This is an absolute hidden gem of a novel, and I urge anyone who values mature, superior story-telling to give it a go. I'm looking forward to the next one.

This has everything I look for in Norse/Viking historical fiction... I’m still so impressed by the realism in the pages of this novel. All characters are morally grey, flawed individuals – my favourite type. I really enjoyed this story and am eager to read the next in this series.

So many things make this a wonderful book. The writing is superb. The research and authenticity pulls the reader into the Viking world, with its culture, beauty, language and brutality. This is not just another Viking story. It is rich with detail, and characters that jump off the page. I highly recommend.

What an amazing book. Following the life of Oddny, I was drawn into her story straight from the off.

Lilypearl Colman certainly writes with aplomb. Her knowledge with regards to medieval Norway shines through. I cannot praise her enough for the whole concept of the book, not just Oddny’s story but the whole shebang. I found the explanations and drawings to be particularly interesting. Absolutely perfect.

I do not normally read this genre, but Oddny’s story captured my imagination, and I cannot wait to read the next instalment.

An excellent written saga of a young Norwegian girl, through her volatile life of slavery with a lecherous deviant of a Viking. Her resilience and determination shine through.

This cleverly sculptured book is so worth a read.

Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book! I was eager and hungry to read more, always curious to see how our girl would manage the next pile of shit the Norns handed to her on a rusted platter. It was clear from the start the depth of knowledge and care that went into depicting life for the Medieval Norse--in this case, a female slave taken by a Viking. However, by no means does the dedication to depicting an authentic experience for a Medieval Norse slave alienate a modern reader. Beyond the notes offered to help clarify/explain certain parts, it's not hard to understand what is going on based on context alone--a skill not always seen.

I appreciated that the darker aspects of Medieval life was not shied from, yet was not used for shock value. Life was brutal--life still is brutal, to be fair, but at least the laws at least try to be more just lol The descriptions of violence and rape were not demure, but they were not overly stomach-churning. The discomfort one feels at facing these ugly aspects of life and humanity served to bolster the reader's sympathies/empathies towards Oddny, not to make you squirm in your seat solely for the sake of, "Wasn't shit absolutely fucked back then?"

My heart aches for Oddny. She has endured so much, and has much yet to trudge her way through, though I hope and pray it pales in comparison to being enslaved to a violent rapist. I understand why everyone acts the way they do--it was a hard time and place to live, especially given the circumstances they were enduring--but I still couldn't help but feel frustrated at how people treated Oddny. So many times I was left thinking, "Oddny, kill this fucking bitch NEOW!!!!!" but Oddny is better than me, so she didn't. That isn't to say Oddny didn't have bite of her own, or make me go, "Now, girl, why would you do/say that?" but I can't help but feel particularly protective of her. Especially when dealing with the rape-baby bestowed upon her from her previous captor (was so happy she got her personal justice), people were so cruel and it made me genuinely so mad. Like actually fuck off. Seeing the consequences of her treatment weighing on Oddny, but no one having the language or understanding to dissect what impact her torments had on her, was very hard.

Honestly, I just want every man to stay five hundred million miles away from her--save maybe her dad, who is a sweetie pie. Yet I could not help but hope one of the kinder men who endeared themselves to Oddny would be the comforting safety and home she needed and deserved after all she had been through. Her story is not over in this book, of course, so I shall cross my fingers that she finds some measure of peace in the future!

This book was very intense and dark. It follows a slave girl named Oddny in the Norse Viking Age. While the spice is mostly closed door, there are still some parts that are descriptive enough. Nothing is sugar coated and The Sword effectively outlines the horrors that slaves typically had to endure during the Viking Age. Lilypearl has definitely done extensive research for this as I learned a lot about Vikings just from reading this. I think that some trigger warnings would have been a good idea as there is mention of several very heavy subjects and I honestly had to take a break for a few days at several points. Overall, I did enjoy The Sword, though

Oddný Einarsdóttir: The Sword is a gritty historical novel set in the Norse Viking era. I received a copy of this book as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review. It follows the story of a young girl who is captured and lives as a slave for the cruel Viking Örlygr for a large portion of the book. Events occur which take Oddný’s story in another direction entirely, and while the onward journey may be less ruthless, Oddný carries with her the trauma and desire to remain unseen and invisible.

The writing style and dialogue are authentic, with the author being incredibly knowledgeable in the field of Norse mythology. Much detail is added in the footnotes, which I appreciated because they give fascinating explanations and historical information, including names of rivers, clothing and weaponry, and references to gods and rituals that couldn’t possibly be explained in the text without disrupting the flow. I also enjoyed the fact that names and vocabulary weren’t modernised; while it takes a little time to ease into the language (I lost track of the names once or twice), it doesn’t take long and really helps to immerse you in the plot.

The attention to detail throughout the book, including everyday mundane tasks, is exceptional. It allows readers to grasp the hardships of daily life with the perfect level of scene setting and character building without overwriting. The characters evoke true feelings of disgust, admiration, despair and hope.

The book is brutal and covers some dark themes, including violent death, rape, and the suffering women had to endure under men’s rule. While the sex and violence are descriptive at times, it never feels unnecessary or for shock value. I think the gritty reality has been portrayed expertly.

At times the book is a real page-turner, but simultaneously, I wanted to linger over the pages and absorb the details. I am keen for the second book to continue Oddný’s journey!

Before my review, I would like to thank the author for reaching out and providing a digital copy of the book for my review.

This is an incredible undertaking and thought-provoking read. The story is centered on Oddny and takes place over the span of her early life. The author is incredibly well versed and studied in Norse history, making this book a very informative read.

The footnotes and diagrams were incredible additions. I feel like in finishing the book, I have a much better understanding of what viking daily life was like. This book truly is a slice of viking life novel. It's dark, and there's a lot of things that a modern reader could find appalling. But it was all part of the culture then. It's such a breath of fresh air to not read a novel (viking based or otherwise) where the MC doesn't have a hero complex. The characters are human and thus flawed. This was an incredible read, and I can't wait for book two!

This was quite an interesting read. Very deep and can be intense but very well written. Covers quite a bit of time and the writing and names are different so it kept me on my toes but definitely a page turner as I followed Odney on her journey. Really enjoyable book!

This wasn’t my go to style of book, but it took me by surprise! Once I got used to the Nordic words it was very easy to read! The story of the MFC was very engrossing, and I was constantly wondering what she was going to do next, she always surprised me! I will definitely be reading the next book!

The Sword is a saga about the life and times of a young woman called Oddny in tenth century Norway, which I read as an ARC reader for the author (I received a copy of the manuscript in exchange for an honest review). The writing style is generally archaic, matching the era in which the book is set, and the author obviously knows a lot about her subject; she makes detailed reference to Norse, Icelandic and Orkney Island culture, beliefs and customs throughout the book, and provides explanatory notes for additional context. Personally, I would have preferred the terms described in the notes to be explained within the story itself as I found the notes disrupted the flow somewhat.

The book goes to some dark places, particularly when it goes into quite graphic detail about the hardships endured by women, and the violence committed by quite a few of the characters.
I wanted to like at least one of the characters, but I don't think this book is about sympathetic characters. It is more about the gritty reality of life at this time.

It would be a good read for anyone studying Norse mythology and history as it paints a very believable picture of what life would have been like, and for that I commend this young author, who has great potential to develop her voice, her storytelling, and her characters in the sequel to this book.

This is such a dark book. Oddný is kidnapped as a young teen by Vikings and is a slave the majority of her teen years. I find this book to probably be a realistic tale of life as a female slave. There is a situational change and Oddný has the ability to hope again. Can’t wait to see where the sequel takes us.

This atmospheric novel with transport you to a new but familiar world in all its human foibles and dark emotions, to an historic Norse community. If you like to get your teeth into a story and its characters, this dark and heavily detailed tale will do it for you. Rich in historic underpinnings, footnoted by the author, the language is powerful and nuanced. We follow the tale of Oddny, a slave girl who carries the child of her oppressor. Tormented and hateful, she struggles to find the good in her lowly life. You’ll be entertained throughout by Lilypearl Colman’s epic tale of slavery and suppression but you will ultimately find this an uplifting story.

This book deals with serious, dark themes and is definitely an educational, thought-provoking read. The story follows Oddny in ancient Norway. This was really well done as the writing reflected the setting, and it's very clear the author is extremely knowledgeable about Norse history, so this became one of those books where you learn while you read, which I find extremely enjoyable.

Oddny's story is a complex one that spans over a relatively long time period. Throughout the book, I was left with the feeling of 'what if' with Oddny: 'what if she didn't get captured', 'what if she didn't get pregnant', 'what if her life turned out differently to what it did'.
Oddny, as a character, exemplified the plight of women during the time and would also be relatable for women in the present. I generally felt that I learnt a lot from Oddny and was able to really sympathise with her. She was far from a perfect character. She was complexly written and flawed, her inner monologue interesting to read about as I thought about whether I would make the same decisions as her or how I would act in her place.

The plight of Oddny and of women was really highlighted in this book for me and unfortunately reminded me of modern times. In certain cases, they were somewhat more 'ahead of the time' in terms of lineage and laws around parentage (very sad to think of).

I think a lot of the content in this book was extremely informative and led me to reflect on modern-day circumstances. I am also now more interested to read and delve into Norse history and understand the laws, actions, and happenings of the time.

There was a rollercoaster of emotions and events happening, but they all made sense. This is a heavy book and took me longer than usual to read, but I feel it was well paced and the longer read felt intentional to me, as it's not a story I would have been able to consume and contemplate in a short amount of time.

Overall, the book was written very well, and the author has a distinct writing style, which was really enjoyable to read. Everything was well thought out and well researched, which I always appreciate!

In the 10th century, 14-year old Oddny Einarsdottir is abducted from the Orkney Islands by the Viking raider Orlygr. She is enslaved and taken to one of his remote holdings, where she and a community of other thralls toil and try to stay alive. All live in terror, but Oddny becomes Orlygr’s favorite target for physical and sexual violence. He is quick to kill any thrall for displeasing him—or merely for his amusement. Only during his routine absences, when he and his crew depart on raiding missions, is there any respite from constant uncertainty and fear.

Utterly subjected and demoralized, the thralls govern each other within their own hierarchy, which in ways mimics the harshness of their master. There are no heroes here, only survivors. When will the human spirit triumph and justice prevail? That question makes this book a page-turner. But The Sword is no rapid-fire thriller. With the deep introspection of a Sigrid Undset novel, the author builds a detailed world of stoic endurance and unspoken passions. We get to know Oddny and the other characters, who in their daily lives emerge and evolve as fully realized and complex people.

The Sword is exquisitely researched and contains helpful footnotes that clarify certain elements of the story; it does not read like a textbook. At the end there is a chronology, glossary and pronunciation guide. Fans of Kristin Lavransdatter and works by writers like Zoe Oldenbourg will enjoy the quiet but intense drama of women’s lives in medieval Europe.

Thoroughly historical & great female characters

As a history-nerd, especially interested in the Viking age and medieval Scandinavia, this book was right up my alley. It was also very interesting to see the perspective of women in The Sword, unlike where many of them are stowed away for the men’s conflict, to the detriment of their own. The violence in this book it’s brutal and the emotions even more.

It’s also historically accurate to a tee! The names of people and places are historical, and true to the original sagas. The book is littered with footnotes that contains interesting tidbits about the choices in the book. With the language incorporating Middle English forms and Norse naming conventions, it feels like a story from another time. Coleman knows her stuff, and there is no room for doubt about that!

The characters are mostly very human and have different sides to them, and especially the female characters. When one first reads about them, the perception of the character may change in the end, as you get to know them. It’s at this point one gets to respect them and empathize with them. The book also takes up dark themes and sets the stakes high for the characters. This makes the story well-crafted and highly character-driven.

Still, if I am to criticize a part of it, it must be the male characters. I get that they all treat their slaves like things, and not as people, but it gets quite tiring reading about men who are violent killing machines or mindlessly lust after the women. Especially Örlygr and his men, but also the better ones have some traits from this. The men luckily get less predatory, and gives some of them nuance, but I still thought it was quite jarring in the beginning.

I would recommend “The Sword” to anyone interested in Vikings, interested to see the daily life of women in Norse life, or simply wants a good drama that tackles realistic and time-accurate themes."

Oddny Einarsdottir, written by Lilypearl Colman, was one of the best novels I’ve ever read. That is saying something because I am a girl who reads probably close to 80 books a year, and I have been a voracious reader since five years old. I loved it, and if you enjoy reading historical fiction, women who overcome tremendous obstacles, or characters who latch onto your heart and refuse to let go, this book is for you. .. I do not want to delve in too deeply, as I do not want to spoil this story for anyone. Any words I can write simply do not do the story justice. Oddny’s first book, The Sword, was captivating from the first to the last word, and I was so glad to read the second book immediately after concluding the first. 

Lily’s writing style is exquisite. The word “rich” comes to mind when describing Oddny’s storyteller. The author intricately weaves the words together to create a rich tapestry of history, loss, heartache, and hope amidst the overwhelming darkness. Her writing is unbelievably engaging, and every word is beautifully written. I enjoy a writing style where I can visualize the characters’ features, surroundings, and daily life, and the author nails it. I can perfectly envision everything she writes because of her semantics and gift for written language. All of the characters are unforgettable, whether for the good or bad. Again, I consider myself decently well-read, and I can honestly say that Oddny’s two books were some of the most well-written novels I’ve read. 

I am more partial to this book because I enjoy learning about viking and Norse cultures. It’s been a passionate interest of mine since I was young. As I read, I noticed that the author included footnotes for various words and phrases that would have been common in 900s Scandinavia. It is evident she devoted time and research to preparing notes to assist the reader in understanding various historical figures, times of the year, and common phrases the vikings would have used. Even as someone acquainted with Norse culture, the footnotes were beneficial for me as I read, and I learned more about Norse history through them! Please read them in context with the story, as the footnotes may clarify what a character intends through their speech, provide historical context, and explain numerous mythology, religious, and everyday customs Oddny was used to. 

As a book set in the 900s in rugged Scandinavia, it is not without its trigger warnings. Slavery, r*pe, domestic abuse, s*icide, and gore are depicted. However, the author tackles these complex topics through Oddny’s life with incredible grace and delicacy. Unfortunately, to write a historically accurate novel, one must include all aspects of the period, however foul they may be. It is heartbreaking yet powerful to see Oddny struggling through her trauma and how her experiences as a captive shaped her outlook on life, men, her child, and romance. 

I wish I could give Books I and II more than five stars. I know it’s impossible, but I wish I could give this story 100 stars. Aside from the content of this compelling story, I enjoyed having conversations with the author as I read. Her insights and explanations made me fall in love with Oddny and her characters even more as I grew a deeper appreciation for all of them. The author’s level of detail, her eloquent writing style, and the strongly developed characters make this book a true treasure. I was so sad when it ended, as I wanted more! This is probably the best historical fiction novel I’ve ever read, and historical fiction is my favorite genre. Please consider reading – you will not be disappointed if you do.