Fehu

by Malene Solvsten, Adrienne Alair (Translator)

Overview

Part thriller, part fantasy, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the supernatural, murder mysteries, or Norse mythology.

For fans of The Raven Boys and American Gods.

Following up on the cliffhanger ending of Book 1, where Anna has learned who is responsible for the series of bestial murders taking place in her hometown and learns that they are connected with an ancient prophecy about the end of the world.

Book 2 sets off with Anna reaching Hrafnheim, an unknown parallel world full of gods, demigods and creatures. There she is picked up by soldiers of the ruler Ragnara, but a renegade officer of the army, Rorik, frees her. Together, they set out to free her twin sister, Serén, who has been captured by Ragnara. The road to the capital of Sént is fraught with deadly dangers, and the vision of her own murder plagues Anna ceaselessly. She begins to understand more and more that Ragnarok, the downfall of the world, is directly linked to her own fate . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646900275
Publisher:	Arctis
Publication date:	10/15/2024
Series:	Whisper of the Ravens , #2
Pages:	590
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 2.10(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Malene Sølvsten made her debut as an author in 2016 with the novel, Whisper of the Ravens and published seven books in total. She received several awards and prizes for her authorship, including the Danish prize, the Edvard P. Prinsen Prize 2018, and the German Der Buxtehuder Bulle award in 2023. Malene Sølvsten died October 20, 2024 following a short period of illness. She was 47 years old.

Adrienne Alair is a literary translator working from Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish into English. She studied Scandinavian Studies at the University of Edinburgh and has lived in Sweden and Denmark. She is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

2024-08-03
A girl’s prophecy-driven journey through the landscape of Norse mythology continues in this sequel to 2023’sAnsuz, translated from Danish.

Clairvoyant Anna’s giant wolf, Monster, reappears from the gods’ world on the verge of death, bearing a dire warning. The ruler of Hrafnheim, Ragnara, has captured Anna’s sister, Serén, and intends to capture Anna, too, because of the prophecy linking Anna’s blood to Ragnara’s downfall. Rather than wait for the danger to find her, Anna makes her way to Hrafnheim through an ill-fated deal, is captured upon her arrival, and escapes with a soldier named Rorik. Anna embarks on an epic quest, experiences violent visions of death, and navigates an important case of mistaken identity to rescue Serén from her sacrificial fate before Ragnarök begins. The expansive worldbuilding and intricate web of coinciding storylines are fairly smoothly plotted with few expository sections, although the story feels overlong and confusing at times. Those interested in the myriad Norse mythological details woven throughout will be satisfied, and the glossary of people, places, and things is extremely helpful. But even though the central mysteries are compelling, the individual characters are rather flat and read more like adults than teens. The story is weakened by some troubling content around questions of consent in a sexual relationship, the presentation of a transgender character, and a reference to “normal skin color.” Most characters present white.

A complex mythological adventure that suffers from its length and shallow characterization. (translator’s note)(Fantasy. 14-adult)

Kirkus Reviews