Hall of Smoke

Most of this book is a journey from one location to another, following it on the map would make it more interesting and engaging. The world-building was very well done, H. M. Long transported us to a harsh world full of lore and rich culture. Albeit inspired by Vikings and Norse mythology, the gods had more of a direct and important role in this book. I’m always intrigued by books where gods are actually real and their influence on the world is evident. The world Long created and the history she weaved and how they played out at the end of the book was my favorite part of this book. She also illustrated the relations between the different nations in a clear interesting way. If it weren’t for the glossary, I would’ve been confused since there are many names mentioned. Make sure to refer to it while reading the book.

Long’s writing was easy to get lost in. she described the world vividly and I was always imagining the lands Hessa was traveling through in my head. Her style was solid, especially for a debut book. The book is told from Hessa’s perspective. I also appreciate the lack of romance in this book and how Hessa didn’t need anyone to survive and was always depending on herself. Sure, many helped along the way but not in the way of a “love interest” does.

Hessa was fierce and strong, a warrior who is left with a heavy burden. But she’s also vulnerable when it’s needed. She was also loyal and always putting others first. While the book is mostly told in the present time, we get a flew flashbacks chapters that tell us about Hessa’s life before the events of Hall of Smoke. Although the pace of this book is slow, since most of it is on the road, the chapters helped since they weren’t long most of the time.

But these are all positives why didn’t I give it any more stars?
I couldn’t connect with the characters, I also found that only Hessa had depth to her character and while Nisien had more personality than most, I couldn’t care about him. I was like a stranger watching events unfold from far away instead of living them with the characters. I also didn’t feel that she loved her husband. We were constantly told about how much he meant for her and yet it was more telling than showing, this is usually a set up for future “true love” later on. But since this book won’t have a direct sequel, I don’t think this is the case here. It’s also not a book that I’d remember long after reading it.

All in, this is a good debut but sadly nothing special among this genre. It can be read as a standalone and the author said there will a sequel set in the same world but is also a standalone. The world-building was great and I loved the history of the world. Do I recommend it? Sure if you like Vikings inspired stories. You might have better luck than me connecting with the characters. I will also keep an eye on H. M. Long future books.


arc provided via Netgalley