Overall Review . . .
White Stag is the first in the Permafrost fantasy series by Kara Barbieri. It follows Janneke, a human whose family and entire village have been destroyed, as she was taken captive over the border, called the Permafrost. Janneke is then caught up in the mystical world of goblins, magic, monsters, and the battle between these goblins for the position of Erlking. Throughout the competition for Erlking, known as The Hunt, Janneke must face her deepest fears, trauma, questioning between love and loyalty, and her very identity as a woman and human being. This story is action-packed, full of twists, turns, love, betrayal, courage, and sacrifice.
I thought the writing in this story was so beautiful, with tantalizing descriptions and enthralling settings. I absolutely love immersive stories, and White Stag did not disappoint. From the very first page, Barbieri creates a fantastical atmosphere that draws the reader in and keeps them engrossed until the end. The plot and themes are so artfully structured and constantly had me wondering what was going to happen next. Barbieri keeps the suspense up and gradually reveals things that only raise the stakes.
There were a few things that jolted me out of the reading experience slightly, and that was a few instances of being told something, rather than being shown. For the sake of keeping this spoiler-free, I won’t go into detail about the instances, but I will say that they could’ve been written just a bit differently to maintain the immersion. These instances were few and didn’t affect the overall beauty of the story, just the flow in certain places. That’s just my opinion though!
This book was incredible with its powerful story of love, redemption, and overcoming fear and trauma to blossom into the person one is destined to be. That being said, I will include a caution for readers. A few trigger warnings for this story: mentions and vague descriptions of physical abuse, torture, and rape. Murder, dead bodies, and mention of dead children and babies. It’s not explicit or graphic, but it is included in the story in case those are hard topics or triggers for the reader.
My Opinions . . .
I loved this story. I would give this a 5/5 stars. White Stag is funny, adventurous, witty, and packed with real, gritty moments. Personally, when it comes to books, unless it’s a romance book, I prefer the romance be left in the background or untouched until the end. That’s a huge part of why I loved this story: the romance wasn’t the main focus and the relationship between Janneke and Soren is one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest, relationship I’ve read in fiction to date. (Again, this is just an opinion. This is compared to other fictional relationships I’ve read.) The focus throughout the story is on them both overcoming their trauma, building trust, and loving one another as best friends before it blooms into romantic love. They’re protective of each other, have each other’s backs, and sacrifice for one another. It was such a beautiful and satisfying relationship to watch grow.
The action in this story is well done and there’s not a lot of gore; there is death and killing, but the detail isn’t too unbearable. I love unique magic systems that are complex and well developed. The magic system and the way that the characters interact with it is so fascinating. While it may not be the most unique magic system out there, it is certainly well done. I think I care about the quality of the magic system’s development more than the uniqueness of it. Another big factor in why I love this story is that it’s heavily influenced/based on Norse mythology. I appreciate when a fantasy story is based on an existing mythology or known form of magic, because I’ve read stories that did not develop the magic well and . . . well, it’s hard to read a fantasy story with a poor representation of magic LOL.
Final Thoughts . . .
As I was reading White Stag it had elements of other stories that I also love. If you’re a fan of the books The Hunger Games, the Throne of Glass series (especially Heir of Fire), the TV show Witcher, then I think you’ll really love this book. It has elements from all and blends them so well balanced and structured. The Hunt is much like the Hunger Games: a killing competition where the last survivor is the victor/Erlking. The struggles with self-identity, lines between friendship and romance, and overcoming past traumas is on par with Heir of Fire. And the atmosphere, tone, and mood of the story are similar to The Witcher. So atmospheric and amazing. *chef’s kiss*
Have you read this book? Have you maybe never heard of it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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