The Fated Sky [Hardcover]

Henrietta Branford (Author), Cynthia von Buhler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 1999

When her father and brothers are killed in battle, Ran, a young Viking woman, has no one to protect her. And as she travels with her unloving mother and a cruel stranger to take part in a winter sacrifice, Ran's safety and future are uncertain. Now sixteen-year-old Ran must learn to fend for herself -- and discover that she has the ability to control her own destiny. Henrietta Branford, Guardian award-winning author of Fire, Bed, and Bone, brilliantly recreates the mysticism and the harsh realities of the Viking world in this tale of strength, romance, and thwarted fates.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-An exciting historical adventure. After Ran is accused of causing her mother's death, she is selected as the sacrifice to Odin at the Allfather's yearly celebration. An attack of raiders led by her mother's suitor, Vigut, allows the blind musician Toki to rescue Ran, and the two flee Norway for Iceland to start a new life. Ran's fortunes improve for a while. She and Toki have two children and manage a farm, but fate again intervenes, and Vigut reappears, killing most of the people in their landlord's holding. Toki dies, along with most of the raiders, when a freak storm floods the area, but Ran and her children survive. Branford has written a dark, foreboding story full of ancient beliefs and fortuitously timed disasters. Offerings of meat and runes are made to Odin and Freya and floods arrive at just the right moment to save Ran from certain death. Ran tells the story of her past-interjecting observations about her present circumstances-in a straightforward manner. She speaks of the sadness of knowing her mother doesn't love her and describes the acts of violence committed by the raiders, but her voice lacks passion. Nevertheless, her story is compelling and offers readers a glimpse of what life may have been like for a Viking woman.
Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"1 '...a brutal, stark, utterly convincing evocation of the Dark Ages - and my tip for a future classic.' PHILLIP PULLMAN, THE GUARDIAN 2 'Henrietta Branford has brilliantly recreated the harsh world of the North at the time of the Vikings...' THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 3 'To call this book compelling would be an understatement: teen readers will relish it...' TES" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1st edition (October 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763607754
• ISBN-13: 978-0763607753
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.8 x 5.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #827,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I had a pre-teen I would give them this book, November 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fated Sky (Hardcover)

This book is an extremely well written, moving portrait of a young girl who is growing up in a harsh Viking environment. Against adversity she survives, finds love, loses love and gains wisdom. Highly recommended!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yawn., June 9, 2001

By 

J. Ferreira "Selkie" (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fated Sky (Hardcover)

The setting was vividly imagined and realistic, but everything seemed too slow or too fast. If you particularly like this period of history, then you may enjoy this book, but the pacing -- first too fast, then too slow, then too fast -- made it hard for me to get through despite my initial enthusiastic interest in its premise.