now and again. Furthermore, this is a solid story that is not really predictable and that takes you on quite a fantastic journey. I didn't expect much from it, but I was definitely happy about it and enjoyed reading it from beginning to end.

This is the first installment of a trilogy, in which the rest of the books will be out in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017.

[Markéta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Já jsem tuhle knihu neohodnotila? Nebo mi zase blbne GoodReads? :-(
Bylo to.... skvělé. Sice nehodnotím plnými 5 hvězdami - na to mi příběh sem tam kolísal... Ale jinak jsem si užíval každičké slovo, které vzešlo z hlavy tak geniální autorky.
Bylo to skvělé. Komplexní. Tajemné. Jiné. Skvělé.

[🇵🇸🇵🇸 hasfia 🇵🇸🇵🇸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hlosnian, do they have cake where I come from? Or honey bread?”

Hirka is known as the tailless girl in a world full of people with tails. Her taillessness is not the only thing that defines her. She also has blood red hair and owns a single green tunic so threadbare it’s falling apart at one shoulder and ragged at the cuffs. She is known as the rot, but she’s a healer, she’s saved more lives in her fifteen years with wild herbs and stitching people than most people in the entirety of Ym.

Hirka has gone through so much in this one book alone I’m almost afraid for what’s in store for her in the next two. I want to give her a warm blanket straight out the drier and a fluffy bed with a steaming cup of her favourite tea and honey bread and tell her she’s the most the precious girl in the world.

Despite the length of the book (it’s so long bro 😩😩😩) I enjoyed the Norse/Scandinavian mythology soooo much! I didn’t have a clue what the plot line was half of the time I was reading it (I’m going to chalk it up to it being a translation matter) but the vibes were there, the setting and the atmosphere was spectacular and I rode the vibe wave all the way to the end.

Father used to say that he could live without feet as long as his heart was strong enough to carry him.

Hirka’s relationship to every single male character was a joy to read on its own. Starting off with Father, Thorald, who I absolutely loved. And that scene where Hirka fed the ravens on the mountain and threw the rest into the sea will forever make me cry. Then we have Eirik, and Hlosnian, and Lindri, and the puppet master 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭, and SVARTELD 👹👹🫠🫠. You have to read it to find out find out what I’m talking about.

”If you were Mannfalla, Rime An-Elderin, I’d follow you. I’d follow you. You hear me?” Eirik’s voice wobbled. Rime nodded.

Then we have the man of the hour, Rime. He was a very well written character. I think he was one of those characters who was set out to be strong from the start and yes he did have SOME character development but it wasn’t without the help of Hirka and those around him. I think he was written in a way where he wasn’t MEANT to be lovable and I love that. I think Siri did him a service by writing his character that way. Not only was this a way to highlight his personality traits as a character on his own (outside of being the ‘love interest’) but it shows him growing to fit his role as Rime an-Elderin, one of the most powerful binders in Ym.


The one thing I don’t understand and I WISH was explained more were the tails!!!!! I’m a little angry with Siri for giving these people a feature and then not even expanding on it. The cover shows the tail to have muscle and bone and my questions are: are the tails prehensile? do they hang limply? do they reach the floor? does it curve upward? can they use their tails to grasp onto things? I want to knooowww 😭😭

Urd can ROT in Slokna till eternity 🖕🏼😜🖕🏼

Scared for book 2 because I want Hirka and Rime content 🤪✌🏼

Buddy read with Emma 💕

[zuzu. · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½

trigger warnings: sexual assault and attempted rape of a minor

⤷ UPDATE (2025): I have officially switched to Storygraph and thus won't be active on Goodreads any longer.

I’m still haunted by the fact that these folks can purchase red nail polish in Ym ??? Whyyyy ???

Ironically, this opening statement perfectly sums up one of the main issues I had with this novel: the weird-ass indecisiveness between, aka the combination of a sometimes contemporary sometimes pseudo-archaic writing style and clichéd meaningless dialogue carelessly mixed together with popular overused YA-tropes.

Reading Odin’s Child was a somewhat odd and hard-to-explain-kind-of experience… I’ll try (and will probably fail miserably, kidding). So, this trilogy has provocatively stared at me for the past however many years whenever I’ve entered a bookstore and found myself in the High Fantasy section. Which happens a lot, not gonna lie.

Can I just mention real quick: THE COVER. I love it. This definitely would have been a cover buy.

Because yes… I thought about purchasing Odin’s Child countless times, yet I never got around to doing it. And I still haven’t. I went to the library to get it out of fear I wouldn’t love it and then I would be stuck with a physical copy on my shelves and ughhhh. Smart move from my side.

This book is… long. It feels much longer than it actually is. And it is definitely longer than it has any right to be. Honestly, at times it felt unnecessarily detailed and barely edited. As if it were a first or a second draft that had accidentally been published instead of the final version and now everyone is too embarrassed to admit it.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I don’t have anything against brick-like books (per se). There are 1000+ pages long novels that I absolutely cherish and would undoubtedly and unapologetically defend with my life (or use as a weapon in order to defend my life *wink*). And yeah, fair enough, sometimes they tend to lose themselves in unnecessary detail as well (I’m looking at Victor Hugo and his sewer-obsession). But as long as the author is able to pull it off, I’m okay with it. And not everyone has that skill or the talent required to keep me interested.

Granted, I have a ridiculously short attention span - even if I remember to take my meds - so perhaps you should better ignore what I just said because maybe my opinion simply isn’t valid or whatever… considering the circumstances.

Anyway, this review - as usual - is me rambling around while trying to make sense of my confused emotions regarding this book instead of an actual - traditional "this book is super lit, go read it folks" - review, I guess…

Okay, back to the book. Just to make things perfectly clear: I didn’t hate Odin’s Child and I don’t think it’s bad or terrible or doesn’t deserve the hype. It wasn’t for me, that’s for sure, and it was sort of underwhelming especially in view of all the praise this series has gotten over the years.

Moreover, I was totally misinformed about this novel. For one: I didn’t know this was YA. And heavy on the same old used-up YA-themes. And the boring stereotypical YA-romance.

I probably would have thought twice before picking it up if I had known.

For another: the advertisement for this was something along the lines of "epic immersive Nordic fantasy with compelling characters, forbidden romance and intrigue, that tackles serious themes like xenophobia and racial exclusion etc."

And I wouldn’t agree. Not entirely, at least. Sure, all of this could be said about Odin’s Child but for the most part... it was handled in a frustratingly superficial manner. EVEN THOUGH IT HAS 600+ PAGES TO DEVELOP SOMETHING.

As I said: it’s long. And it takes forever to get anywhere. It lacks both urgency and tension (seriously, how can a book be soooooo boring). Come on, the main conflict is essentially your typical YA teenage girl being both self-absorbed and paranoid (sure, she has a reason for being alert, but at times she got so exaggeratedly worried simply for the sake of #aNgST it got on my nerves).

Rime - similarly to Hirka - was just as clichéd and annoying. He's your typical Edward Cullen rip-off who's broody and pseudo-emo and OH SO COOL AND UNREACHABLE. He could have been more believable as well as less obnoxious and Gary Stu-ish if Hirka hadn't thought about him as a literal godlike creature every two seconds. Ugh. The thirst and the glorification, I swear.

I won't lose that many words about the prose because with translations it's always hard to tell how much of it is the author and how much the translator. Plus, I have no clue whatsoever how difficult it is to more or less accurately translate a novel from Norwegian to German... But, I did enjoy the writing and it was able to cover up a lot of other things that weren't working so well.

For whatever reason, the worldbuilding just did not work for me. I’m specifically referring to the execution rather than the idea itself. Because the world created by Siri Pettersen was extremely promising and compelling, I give her that. She came up with a concept that - to me - seemed to have a lot of potential. However… the execution was incredibly lackluster and clunky. More importantly: it was confusing as hell. There was almost no atmosphere and it was extremely hard to get a feel for the characters' surroundings. Plus: it took FOREVER to get to a point where I understood the most basic rules about this world.

Don’t come at me and tell me "oh but… it’s Epic Fantasy! It’s meant to be slow-paced or whatever" because… I’ve read plenty of slow-paced High Fantasy novels that weren’t mind-numbingly boring and uneventful. Please, The Name of the Wind is literally completely plot-less and it’s essentially Kvothe talking about the most mundane things ever yet it still works (for the most part).

Odin’s Child however… did not. It may have worked for other readers, but not for me. Unfortunately. Cause I really wanted to love this one. Overall, I felt utterly disconnected from pretty much everyone and everything. I didn't care about Hirka's problems (which were blown out of proportion by her like there was no tomorrow) and I didn't care for the romance. I've read it all before and in the end... nothing much happened ???

Ah never mind, another addition to the unpopular opinion shelf, I suppose. Gotta make sure those books get some new company every now and then, right?

[Jan-egil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this book is only in norwegian, I'm going to write this in norwegian. I really hope they will translate the book to english, because it's so good! I pity those who will not be able to read it because you don't understand the language. It's one of the best fantasybooks I've read in a long time, and it's a flavore of fantasy that's not easy to categorize. So since I don't know how long you will have to wait for the english version, you better start learning norwegian so that you won't miss it!

Odinsbarn er ingen lett bok å starte på, forfatteren går ikke ut i fra at leseren er en idiot og må holdes i hånden hele veien. Det er nok kanskje en "elsk-hat"-bok, enten får man ikke nok eller så faller man tidlig av. Jeg er i den første gruppen! Du blir sluppet rett inn i en verden du ikke kjenner, med uttrykk du ikke vet hva betyr. Gradvis lærer du verdenen å kjenne, og det er en fantastisk verden. En verden inspirert av gammel norrøn mytologi, men absolutt sin egen verden.

Hovedpersonen Hirka er ei tøff jente, en som ikke passer inn noe sted, men likevel ikke lar seg kue. Persongalleriet er godt utviklet, selv de man føler kan være litt flate til å begynne med utvikler seg godt gjennom boken.

Jeg vil anbefale denne boken for alle som liker "tradisjonell" fantasy, med en twist. Jeg sliter litt med å kategorisere den, den passer ikke godt inn i noen av undersjangrene til fantasy. Men du bør lese den.

[Nicolai Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norwegian high fantasy inspired by Norse mythology. Translated into English with the title Odin's Child it’s the first book in a trilogy called Ravneringene/The Raven Rings. Pettersen sensibly subverts the fantasy trope of the chosen one by telling the story of a poor 15-year-old girl called Hirka, who, unlike everyone else, is INCAPABLE of sorcery. She’s also the only one without a tail, for as we learn in the beginning of the book, a man who calls himself her father, chopped it off. She is an outsider never destined to be anyone’s savior. She might even be useless and insignificant. OR she might be the harbinger of an otherworldly race of blind doombringers!?

And yes, she befriends a raven <3

One might, at first glance, easily mistake this book for YA, because it’s about a young girl coming-of-age, but it fits more on the upper end of that scale – as a borderline adult fantasy novel. As the first book in a trilogy, it’s more heavily focused on world-building, establishing the lore and historical background of the world, and there’s plenty of political intrigue and power plays between high-ranking families of the Council. There’s very little romance as well, thankfully. It’s not even remotely silly or funny either; in fact, it’s very serious throughout. Mature and austere.

Also, there’s not a lot of magic (which is not called magic, but evna), and by that I mean very few people actually cast spells, yet magic is still a huge part of people’s lives, their culture and suffused in their very environment, protruding from their history and traditions and always present like a foreboding shadow. A ragnarok. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it all feels very Nordic: prophetic, mighty, ominous, forceful, deep, fierce and wrapped in legends.

Since I read this book in Norwegian, I would like to write the rest of my review in Norwegian, but a fellow Goodreads-friend of mine, Arnstein, has written an excellent review in English if you would like to take a deeper dive into “Odin’s Child”:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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Som nevnt ovenfor er ikke dette typisk fantasy, og det skyldes blant annet at Hirka ikke er en utvalgt som skal redde verden. Vi blir stadig minnet på hvor farlig, uønsket eller utstøtt/utenfor Hirka er, og det syns jeg er en forfriskende tilnærming til sjangeren. Hun er i tillegg foreldreløs, hjemløs, gudeløs, lovløs og i sentrum av alle konfliktene i boken, selve katalysatoren og driveren for handling, men aldri den farlige i seg selv, aldri den slemme. Hun er ikke en stereotypisk guttegæren og vanskelig tenåringsjente, liksom, og det setter jeg pris på. Jeg kjenner meg allikevel igjen i hennes dårlige selvbilde, og jeg lar meg motivere av hennes utrettelig pågangsmot.

Kampen mellom det gode og det onde er også noe som kjennetegner fantasy, men her er det ikke noe tydelig skille mellom dem. Det er til og med litt uklart hvem som egentlig er de onde, og hvem som er de gode. Av og til tror man at man er sikker, men så endrer synet seg underveis.

Det kan bli litt lite magibruk og magiske skapninger, da, så de trekker ned for min del. Selve verdensbyggingen og bakgrunnshistoriene er fabelaktige og eventyrlige, men alt det magiske blir ikke vist eller brukt i praksis i særlig stor grad. Evna blir nesten bare snakket om, monstre og forbannelser lever liksom bare i folks underbevissthet, mesteparten av tiden, som en røverhistorie eller skrøne fra fortiden. Som om alle overnaturlige elementer bare er myter og selvbedrag. Men den slags skaper mer mystikk, og da beriker det verden og menneskene på en dypere måte. Noe som vekker nysgjerrigheten og åpner for flere tolkninger og diskusjoner.

Hun hadde sagt at Evna kjentes ulik på alle steder. Kjent, men likevel ulik. […] Den stod aldri stille. Den vandret gjennom jorda, fløt med vannet, pulserte med livet. Evna var alt som var. Alt som hadde vært. Og ingenting hadde vært det samme to steder i denne verden. Det fantes steinhviskere i Eisvaldr som mente at Evna også var alt som kom til å skje, men det var en diskusjon som var like gammel som livskraften selv. Ingen kunne bevise det, men spåkjerringer tjente likevel godt på å lese Evna i folk. (489)

Språket har jeg meget blandede følelser til.

(Les under spoiler-lenken hvis du vil lese mine tanker om språket og se eksempler)

På den ene siden er det ofte pinlig klisjépregede fraser som "Uroen sprengvokste i brystet hennes", "Panikk hogg tak i hjertet hennes", "Rime kjente et stikk av sorg", "Hirka kjente kroppen stivne", "hjerteslagene hennes flyttet seg høyere opp i brystet" og "uroen fylte kroppen". Ja visst, alle følelsene til folk romsterer rundt og gjør lugubre ting i alskens organer og kroppsdeler. Det blir ikke bedre av at impulser blir bekjempet, vissheter blir tunge, smil blir undertrykt, og at stemmer har både tvil og flau trøst i seg.

Setningene er også konsekvent veldig korte. Da blir det mange pauser i hvert avsnitt, og det syns jeg gjør at språket flyter litt dårlig, som ujevne rykninger. Med for mange lange setninger får man liksom ikke puste, men med for mange små setninger blir man nærmest andpusten.

For ikke å glemme de kleine anglifiseringene innimellom, som språkvaskeren burde ha luket vekk: "ikke hadde en bekymring i verden" (70) "Illume klippet han av" (257), "Hirka hadde spurt etter kamille […] men det fantes ikke" (442) "Slabba hadde allerede begynt å dekke ryggen sin" (404)

På den annen side syns jeg at Pettersen har vært kreativ med metaforer og similer. «Månen var en mager sigd» (53) er ett av mange vakre metaforer. «Det glimtet i svart. Ravnene satt urørlige, som dystre frukter i trærne» (121) er ett av mange stemningsfulle. Av og til får hun meg til å trekke på smilebåndet med noen komiske og småfrekke similer også, som "hun var rynkete som et fjorårseple" (229) eller «de satt med senkede blikk, lamme som tømte mannslemmer" (256).

Jeg vil også si at Pettersen mestrer de sparsommelig brukte, men like fullt stemningsskapende beskrivelsene som får det trolske og mytiske landskapet til å vekkes til live:

vinden hvisket mellom mosegrodd stein i den gamle borgruinen (131)

De smale fjellene stakk opp av tåkehavet. I et eventyr kunne det vært en gammel slagmark for tusener av kjemper. Alt man så, var fingrene de strakte opp i et siste forsøk på å klamre seg til liv. (265)

de stod på den høyeste av steinene i nærheten. Det var mange av dem. Tilfeldig henslengt på ei slette. Som om gudene hadde spilt terning og aldri ryddet opp etter seg. Spillet hadde blitt liggende her, mosegrodd og avglemt. (397)

Mange av de gammeldagse ordene liker jeg, mens stedsnavnene var frustrerende forvirrende. Jeg har ikke noe imot å være innom mange steder i løpet av en roman, men her syns jeg vi blir introdusert for litt for mange steder på altfor kort tid. Det kan hende at det skyldes min begrensede erfaring med fantasyserier, men hver gang noen nevner et sted, vet jeg ikke hvor det er i forhold til alle andre steder, hvordan det ser ut, hva slags folk som bor der, hvordan det er relevant osv.. Ikke er det kartet på første side til hjelp heller, både fordi skrifttypen er uleselig, men også fordi de fleste navna som har blitt nevnt, ikke er å finne der. Jeg husker ikke hva slags steder halvparten skal være engang. For min del vil jeg helst bli introdusert for nye steder gradvis og med en slags beskrivelse/introduksjon. Dette blir bare litt meningsløs og overfladisk verdensbygging for min del. Jeg liker at forfattere krever noe av leseren og ikke forklarer alt, men (steds)navn vil jeg gjerne vite noe om.

Jeg setter nok mest pris på det tematiske ved historien. Det handler like mye om fremmedfrykt som det handler om en frykt for å være fremmed. Det handler om oppvekst, desillusjon, høye forventninger, sosialt press, maktkamp og status. Spesielt kammerspillet er spennende. Pettersen er dyktig til å lage gode dialoger og utvikle medrivende mellommenneskelig samspill med kommunikativ finesse, psykologisk manipulasjon, bedrag og paranoia.

En sirkel av handlingslammede familieoverhoder som ikke gjorde annet enn å vokte hverandres skritt og spinne sine nett. Generasjon på generasjon født til makt og rikdom med den største selvfølge, uten andre ambisjoner enn å beholde begge. (263)

Heldigvis er det lite romantikk, noe som var en lettelse for min del. Jeg setter også stor pris på at ravner har en viktig rolle. I likhet med forfatteren er jeg glad i kråkefugler! Min favoritt er faktisk skjærer, men både kaier, kråker og ravner er flotte skapninger.

Helt til slutt vil jeg si Pettersen klarte å holde ting gående gjennom hele historien. Det var ikke mange kjedelige øyeblikk. Selv om det egentlig er lite fysisk action, er det allikevel spennende mesteparten av tiden. Det skjer store ting på passende tidspunkt, overraskende vendinger og avsløringer. Siste halvdel var jo helt rå! Så jeg kommer til å lese bok nummer to etter hvert :)

Siden det er ikke er mange monstre/vesener og store kriger og overveldende mye/komplisert magi, så kan jeg anbefale deg å lese denne hvis du, som meg, ikke har lest masse ren fantasy fra før av, men har lyst til å utforske sjangeren.

[Kristian Bjørkelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

God norsk fantasy, dei største svakheitene er nok at den tidvis føles som ein ungdomsroman (kva er det med norsk fantasy og unge tenåringsjenter som hovudpersonar?) og at boka ikkje er på nynorsk. Språket er solid og godt, men hadde fått den ekstra norske snerten om det var på nynorsk.

Men eg høyrer rykter om at ungdom er redd for å lese god norsk. Fjøsnisser.

[Yukino · Rating 5 out of 5]

SERIE RAVEN RINGS n. 1

Nonostante abbia richiesto io l'acquisto alla biblioteca di questo libro, ero molto preoccupata. La storia mi incuriosiva, ma mi sembrava molto young. Contate poi 640 pagine di libro scritto in modo fitto, per non parlare di alcune recensioni in cui si diceva che era lento, la mia voglia di leggerlo non era molta. Infatti l'ho rimandato un pò. Alla fine ho deciso di leggerlo durante le vacanze natalizie, in modo da poterlo leggere senza troppe interruzioni, data la mole.

Invece dopo neanche 20 pagine mi sono ricreduta. Sono stata rapita dalla scrittura fluida, che mi ha catapultato in questo mondo dove conosciamo Hirka, ragazza senza coda, derisa da tutti, ma forte coraggiosa e con un grande cuore. La incontriamo mentre salva una ragazzo su un albero. Vive con suo padre guaritore ai margini della società in quanto poveri. Conosciamo subito anche Rime suo amico di infanzia che torna in città. Lui però è figlio di un'antica famiglia del Consiglio, ricco, ed è già destinato a grandi cose. Subito abbiamo una rivelazione che cambierà la vita di Hirka e di Rime.

Non vi dico altro, anche perchè per me sarebbe impossibile. Succedono tante cose da quasi subito. E' vero il ritmo è un pò lento all'inizio e soprattutto c'è un alone di mistero che lascia un pò intontiti.
Ma il bello è proprio questo. Hirka e Rime sono alla ricerca di se stessi, della verità, della fede e il lettore intraprende questo viaggio con loro. Si scopriranno intrighi, si conosceranno persone e si prenderanno decisioni che cambieranno il destino non sono di entrambi. E ovviamente conosceranno l'amore. Un amore che nasce piano piano, e che poi diventa uno di quelli impossibili che distrugge il cuore in mille pezzi. Mi è piaciuto molto anche come è stato trattato. Delicato è la parola che mi viene in mente.

Come avete capito il libro mi è piaciuto davvero tanto. L'ambientazione, le descrizioni mi hanno letteralmente rapito, tanto ch enon riuscivo a staccarmi dal libro e mi ritrovavo a leggere a notta fonda. Vedevo e sentivo tutto. Lei ha quella scrittura lenta, ma che riesce a coinvolgerti, facendoti assaporare ogni momento, ogni frase, ogni emozione. E' un'autrice che mi piace e che mi ricorda la Clare. Una di quelle che ti entra sotto pelle piano piano e arriva dritta al cuore. L'idea cnhe del romanzo molto bella.

Le stelle però sono 4.5. Il finale l'ho trovato un pò frettoloso, ma capisco che doveva andare cosi.
Ovviamente adesso devo ordinare immediatamente il secondo volume. So anche quest'anno a maggio esce il terzo e ultimo. Speriamo di fare in tempo così me li leggo uno dietro l'altro *_*

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hier hat mich ehrlich gesagt der Buchtitel, der Reihentitel und das Cover total angezogen, so dass ich gar nicht mehr groß auf den Klappentext geachtet habe und einfach in die Geschichte eingetaucht bin. Auf den ersten Seiten war ich mir noch nicht so sicher, ob es mir gefällt und wohin mich das ganze führen wird - aber gerade das sind oft die Bücher, die mich dann auf einmal total packen. Und genauso war es auch hier, denn plötzlich ergeben sich die ersten Zusammenhänge, man spürt eine Entwicklung, entdeckt Hintergründe - und schon ist man mittendrin und kann nicht mehr aufhören, weiter zu lesen :)

Die Autorin kommt ja aus Norwegen und ich denke, hier sind einige Details aus den nordischen Mythen verwoben, die mir aber leider nicht alle aufgefallen sind. Dafür kenne ich mich zuwenig darin aus. Das "Odinskind" ist mir natürlich ein Begriff durch den Namen des Göttervaters, aber so ganz den Zusammenhang hab ich noch nicht erkannt. Aber die Reihe geht ja noch weiter...
Besonders spannend fand ich die Verbindung mit den Steinkreisen, über die man auch sicher noch mehr erfahren wird.

Die Protagonistin Hirka ist 15 als sie erfährt, dass sie eigentlich gar nicht nach Ymsland gehört. Vom Aussehen her unterscheidet sie sich nicht (wie Menschen), nur fehlt ihr der Schwanz, von dem sie glaubte, dass ein Wolf in ihr als Baby im Kampf ausgerissen hat. Ein Makel, der ihr zeit ihres Lebens Spott und Hänseleien eingebracht hat, wodurch sie sich aber auch eine innere Stärke zulegen konnte. Und eine schlagkräftige Seite, denn sie lässt sich nichts gefallen und spricht auch aus, wenn ihr etwas nicht passt.
Auch gegenüber höhergestellten Personen, wie Rime. Der Sohn einer mächtigen Familie, mit dem sie dennoch viel Zeit verbracht hat. Entgegen dem Willen seiner Großmutter Ilume, die seinen Werdegang schon seit langen Jahren vorzeichnet und ihn auf dem Stuhl der Ratssippe sehen möchte.
Trotzdem hat er es sich nicht nehmen lassen, mit den "Kindern des normalen Volkes" seine Zeit zu vertreiben und das Band, das ihn mit Hirka verbindet, ist nicht so einfach zu lösen.

Während Hirka jetzt mit ihrer neuen Realität klarkommen und gegen die Ängste ankämpfen muss, entdeckt zu werden, da ein Odinskind ein böses Omen ist - freut sich das Volk auf das Ritual, das alljährlich stattfindet. Die Gabe, die alle Ymsländer in sich tragen, ist nicht in jedem gleich stark ausgeprägt und viele hoffen, dass ihre Fähigkeiten ausreichen, um im Kreis der Mächtigen aufgenommen zu werden.
Der Glaube steht hier sehr im Mittelpunkt, denn der Rat handelt ausschließlich auf die Weisungen des "Sehers", dessen Wort Gesetz ist. Doch wie meistens wenn es um Macht geht, spielen neben überholten Traditionen Intrigen, Täuschungen und falscher Ehrgeiz eine große Rolle - dessen Hintergründe nach und nach aufgedeckt werden.

An den Schreibstil musste ich mich erst etwas gewöhnen. Ich fand ihn sehr eigen, dafür aber originell, und passend in diese fremde Welt mit all ihren kleinen Feinheiten, die sie lebendig und anschaulich machen. Die vielen kleinen Einzelheiten über das Land und ihre Bewohner und auch über die Charaktere wirkten sehr authentisch und haben mich völlig in die Geschichte eintauchen lassen. Die Magie selbst, die man mit der Gabe wirken kann, blieb mir noch etwas verschlossen, dennoch war es insgesamt schlüssig und faszinierend zu beobachten, wie sie angewandt wird.

Ein typischer Bösewicht kommt auch noch mit ins Spiel, das Gerücht der Rückkehr der "Blinden", die seit langer Zeit gefürchtet werden und eine Rebellion einer Provinz, die sich gegen die Macht des Rates zur Wehr setzen will. Viele Konflikte also, die sich gegenseitig hochschaukeln und einiges an Spannung aufbieten.
Die Wege von Hirka und Rime zu verfolgen hat mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht und die Aufdeckung vieler Geheimnisse hat den Reiz, mehr zu erfahren, immer wieder gepuscht. Ich bin jetzt jedenfalls sehr neugierig wie es weitergeht und freu mich auf den zweiten Band!

"Man ist, wer man ist. Und man ist, was man macht. Wenn die Zeit gekommen ist, dann ist es das Beste, was man tun kann, das Richtige. Das Schlechteste, was man tun kann, ist nichts zu tun."
Zitat Seite 87


Weltenwanderer

[Markéta Forejtová · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading ve formě audioknihy byl opravdu zážitek... Více si o něm můžete přečíst v tomhle článku na blogu.

Jo, kdybych věděla, co si o tomhle myslím...

Četla jsem tu knihu moc dlouho, ale rychleji to nešlo.
Svět byl moc komplikovaný, ale jinak to nešlo.
Postavy se mi moc zaryly do duše, ale jinak to prostě nešlo.

4/5*

Recenze: http://marky-books.blogspot.cz/2017/0...
Recenze na audioknihu: https://marky-books.blogspot.com/2020...

[Shaxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wtf? Chci druhý díl, okamžitě! :D

[Joanka]

DNF around 100 page.

So! There is this book marketed as something amazingly original, a new wave of fantasy, SCANDINAVIAN fantasy! How original it is, to have Scandinavian folklore and mythology-based world in fantasy?! (Um, wait.)

To do the book justice, the world is described pretty nice and it felt consistent. Of course, there is the curiosity of creating a new race that is… human beings with tails. That’s it. Oh, of course they have magic, but we are talking about a fantasy world, I guess everyone suspected that. Also, the map doesn’t make sense to me in reference to the text of the book.

Enter our fifteen years old heroine. The originality continues! Hirka is a feisty redhead, not like the other girls and generally not like the other aetlings – she has no tail and she can’t use magic. There is a special coming-of-age ritual on the horizon, that determines your place in the world, on the basis of how well you deal with magic. Hirka is not excited about it but then she learns that she should be scared – she is not a tailless aetling but a creature of different race and that a man she called father found her on a winter night in a circle of magical stones! The race she seems to come from is believed to be legends but also is feared and Hirka must run away to save her life! Enter the hero, three years older noble boy who resign from titles to be a soldier and has a mission so secret he can’t even mention it in his thoughts during his POV! Of course Hirka used to be his only friend because she never paid attention to his titles but did all sorts of risky and fun stuff with him. Enter the antagonist, another teenage boy, who this time was willing to do everything to get titles and become a part of a special Council. He is not even shying away from allying with dark forces! Or killing his father! Does he eat mice while off-screen?!

Then of course everything blows up. Did you REALLY think Hirka has no powers?! Ha!

So, if that speaks to you, you should try Pettersen novel. The style is not painful and many people describe it as flowing, I’m not that sure, for me it was too chopped and everything is explained twice so that you understand it for sure, dear reader.

Not my cup of tea, maybe it becomes better later but I have no time to risk reading the whole trilogy while I don’t enjoy it.

[Chiara Ropolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://lalettricesullenuvole.blogspo...

Era da un po' di tempo che non leggevo un fantasy classico, comprensivo di tutti quegli elementi che lo rendono tale: il prescelto, il personaggio diverso, il viaggio, colpi di scena, azione, magia, un cattivo tremendo, tradimenti, intrecci, politica. Questo libro ha tutto questo e molto di più.
La sua particolarità sta nell'accezione nordica. Infatti è ricco di mitologia norrena, oltre ad avere un'ambientazione che ricorda proprio le terre scandinave.
Era cieca di fronte al Dono. Le era stato negato ciò che tutti gli altri avevano. Era priva del Dono. E anche della coda.
Hirka è senza la coda, cieca alla Terra e al Dono, quella magia che tutti possiedono, chi più chi meno, e che usano nel quotidiano. Ha raggiunto l'età per sottoporsi al rito, una cerimonia per proteggerla dagli Orbi, il male nell'immaginario collettivo. Questi sono una leggenda, anche se c'è chi giura di averli visti.
Siamo a Ymslanda, terra governata dal Consiglio, composto da membri di famiglie influenti che si passano il seggio in maniera praticamente ereditaria. Rime è l'erede della famiglia più influente, in lui il dono scorre copioso ma non tollera la corruzione e le ingiustizie che invece sono la base portante del Consiglio, quindi sceglie di essere un guerriero, di non proseguire con la tradizione familiare, di rinunciare agli agi e alla gloria.
Hirka invece vorrebbe proprio passare inosservata, perché scopre le sue origini e sa che se la sua identità di figlia di Odino, portatrice del marciume, venisse a galla, avrebbe i minuti contati.
Ma niente è semplice né scontato.

La trama è molto ricca e articolata. Questo e l'ambientazione così particolare mi hanno rallentata molto all'inizio. Le prime 200 pagine le ho lette lentamente, ho faticato persino un po' perché ci sono un mucchio di nozioni da imparare e pure la lingua non facilita il compito. Nei fantasy spesso è così, questo nello specifico è ancora più particolare. Comunque dopo lo scoglio iniziale scorre che è un piacere, mi ha catturata e sono arrivata alla fine come in apnea. Non è però un libro semplice né scorrevole, ma ricco e intenso, che richiede concentrazione. E non lo sto intendendo come un difetto, anzi.
... continua sul blog

[Rikke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeg blev nødt til at genlæse den her bog, før jeg overhovedet havde færdiglæst den.

For jeg havde hele tiden en fornemmelse af, noget smuttede fra mig. At jeg overså noget. At jeg ikke fik begyndt ordentligt. Og at jeg skulle tilbage til start for at rette op på det. Så det gjorde jeg. Jeg læste de første 50 sider to gange, og først derefter kunne jeg læse videre i bogen.

Det er ikke fordi, bogen er tung at læse. Ikke rigtigt. Det er nok mere et spørgsmål om at se et helt univers udfolde sig og at træde korrekt ind i det fra start. Siri Pettersen har bygget sådan et mytisk, velkendt og alligevel helt fremmed, univers. Det er nordisk, magisk og barskt. Og fuldstændig fortryllende.

På en eller anden måde, minder Odinsbarn mig om Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials. Ikke fordi plottet er tilnærmelsesvist ens, men der er noget i konceptet: en spejling af vores verden med mærkelige forvrængninger, huller og porte mellem verdener hvor ting kan slippe ud og ind, menneskelignende væsener der beror på en form for magi (favning eller daimons) for at have en hel sjæl – og mennesker, der som en kontrast fremstår hule. Forkerte. Eller rådne.

Bogen er fantastisk velskrevet. Den mindede mig om at være 14 igen og være helt opslugt af en fantasyroman. Den er uforudsigelig, fantasifuld og jeg elsker dens dybe rødder i den nordiske mytologi.

Jeg har allerede fundet næste bind i serien frem. Og jeg glæder mig til at læse videre.

[Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Odinsbarn is a fantasy that includes the kind of epic-ness that is so hard to find it seems almost impossible. Alas, it's completely possible!



Odinsbarn is a fantastic story, where the mythology has a certain Norse feel to it. Where the 12-person council that rules over the world seems to be rotten on the inside; all the while fearing the rot of those that are other. I found the fear of other and how that fear was dealt with to be both fascinating and accurate. The folks in this story were proud of their tails, their history, and their ability to share energy with the earth.The Seer was there to protect them from the blind, and I was so completely immersed in the story from beginning to end it was difficult to put the book down to get some sleep.

Hirka is definitely other, she is the tail-less, possibly an Odinchild, and she is both feared and looked at with disgust.
The world building is amazing, and I can't say it enough, this has to be translated to English so all my English-speaking friends can get immersed with the ravens, the ability, the all-aroundness, and the fight for justice. The writing is so well done, though, so the translator would have to be able to also transform some of the wordplay in order for the whole story to have the same voice and feel to it as in the original version.

Odinsbarn is both plot and character driven, with Hirka a fantastic heroine. She is young, and in some instances, I felt that. In other instances, though, she was able to see much farther than herself and her close circle to understand things much older characters didn't even begin to grasp. Her inner strength was both calm and sure, and when she was afraid of something, she embraced that fear and made it her own. Dealing with it, feeling it and the she could move forward once more.

Odinsbarn is tight, and it is solidly built on the foundations of Norse mythology. The author managed to use the mythology as a building block and then make it her own, though. And of course, I will go straight to the next book - Råta (The Rot) - so I can see if any of my predictions turn out to be true. Because the fact that these folks are afraid of humns, and they think Hirka is an Odinchild. They use ravens both for protection and as a guid makes me think there is still much more to both the story and the world(s) than what conclusions I have made so far.

Written in third person point of view, past tense, and mostly from Hirka's perspective, Odinsbarn grabbed my interest in a different way than any YA fantasy has done. Maybe because of the Norse roots? Maybe because the very distinct voice of Hirka? Maybe because the times when I got parts of the story from a different character's perspective it truly brought something both interesting and vital to the story? I can't really explain it, but if you enjoy YA fantasy, you should cross your fingers and your toes for a translation. Not sure if there are any ears we can try to whisper to?



Rime warned of danger, she felt it in every single one of her nerves. She had thought she'd recognized him, but what she saw in front of her was only a memory. The man in front of her was no childhood rival.

Father looked at her. His eyes were deep and withered like his legs. This was how it was going to be. She was a wrongborn who couldn't share the energy. She was blind for the Ability. Cheated of what everyone else had. Ability-less. And tail-less. 

The room smelled like leather from the bindings. And power. It smelled like power. This was how power was supposed to smell. Everlasting. Immortal. Boundless.

She closed her eyes against his chest and listened to the beats of his heart. The best sound she'd ever heard. The best she'd ever felt. And also the worst. She had tasted something that could never be hers. Not without killing him. It was too much to bear.

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg ga i utgangspunktet denne boken 4-4.5 stjerner, men velger nå å runde det opp til 5 stjerner da jeg virkelig elsker verdenen forfatteren har skapt.

4.5 stjerner. // Jeg var lenge skeptisk til denne boken før jeg startet på den. For det første synes jeg omslaget nesten gjorde vondt å se på, og for det andre interesserte det meg ikke så veldig å lese om halelause Hirka. Historien virket ikke som en bok etter min smak ved første øyekast, og hypet og alle de gode karakterene her på Goodreads gjorde meg bare enda mer skeptisk da jeg lurte på om de store forventningene virkelig kunne innfris.

Og vel, det kunne de virkelig!

Jeg elsket å lese og lære om den nye verdenen forfatteren har skapt, og jeg likte også karakterene veldig godt. Det var så utrolig gøy å bli kjent med Hirka, Rime, Mannfalla, Seeren, Ravnhov, ja, absolutt alt egentlig, og jeg var hele tiden veldig nysgjerrig. Det var rett og slett interessant og spennende lesing, og måten denne verdenen er bygget opp på er bare helt fantastisk. Alt er så utrolig detaljert og bra formulert. Forfatteren har virkelig fått til noe helt spesielt, etter min mening. Det tok dog litt tid før jeg kom helt inn i alt det nye, men det er jo ikke uvanlig når man blir presentert for ukjente verdener.

Jeg likte nok den første halvdelen av boken aller, aller best, men jeg koste meg jo veldig med den andre halvdelen også. Helt mot slutten gikk ting kanskje litt for fort til tider, men det var jo naturligvis også mye som skjedde på kort tid, så det er jo ikke så rart egentlig.

Jeg er bare så glad for at jeg bestemte meg for å ta opp denne boken til tross for at jeg på forhånd ikke trodde det var helt min kopp te, for så feil kunne jeg altså ta. Den var så utrolig annerledes enn hva jeg hadde forestilt meg, og jeg kan bare anbefale andre til å ta den opp de også. Odinsbarn er virkelig en bok det er verdt å prøve seg på å lese, for det er så bra og original fantasy. En ny favoritt for min del.

Gleder meg sånn til å lese resten av serien!

[marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you've had this book sitting on your shelf forever and then you finally read it and want to punch yourself in your face for not reading it sooner!?

Odinsbarn by Siri Pettersen:

"Imagine missing something everyone else has,
something that proves you belong to this world.
Something so vital, that without it, you're nobody.
A plague. A myth. A human."

Fifteen winters old, Hirka learns that she is an Odin's child – a tailless rot from another world. Despised. Dreaded. And hunted. She no longer knows who she is, and someone wants to kill her to keep it a secret. But there are worse things than humans, and Hirka is not the only creature to have broken through the gates…

"In THE RAVEN RINGS series the classic elements of fantasy literature have been reinvented. There are no prophecies, no dragons, and no magic swords. There is magic, to be sure, but you won't find that word in the book. The protagonist is a resourceful, female outcast, living with a savage Northerner who deals drugs. She is not "chosen", and has no special powers. In fact, what sets her apart is the terrifying fact that she lacks the powers that everyone else has.

The series has been maturing in the head of the author for almost a decade. Dealing with matters of xenophobia, blind faith and the right or will to lead, this is epic fantasy literature with a purpose."
- from ravenrings.com.

Odinsbarn (which I guess translates to "odinschild") actually is the first book I've read in Norwegian for probably 10+ years. Honestly the fact that it was a Norwegian book was part of the reason I never got around to reading it. Over the years I got in the habit of reading english and never had any Norwegian books really grab my attention enough for me to go out and buy it. But last year I wanted to give Norwegian authors a chance and the first book I bought was Odinsbarn. I knew it to be one of the most popular fantasy books here. Still, it took me ages to start it! I've had a horrible reading year so far - I've just been distracted by life. I almost never took the time to read and the book had to be pretty damn amazing to keep my attention for more than 15 minutes..

Well, now I've been dragging this 600+ page book around with me for a week. I've been reading on the bus to/from school, at school during breaks, on fishing trips and of course curled up on the couch and even better - outside on our balcony. This book is best read outside, breathing the fresh air. You'll know if you read it.

I really don't know how to describe this book and write a decent review. I'm sad I can't find the words to explain in a "short" review because I don't think this book has been translated to english yet (WHY?) and I want you all to be able to read it. I truly think so many of you would love it!
There was a few things that I wish were different (I'm very critical about relationships in particular) but nothing that would keep me from giving this book a million stars if I could. The plot is so unlike anythings I've ever read. This was the best reading experience I've had in a long time. I hope this book will be translated to english soon so more of you guys can experience this world too.

I'm definitely diving right into the next book in the Raven Rings trilogy to see what Hirka and Rime will get up to. I have "Råta" right next to me right now, I had to run and get it off my shelf as soon as I finished Odinsbarn - that ending was epic! Kind of happy I'm late to read this trilogy, the wait for the next book would have been painful.

[M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hirka's story started good and then fell into teenage drama vortex. She's no one but Different, he's a young Coflicted noble. Miss Different and Mister Conflicted plow through the political intrigues and solve mysteries like pros using instant enlightenment. Together they save the day. At least I think so, because DNF.

Additional notes:
Rape victim blaming and one rape attempt on a minor.
Let's not hurt bad people anymore. I know they're repeatedly trying to slaughter us these days but killing is bad.
My whole community is trying to murder me, but OMG he kissed me!
Nope.
Why did NORLA sponsor this?

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hieno fantasiaseikkailu! Kekseliäs ja koukuttava.

Minua vaivasi kuitenkin hiukan häntien hyödyttömyys. Tuntui että ne vain olivat osa yminväkeä, lojuivat maassa merkkinä rodusta, olematta sen kummempia. Olisi ollut mielenkiintoista, jos yminväen hännät olisivat olleet eloisampia. Niitä olisi voinut käyttää vaikkapa taistelussa muuten kuin tasapainoa tuottamaan tai vaikkapa arvioida asennosta mielialoja tai terveydentilan.

Itse juoni oli kuitenkin hieno ja jään himoitsemaan seuraavaa osaa suurella sydämellä.

[Ludovica Ponzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leggere 600 pagine e non sentirle. Leggere 600 pagine e desiderare con tutta te stessa che non finiscano. Leggere 600 pagine e non voler smettere. Centellinare le pagine per non arrivare alla ovvia parola fine. Voler continuare all’infinito, pur sapendo che ogni libro preveda una conclusione, anche se poi le parole e le immagini continuano a viaggiare nella nostra mente.
Ah! Il potere dei libri! La figlia di Odino è tutto questo e molto di più.

La figlia di Odino è proprio un MIO libro, l’ho sentito nelle mie corde dalla prima pagina, l’ho sentito sotto la pelle in maniera viscerale sin dalle prime battute.

Lei, Hirka, una Rossa, la Senzacoda, una piccola quindicenne selvaggia che si arrampica sugli alberi e che difende gli amici derisi, una guaritrice, indotta a questo mestiere dal padre che la trovò da neonata, abbandonata nei boschi, e la fece sua, nonostante in lei avesse intuito il sentore del marciume, una del popolo, umile e solitaria.
Con un unico punto debole, Rime. Con un unico punto di forza, Rime.

Lui, Rime, capelli bianchi, uno degli ultimi rampolli di una delle dodici famiglie più potenti di Manfalla, un giovane diciottenne che invece di scegliere la strada che il destino ha scelto per lui, succedere a sua nonna nel Consiglio dei 12, decide di prendere la sua vita tra le mani e diventare una Guardia (ciò che questo comporterà lo scopriremo solo più avanti).
Con un unico punto debole, Hirka. Con un unico punto di forza, Hirka.

Cos’hanno in comune Hirka e Rime? Apparentemente niente, ma in profondità il loro rapporto va al di là del loro diverso ceto sociale, al di là del Dono, che è una parte prepotente, LA parte preponderante, di Rime ma che fatica a venir fuori in Hirka, al di là della coda, che Rime possiede come tutti gli abitanti di Ymslanda e che invece Hirka non ha mai avuto, almeno fin da quando lei ricordi.
Loro si somigliano più delle loro differenze, il loro vincolo è più forte di ogni distanza che li allontani. Loro si appartengono, e non se lo sono mai detto. Si appartengono, senza saperlo, ma sentendolo, sì. Si appartengono e se ne accorgeranno quando il loro destino sembrerà averli allontanati per sempre.

Hirka e Rime si conoscono sin da bambini, pur vivendo ai lati opposti della stessa città, in due condizioni completamente diverse, ma ciò non ha potuto evitare loro di diventare amici e complici e lanciarsi continuamente in sfide sempre più impegnative e pericolose. Non è un romanzo d’amore, è un fantasy, di quelli che ti lasciano con il fiato sospeso per la maggior parte del tempo, in cui atmosfere antiche e nordiche fanno da sfondo ad una storia che non avrebbe neanche bisogno di uno sfondo. Non è una storia d’amore, perché i due quasi non si sfioreranno, ma sono quelle storie in cui non c’è bisogno di parole o fatti, i loro sguardi parlano per entrambi, il loro reciproco sentimento li spingerà a proteggersi e difendere l’altro sopra ogni cosa, anche sopra la vita.

Per tutto il libro, contraddistinto da continui momenti di altissima tensione e rarissimi di quelli in cui la narrazione dà modo al cuore di trovare riposo da battiti forsennati, si ha la percezione di assistere a qualcosa di grande.
Di importante.
Di epico.

E tutti i personaggi, primi tra tutti Hirka e Rime, faranno del tutto per non restare passivi di fronte a quello che sembra un destino incontrovertibile. Faranno delle scelte, dolorose e sofferte, non in nome di un Bene più grande, ma di loro stessi e di un senso di Giustizia e Verità che va oltre le regole scritte e condivise e seguite da tutti, per secoli.
I personaggi, tutti, dal più importante al minore, anche i più cattivi, impossibile non citare Urd, cattivo fino all’ultima pagina, possiedono un’anima, hanno uno spessore che li rende unici, tutti, dal primo all’ultimo hanno la necessità di comunicare qualcosa. Di essere parte di un cambiamento. Di una rivolta. Di una presa di coscienza. Tutti saranno fautori di una svolta. Ed è in questo che si misura l’epicità della storia, nei personaggi che convogliano insieme nella realizzazione e nella distruzione di un evento, nella unanime consapevolezza che ci sia bisogno del superamento di una società corrotta, ingannevole, falsa. Nel desiderio di elevare a garante di un nuovo inizio colui che più aveva da perdere e più aveva rischiato.

La scrittura è talmente fluida e talmente realista ed evocativa insieme, che fermarsi è un’offesa nei confronti della narrazione, coinvolgente e passionale, mai banale o scontata. Tutto accade proprio come deve accadere. Non ho trovato una scena che avrei voluto minimamente diversa. Ogni parola è inserita al suo posto. Come ogni sguardo. Ogni gesto. Ogni lacrima.

È un fantasy perfetto. In una cornice perfetta. Con una trama perfetta. Con personaggi perfetti. E l’unica consolazione non è che potrò rileggerlo ancora tante volte, ma che ci siano dei seguiti, già scritti e già pubblicati che aspettano solo di essere letti, per portarmi in un’altra dimensione, in una storia senza tempo che mi restituisca la sensazione di appartenere anche io, semplice lettrice, ad un TUTTO, più grande di me.

Fin qui la recensione non ha avuto spoiler, di seguito non ho saputo trattenermi dal tratteggiare alcune scene che per me sono i topoi di questa storia!Mi sono divertita tantissimo ad individuare quelle che hanno fatto battere il cuore di una fangirl come me. Quelle per cui ho sofferto, pianto e sorriso. Questo libro è una fonte inesauribile di emozioni!

La scena più dolce? Quando Hirka tocca il ciondolo che porta sempre al collo, in cui segna le tacche che indicano le volte in cui aveva battuto Rime, pensando che lui non conservasse più traccia di quel loro gioco segreto ed invece, poi, trova uno stesso ciondolo, anche se a forma di conchiglia, al collo di Rime, con le loro iniziali e lo stesso numero di tacche. Perché certe cose, non puoi fare a meno di portartele sempre dentro.

«Era una conchiglia. La prese in mano.
R e H. Otto tacche sotto ciascuna lettera».

Quella più straziante? Rime che non riesce a reagire alla ferita procuratasi fuggendo per portare in salvo Hirka e lei che si sente morire, insieme a lui. Mi sono dovuta fermare anch’io, chiudere il libro, riprendere fiato e lentamente tornare a pag 519, aprire gli occhi socchiusi per la paura e trovare il coraggio di sapere. Lo dico. Non sono mai, mai, andata a sbirciare l’ultima riga delle storie, ma in quel momento sono stata fortemente tentata di mettere da parte la mia onestà intellettuale e capire se Rime avesse ancora possibilità di sentire il Dono dentro di sé o se per lui, con quella scena, si era decisa la fine. Alle parole “Rime dice che si arrende. Hai vinto, tu, ragazza” le lacrime sono scese da sole, come se una diga fosse saltata e tutta l’ansia accumulata e l’adrenalina rimasta latente per tutto il libro fossero saltate fuori tutte insieme.
«Hirka sentì un calore accompagnato da un formicolio,
e capì che stava tentando di evocare.
Lasciò che scorresse dentro di lei.
La forza vitale.
Rime aveva bisogno di vita.»

La scena eclatante per antonomasia? Ilume e Rime uno di fronte l’altro. Nonna e nipote. Un testimone che, contro il giudizio generale, non è passato dalle mani di una a quelle dell’altro. Ilume aveva già perso il suo unico legame di sangue, quando questi non aveva voluto seguire le sue orme, ma ora, uno di fronte all’altra sono irrimediabilmente lontani. Si guardano e sanno che mai più si troveranno dalla stessa parte della barricata. Rime ha fatto la sua scelta, pagandone tutte le più amare ed atroci conseguenze.

«Crogiolatevi nella ricchezza e negli agi, se desiderate;
ma non giustizierete una ragazzina per dare l’esempio a un nemico immaginario.
Non finché io sarò in vita!»

La scena illuminante? Quando Hirka capisce chi sia veramente Rime, cosa abbia deciso di fare della sua vita e quando Rime capisce di essere disposto a tutto pur di salvare la sua ragazzina dai capelli rossi, anche lottare contro se stesso, facendo scontrare da un lato il suo dovere e dall’altro il suo desiderio prepotente: salvare Hirka, anche da se stessa.

«Quello di fronte a lei non era un uomo con la mente lucida.
Era un animale. Un lupo.
La sua vita dipendeva dalla lotta interiore che stava combattendo Rime.
Dalle sue convinzioni. Dalla sua fede.»

Scena più audace? Quella in cui Hirka capisce il potere inesauribile del Dono, dell’importanza che non solo Rime ha su di lei per farla attraversare dal Dono, ma anche il potere che lei ha sul Dono di Rime.

«Rime era parte di lei, e allo stesso tempo le era estraneo.
Un peso è un sostegno.
Era la terra e il cielo che la usavano per dissetarsi.»

Un libro unico nel suo genere. Non ci sono parole per dire esattamente quali siano le emozioni procurate ed allora le conserverò dentro di me e ne farò tesoro per il mio futuro di lettrice.

[Patrycja · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Jak już się rozkręciło to była to wspaniała rozrywka!

———————————————

[ współpraca barterowa @dom_wydawniczy_rebis ]

“Dziecko Odyna” Siri Pettersen to pierwszy tom fantastycznej serii “Krucze pierścienie”. Śledzimy w nim losy młodej dziewczynki, która jako jedyna w swoim otoczeniu nie posiada ogona. Ma ona również problemy z nauczeniem się posługiwania magią, przez co przeraża ją wizja zbliżającego się Rytuału. Jednak jej życie jest tylko niewielkim elementem w porównaniu dorozgrywających się w tle politycznych zawirowań.

W dosyć spokojnym tempie Siri Pettersen zaprasza do świata wykreowanego przez jej bogatą wyobraźnię. Od samego początku wrzuca nas na głębokie wody i sprawia, że możemy poczuć się jak część tej wielkiej całości. Naprawdę bardzo podoba mi się, gdy ekspozycja jest poprowadzona właśnie w taki sposób, traktując czytelnika dojrzale i nie prowadząc go za rękę na każdym kroku. Wymaga to jednak dużo większego skupienia, szczególnie na samym początku lektury.

Powieść bardzo mocno nawiązuje do mitologii nordyckiej i raz za razem daje się w niej odczuć wspaniały lecz mroźny, skandynawski klimat. Nie jest to jednak lekka historia, a bohaterowie są tam stawiani przed wieloma próbami siły czy charakteru.

Główne skrzypce gra tu natomiast polityka. Zawiłości i intrygi wspaniale rozwijają fabułę, natomiast zwroty akcji skutecznie utrzymują uwagę czytelnika. Do samego końca nie byłam w stanie przewidzieć, w jakim kierunku potoczy się cała historia.

Jest to również poniekąd opowieść o wolności, wykluczeniu i o oczekiwaniach jakie wobec nas mają inni. Postępowanie głównej bohaterki może dać nadzieję, a ona sama może podzielić się z nami szczyptą własnej siły. Bo choć nie ma prawdziwej mocy i jest jeszcze bardzo młoda, tak pokazuje, że świat wcale nie jest zbyt wielki, by nie można go było zmienić na lepsze.

[Radek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tohle je seriozní, hutná fantasy ve stylu Tolkiena a podobných autorů, napsaná barvitým a překrásným jazykem. Když jsem začal číst, byl jsem úplně mimo, absolutně jsem se v knize nevyznal, ale byl jsem za to rád. Autorka tak dosáhla efektu, kterého je docílit nesmírně těžké - v jednu chvíli prostě přestanete vnímat všechny pojmy, co vám nedávají smysl, jména, názvy a další označení a jednoduše do příběhu proniknete. A pak si připadáte součástí děje víc, než kdy jindy. A jestliže čtete právě Odinovo dítě, tak věřte, že to bude intenzivnější o to víc, protože jsem já osobně v životě nečetl něco jako tohle, kde autorka vytvořila svět tak neskutečně dobře rozestavěně, promyšleně a autenticky a když se k tomu všemu přidá taková hutný těžká atmosféra, kterou fakt umí vyvolat snad jen ti ze Severu, tak není co řešit. Občas to sice působí trochu koncentrovaně, knížka by se mohla zkrátit, ale všechno ostatní je skvělé... Charaktery, vztahy, popisy, opisy (ano i opisy, které nesnáším!) a hlavně myšlenka.

Siri Pettersenová je nejen ohromně sympatická, milá a vděčná, ale také dokázala napsat líbivou a úctyhodnou fantasy, která hravě předčí aktuálně frčící bestsellery. Myslím, že tahle kniha je začátek něčeho hodně velkého.

(A jestli se náhodou ptáte, zda Jiskra nebo Odin - přečtete si obě. #teamboth!)

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Nataša · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mne sa chce až plakať z toho aké to bolo dobré (a tiež z toho konca, ktorý mi zlomil srdce) Boha toto bolo tak sakra dobré, že potrebujem pokračovanie! To prostredie, tie postavy, zvraty, opisy a štýl! Whaaaa! A tie vzťahy....idem si sadnúť do kúta modliac, aby vyšlo v preklade pokračovanie..

[Fipah · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star = I did not like it.

First of all let me say I am not a fan of cold hardcore Medival-ish fantasy, and I do not read books similar to this one. I perfer warm-hearted fantasy in the style of Magyk or the ineffable His Dark Materials, so my review may be skewed. I quit reading after having read 473 pages out of 559. I tried to read it because of the amazing reviews.

Personally, I found it very hard to imagine any concept or place in this book - the author revels in indirect hints that serve as a complete foundation of the world building. Throughout the book we are introduced to various practices that indeed are named, yet remain vague and grey only to be slowly unraveled over the course of several hundred pages. The world remains uninteresting, brute and to me it felt there was nothing that enriched me throughout the reading process - I did not care about the world, the plot, nor its characters.

I feel like the reader is required to "get" it, yet there is so little offered. Even with descriptions I found I could not imagine the world - say a room or a building was described, but anything specific was omitted - should I imagine it as something resembling typical medieval fantasy and its setting or does it look more alien? Traditional? Northern? Is it flashy purple?
The reader is just thrown into the world, which sometimes can be a good thing - here it was not.
I could never taste the world, breathe in its winds.

The author's constant third-person thoughts that are meant to make the plot complex are clichéd, and in my opinion they do not serve the plot. On the contrary, it feels as if Ms Pettersen wants to say what we should be thinking about the plot in the voice of the characters. The thoughts are much richer than the dialogue itself, but this leaves us with a poor dialogue filled with variegated shards of thought that are meant to elevate its complexity. Though being poorly written, one can not elevate it anywhere - it needs to be rewritten. It goes something like this:

Fact A happens in a dialogue.
Character B explains what happened and the implications of it with their thoughts.
Character B replies.
Now we see character C's thoughts on the situation.
Character C retaliates with a phrase said in a valorous manner.
Then we are offered a view what this really means to this character.
Character B lets it sink in.
Character B replies.

With all the unnaturalness and clunkiness of the dialogues aside, I think it was also confusing how the points of view (POV) switched - I think they were executed poorly. It was hard to follow the often clunky changes from limited third person POV to the involved (aka omniscient) author POV to the observer-narrator (3rd person) POV. Here I use the POV names as explained by Ursula K. Le Guin in her excellent Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew. This left me feeling detached from both the dialogue and the story, unsure whom it actually was telling me the story.

Last but not least, the conflict is hard to empathise with and in the book it is presented after approximately 300 pages; up until then it feels like a blind and unenjoyable walk full of trite dialogues wherein the characters speak in a stilted heroic manner that feels unnatural.

tl;dr: Not recommended if medieval/cold North-style fantasy is not your style, especially when the world's omnipresent culture and customs are left unexplained while forming the basis of the conflict - think an individual VS society and its collective fault.

[Marita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dette er om mulig en av de beste bøkene jeg har lest. Språket passer meg perfekt, boken er lett å lese. Den ville passet utmerket i en leselystaksjon, ikke bare pga språket, men også pga at den engasjerer så til de grader. Jeg var en emosjonell berg - og dalbane gjennom hele boka, fra absolutt første til absolutt siste side. Og jeg elsket det. Det er slik bøker skal være! De skal provosere, vekke følelser, irritere og gjøre oss glad.

Jeg slukte denne boken rå og forstår nå ikke hvordan jeg skal klare å holde ut til neste kommer. Dette er god norsk fantastisk litteratur som jeg tror kommer til å virkelig slå an når folk forstår hvilken gullklump denne boken er!

Tusen takk Siri, for at du skrev boken. Du gav meg den gode leseopplevelser jeg har lett etter lenge, fått opp leselysten min, og ikke minst gitt meg en historie som sitter igjen i kroppen.

Anbefales til både ungdom og voksne!

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im in tears. I loved this book. I totally, wholeheartedly ship Hirka & Rime! Otp <3 everything is perfect with this book, and Im so glad I can start the sequel tomorrow! Damn, what a story!! And this needs to exist in English!!!!!!!!!!!

[Malin (readygoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aner ikke hva som var galt med meg for (nesten) 10 år siden, da jeg leste denne for første gang og ikke likte den. Mistenker at jeg forventet guder og sånn da folk da "norrønt" og ble derfor skuffet. Anyway. Now I love it!