5/5

For fans of: Vikings, Norse mythology, found families, Beowulf, Laini Taylor, Erin Morgenstern

Synopsis: The Boneless Mercies roam their homeland collecting coin for mercy killings. They are forgotten women doing vital, but glory-less work. No one remembers their names or their stories in a world where remembrance is immortality. Fie and her mercies, however, want more. They are tired of killing, tired of roaming, tired of being forgotten. So when an opportunity to leave the life presents itself, they go on a journey to seek glory even if it means sacrificing everything.

Review: If you are looking for an atmosphere-filled, found family adventure with strong characters that deeply love each other, this is for you. By the end of the story, I felt like I was part of this amazing group of young adults wanting to be more than what their present circumstances had given them. I walked away wanting to do more, be more than I am now. That is a story worth reading and remembering. The writing here reminds me so much of Laini Taylor and Erin Morgenstern. The world building is immaculate without bogging down the story. I felt like I was there in the forests, in the swamps, the shores, and the mountains of Vorse trekking along in my black Mercy cloak. I could feel the grit on my skin after an intense battle with witches, giants, and wolves. The characters are etched in my mind. I would adventure with Fie, Juniper, Runa, Ovie, and Trigve for the rest of my life if I could. While the story is told through the eyes of Fie, you really get to know each of these characters as if you have been mercy killing with them your whole life. Each one is so well rounded with their pasts, skills, roles, dreams, and desires. The plot moves steadily as they adventure through Vorse seeking glory with intense action scenes, introspective moments of stillness, and encounters of memorable secondary characters leaving you wanting to know more about them. The story is bloody and brooding, deeply felt, and achieves its aim of making you remember to live.