A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
The Gist
Oh, where to begin with A Fate Inked in Blood? It had such promise—Viking lore, a strong female lead, and a plot dripping with destiny and magic. Sounds epic, right? Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired.
The Details
First, let’s talk about the characters. Our heroine, Freya, is supposedly a fierce, independent woman destined for greatness. Yet, somehow, she spends most of the novel embroiled in romantic drama that feels straight out of a soap opera. It’s hard to root for someone who is constantly torn between brooding love interests instead of, you know, actually focusing on the whole “saving the world” thing.
The plot itself? A meandering journey through predictable tropes. Every time it seems like something exciting might happen—a thrilling battle, a daring escape—it quickly gets derailed by Freya’s internal monologue about her feelings. The fantastic elements that should be at the heart of a fantasy novel are secondary to all the emotional hand-wringing. It’s as if the epic Viking saga took a backseat to the love drama.
And the world-building—don’t even get me started. What should have been a richly detailed Viking-inspired setting feels like a generic backdrop with a few Norse names thrown in for flavour. There’s little immersion, and the history and culture that should make this world vibrant are reduced to clichés.
And don’t get me started on this whole “romantisy” genre. For some reason it is gaining way too much popularity amongst the publishing houses. Forget about quality storytelling and just jump right in to the “arse” comments and erotic mentionings.
To top it off, the pacing drags. What could have been a fast-paced adventure through a mythic world turns into a slog of angst-filled dialogue. Also, it has drawn-out scenes that seem to exist only to make the book longer.
Overall, A Fate Inked in Blood promised an epic Viking fantasy and delivered: a Viking romance novel with a dash of magic. If you’re looking for gripping, Norse-inspired fantasy, you might want to look elsewhere. But hey, if you enjoy endless romantic tension with a sprinkle of swords, this might just be the saga for you.
The Verdict
I have loved everything Danielle L. Jensen has written to date. so I’m extremely heartbroken I had to write this negative and sarcastic review. You know sometimes I can’t help the sarcasm.
