“A Fate Inked in Blood” is the first book in a new series by author Danielle L. Jensen inspired by Norse mythology. It is set in a world reminiscent of the time of the Vikings and their fierce clan battles for supremacy.
Book Review: A Fate Inked in Blood
- Author: Danielle L. Jensen
- Series: Saga of the Unfated #1
- Format 432 pages, hardcover
- Published on February 27, 2024 by Del Rey
- ISBN 9780593599839 (ISBN10: 0593599837)
- ASIN 0593599837
- Language English
Vikings with relief shapes and impossible love
This book caught my attention and captivated me with the very first pages and the promise of Norse mythology, forbidden love and prophecy. The combination sounded too promising to pass up.
“A Fate Inked in Blood” managed to surprise me with a different beginning and a different fate for the heroine. The story follows the life of Freya, a young girl caught up in an arranged marriage to a rapist and struggling with her inner demon to accept the role of submissive wife. But in her heart she longs for battles, for glory and for a place among the warriors.
But her fate has other plans. Like a cruel joke, her life is turned upside down in the blink of an eye when she meets Björn and his father. Her dreams of glory suddenly turn into a nightmare and her life becomes a game played by power-hungry men.
Reflections
A world that has potential but remains underdeveloped. Fascinating elements such as the inherited blood of the gods and the prophecy are not sufficiently developed. The love story, while present, felt overdone to me and sometimes disrupted the momentum of the plot.
The predictability of the plot was a disappointment. There was a lack of unexpected twists and turns to keep me interested.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed it. At first the story was intriguing, the chemistry between the characters was enough to hold my attention, but eventually that changed. About 50% of the book consisted of sighs and romantic musings.Freya, despite her potential, remains a passive character who lets herself drift with the flow of events. I missed a stronger sense of her will and character. Fortunately, the last part of the book managed to evoke some emotion in me, even if it was entirely predictable.
The final rating is 3 stars.
“A Fate Written in Blood” is a romantic fantasy that will satisfy readers looking for stories with a strong focus on the romantic plot. If you’re a fan of the Kingdom Bridge series by the same author, you’ll find similarities in style and pacing, but with a less established magical world and a more predictable plot than her previous book.
A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
