truly gorgeous -- lucy holland's prose is stunning and full of life. historical fantasy doesn't always flow and can become boggy with historical details, but this felt like a really strong balance.

all three perspectives were distinct and enjoyable, which is a huge feat in a multi-POV story, and i really appreciated how much time was given to ine as well as æthel and herla.  based on the marketing i didn't realise how crucial he would become, but it made for an interesting dynamic and gave a much more rounded narrative. king ine's softness and logical mind was a perfect contrast to both women's brash, hotheaded warrior mindsets. 

if i was being nitpicky i'd say it was perhaps a little long and the final confrontation took a lot of setting up, but the writing is so evocative and engrossing that just being in this world at all was a treat. 

i opted for the audiobook for this one and i highly recommend it - kristin atherton is a perfect narrator and it definitely helped keep track of names, details and allegiances when i didn't have to figure out how to pronounce them all...