If you haven’t read The First Girl Child, I highly recommend you stop right now and go do that first. While this takes place during the same timeline as TFGC, and it’s it’s own story, you won’t fully appreciate the characters if you haven’t read it first. This is this as an interconnected standalone.

I have been in a book fog all day. I enjoyed this book so very much. I found myself way more emotional as I was reading this than I did read TFGC. I have two reasons for this, I think. One, the music. There’s something about the music component in books that tug at my soul. I absorb them and they touch something deep down and I can’t help but to shed tears as my release. And two, since The Second Blind Son happened simultaneously to The First Girl Child, I knew what was coming. My heart was beating like mad because of it.

Amy Harmon has weaved this magical world so beautifully, I could see and feel everything. I felt like I was a part of the story. Hod and Ghisla have a special place in my heart. They went from young teens to young adults and watching them navigate this world was nothing short of amazing. Their slow burn romance was in background and watching it blossom made my heart weep and rejoice at the same time. By the end of the epilogue I had happy tears in my eyes.

I really hope we get more from this world. There’s so many more characters I’d like to read about!

This was another beautiful book written by a true storyteller. I loved this book and this series. I can't recommend her work enough. I truly enjoyed the happily ever after for these characters.

Everything by Amy Harmon is wonderful, so it was no surprise that this book was, too. Very imaginative and entertaining.

The world Amy Harmon has created is so phenomenal and she has filled it with characters that are so real you will have to remind yourself they are fictional. I’m once again in awe of the talent and depth of Amy’s work. The Second Blind Son will be a book I will read again and again. Hod and Ghisla have a beautiful story and you will fall in love with them completely!!! Read this book and if you haven’t already, read ALL of Amy’s books!

Amy Harmon never disappoints!! The first book, The First Girl Child, was extraordinary. So here we have different characters within the same world. I didn’t expect anything less than superb! And Amy delivered! Loved the story, the emotions and feelings it inspired had me reeling for days!

Let’s hope for more books from this world!

i really thought this was a great scifi novel, the scifi elements were well done and the world was really unique and interesting . The characters were enjoyable.

Are you ready for your world to be rocked? The Second Blind Son releases tomorrow and it’s so wonderful, amazing and full of all the brilliance we have come to expect from Amy Harmon!

I love the devotion that is infused into Amy's characters, the emotional connection and friendship that comes well before the first kiss. That’s what happens in this book! So engrossed are you in the magic that imbues the air when Hod and Ghisla interact, your heart is all in before you even realize it!

I loved that we got a second and new perspective on the events from The First Girl Child, but at the same time it’s a different story! Both Hod and Ghisla are incredible characters, whose strength and devotion to each other is inspiring!

My heart broke for both these characters, what they went through and the journey that they embarked on that would bring them together before separating them again… argh my heart!

“I can’t think when you are near.”
“I blind you,” she said sadly...
“Yes. And yet . . . you are the only one who makes me see.”

Amy once again proves that she is a master storyteller, weaving in magic, love and truths into her books like none other.

This was an insta-pick because I how much I loved Amy Harmon's previous books.

The story development and plot is very tedious at first. I had a difficult time getting the individuals, stories, names, etc. flushed out, but when I did the story is magical as ever. I'm not sure how Amy Harmon can tie a whole mythical fantasy in one book - magical.

As usual, Harmon slays me with her work. If I could give "The Second Blind Son" more than 5 stars I would.

Will captivate you completely…


The Second Blind Son, Amy Harmon’s second novel in The Chronicles of Saylok series, is a concurrent and culminating compliment to The First Girl Child. Based on Norse Mythology, The Chronicles of Saylok are an adaptation of the story of Hodr, the blind God, and Baldr his twin brother. Saylok is a world created, due to the brother’s misfortune, into the six animal clans: Adyar the eagle, Berne the bear, Dolphys the wolf, Ebba the boar, Joran the horse, Leok the lion, presided over by a king from each clan in succession, and overseen by the Keepers who balance the power of the kings and protect the runes. Hod, a blind student of the Keeper tasked with guarding the ocean cave runes, and Ghisla, a young, orphaned girl washed ashore from a distant land, are brought together during a time of curse upon the land, there have been no daughters born to the people of Saylok. As Fate sometimes orchestrates, exceptional circumstances produce an exceptional bond, trust, and friendship between the two that neither time nor distance can sever. A bond that is destined to grow and deepen as it leads them to play bigger roles in a curse and prophecy that was set in motion by the blood sacrifice of two mothers so long ago.


The Second Blind Son is an outstanding example of romantic historical fantasy! Amy’s melding of the ever popular medieval Vikings, lesser known Norse gods and their story, and a romance that touches the depth of your soul will occupy your mind for weeks after you have finished. Her storytelling is flawless and captivating, you quickly forget you are even reading as you are whisked away into a richly constructed world with a multitude of fascinating characters, layered plots, and fast moving action. But, at the core is the intimate and budding romance of Hod and Ghisla. Their relationship is palpable as it goes from two innocent and lonely teens seeking understanding and acceptance to an abiding friendship and trust that lays a foundation for an epic romance as they become adults.


Both tales of The Chronicles of Saylok can easily be read as standalones but are so much richer if read in order. I especially loved how The Second Blind Son is a concurrent story, told from a different perspective that not only fills in gaps but gives an added depth and fullness to the plot and characters in The First Girl Child. Additionally, I’m really looking forward to listening again to the wonderful narration of Rob Shappiro, whose mesmerizing voice transported me to the land of Saylok in The First Girl Child, (look for my review of this audiobook), as I get to re-experience The Second Blind Son in a whole new way. In either form, print or audio, this series is worth having and telling everyone you know to get their own copy. And… Amy tipped her reader’s off in a recent pre-release, live Facebook discussion that if the response to The Second Blind Son is good her publishers will let her write a third couple in the series, picking up where this story leaves off.

As some others have mentioned, several events from the first book are covered here as well. A few passages are taken word for word from book one. That said, this isn't just a rehashing of book one. Actually, having become very fond of several characters from the first book, it was nice to revisit, hear new conversations, things like that. I'm not sure how well this book could stand alone, but it does enhance the first book.

There are a few new characters and a new relationship. The most interesting character to me was the one whose story raised the question of whether we are bound by expectations of who we'll be or whether we can decide. Also, where events from the first book are mentioned, we frequently see things though a new perspective. There did seem to be more sexual content than I've noticed from this author in previous books. Maybe not more detailed, but more.

I thought the way that this story ran parallel to most of the first book worked well overall. I don't know what the plans are, but I would be happy to go back to Saylok a few more times.

4 stars!!! (came out July 20th)

**Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
#TheSecondBlindSon #NetGalley

Pros
+ This is the companion novel to The First Girl Child, which I gave 4.5 stars. It's the same timeline as the first book, but from 2 new POVs that provide a completely new facet to the story. The characters are young teens then grow into adults in their 20s.
+ plot: The kingdom of Saylok is crumbling. Clans are biting at each other and invaders are on the shores. An abandoned blind son and the last daughter of a foreign clan may be the nation's only hope.
+ Hod: a blind boy raised into a man by a cave-keeper in the way of the runes and sightless battle
+ Ghisla: a girl who is the last of her Songr line (able to sing songs embued with magic) who washes up on the shore next to Hod's cave
+ I loved Hod and Ghisla together so much! The freaking longing!!!
+ The use of rune magic in this book is GREAT! So freaking cool. Can't say because of spoilers but I thought the different types were really interesting, especially seeing how they were integrated (but not explained) in the first book.
+ setting: an island of 6 clans that follow Norse mythology (Loki, Odin, Hod, etc.) and rune magic
+ themes: good/bad, fate/choice, blindness/sight, mothers/sons, sacrifice/loyalty/duty, all types of love (friends, sisters, brothers, family, lovers, etc.)
+ rep: a blind MC who uses a staff, a side character with a stutter

Neutral
/ As mentioned, this is a companion novel to the first book, which is not what I expected. I was hesitant at first that I wouldn't be interested in a retelling of the original story. However, the 2 characters we follow provide a completely new storyline leading up to the novel's end. The reason why I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first one is because you do know most of the ending from the first book, although I was still very invested.

Cons
- I would have liked a bit of an extended ending (more than we got) so that this companion had a fresher type of ending.

TW: physical assault, murder, death, cutting, scars, burning, plague (off-page), rape (off-page)

The Second Blind Son is a sequel to The First Girl Child. Harmon continues the story of Saylok, the Clans, and the keepers. Saylok is suffering due to Desdemona's curse, and no girl children have been born. Ghisla is a songor from the Northlands and washes up on Saylok's shores and nursed back to health by Blind Hod. Is she the savior Saylok needs?
Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my honest and voluntary opinion of #TheSecondBlindSon.

5 stars!
"When Ghisla sang he saw the world."

Fantasy is one of my favorite book genres so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in The Chronicles of Saylok series. I fell in love with this world while reading The First Girl Child and am even more invested in it after reading The Second Blind Son.

This book takes us back to a world full of fantasy, magic, beauty, and wonder! With a gorgeous love story and exciting adventures weaved together with Norse mythology, this book is unputdownable and a new fave.

The Second Blind Son is about a lost girl and a blind boy whose connection ends up being everything. Hod and Ghisla are complex characters who are endearing and awe-inspiring. It’s an epic love story that spans years and though it’s gorgeous and all-consuming, it is not without trials and heartache.

I loved the development and progression of Hod and Ghisla’s relationship, and the strength of their love as they are pulled apart, only to find their way back to each other when they least expect it. The devotion they have to each other, especially Hod’s undying faith in Ghisla, is amazing.

Amy Harmon brings Saylok and the characters to life through beautiful imagery and imagination. Just as Ghisla does to Hod, she paints vivid pictures in my mind as I devoured the words. The magic feels real as do the gifts the characters possess. The battles and the victories are well written and the fantasy elements are wonderfully constructed. It is easy to get lost in the story and impossible to put down.

It was so great to be back with Alba and Bayr, Dagmar and Ghost, and the other characters both new and old. I loved seeing them through different eyes.

This book is wonderful. I continue to be captivated by the Norse mysthology and the stories of Saylok. This series remains a favorite and I cannot wait for more!

This was a very solid book. It was surprising as a follow up because the prior book felt so wrapped up. It was very interesting and pulled the reader throughout the book with very good pacing and intriguing characters.

When I finished this book I just sat and stared off into space for a while, cheeks wet with tears.
Simply put, this book is a masterpiece.

I’m not sure how Amy does this. Every single time she manages to shock me with the beauty of her stories.

This fresh perspective on the story I already fell in love with was just amazing. I never wanted this book to end, and the audiobook makes the experience even more amazing!! I truly don’t even have adequate words to describe my love for this book, so I’m going to stop rambling. Just do yourself a favor and read it and find out for yourself!!

Another amazing read from the series. As I immediately read this after the First Girl Child, I find that some plots are repetitive as it was narrated from another character's perspective. The world-building and the main characters' backstories in this book are well developed and well written.

The story follows Ghisla and Hod. It started when Hod was taken by his mother to the Temple and was soon taken care of by a cave keeper. Several years later, Ghisla has washed ashore near Hod's cave in Leok. She is a Songr from Tonlis whose voice and songs can affect other people. While Hod, who's blind since birth, was educated and trained by a keeper in the hopes of becoming a supplicant of the Temple.

The first half of the book was a slow read for me. The narrative was more about the friendship between Ghisla and Hod that soon developed into a romance, I love the use of magical runes that enables them to communicate despite the distance between them. I love the longing, the promise they tried to keep for each other, and the slow-burn romance. I love how Ghisla survived and became a daughter of the Temple. The second half was more compelling to read because of the major events, actions, and revelations that took place.

You could read this book alone as it presents a different, entertaining story. I love the joyful ending given to all the main characters. I love the author's remarkable take on the story of Hod and Baldr, gods of Norse mythology.

Overall, this was a delightful read, and would surely read the other works of the author. If you love reading books about Norse mythology, I would recommend this book to you. I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There was too much romance in this and too much plot overlap from the first book. I did love the romance but wanted more plot.

“You are not cold, Ghisla. Not to me. You are color. You are sound. You are the song on the wind and the hope in my heart.”

4 stars

We are back in the world of Saylok! World we discovered with The First Girl Child!



The story begins with a tragedy befalling upon young Ghisla. She has lost all her family and is ready to die. Only Odin has other plans for her and she is awash on Saylok’s shores, soon to be discovered by Hod.



Flashback to Hod’s childhood when his mother, while he was an infant, pleaded the temple keepers to bless him. He was blind and no blessing could restore his sight. But Master Ivo gave him preternatural senses so that he’ll hear and smell better than anyone else.



When Hod discovers Ghisla she is fourteen but looks much younger while at sixteen he already is very tall.



They story will span over more than a decade and we’ll follow Ghisla then Hod and switch to Ghisla again when they were apart yet couldn’t help but think of the other.

For a while a magical rune will help them to talk even miles and miles away.



Their story was hard and uneasy.

Amy conveyed accurately a collapsing Seylok, where no more girl child are born, chieftains end up making wars to each other while they are raided by Northmen. She explained in her end notes that she wrote it in the first six months of the pandemic while the world was falling apart and I think it added a desperation and run against the clock feeling into this book.
“Fear brings out the ugliness. It is easy to be kind and good when it costs us nothing. It is not so easy when it can cost you your life.”

I knew the outcome for Seylok and it was like hurtling towards the dramatic pinnacle of the story.

I have read The Fisrt Girl child and knew a great deal of the world and parallel events. Yet I had no idea about Hod and Ghisla’s desperate love story.

Hod and Ghisla’s story felt somber than Bayr and Alba’s.



Early on they will be separated and Ghisla was a heroine who had lost hope.

Hod made her promise to “not give up” and she always replied with “I won’t give up today”. She was far from sunny Alba we knew as a child. She had an intensity, an urgency that made me want to soothe her, give her some assurances that “all will be well”, give her comfort and real protection.

Her gift as a Songr felt like a curse sometimes, especially as far as the king was concerned. I guess these are two sides of the same coin, make people happy and chain you to a difficult burden.



While Ghisla was sad and often felt alone, Hod was in stasis for a long time. He had been raised and prepared for one purpose yet when the time was right, he got denied and was adrift.



Both were loveable characters but I confess that for a long time Hod retained an aura of mystery. He was not a villain but his thoughts and his allegiance to Ghisla only made him a wild card for Seylok’s future and the Keeper’s fate. Again, if you compare with Bayr, he was less innocent and far more burdened all along.



Rich in mythology, clan war, power struggle and desperate love, the Second Blind Son will plunge you in the magical world of Saylok and will have you lose count of time entirely.

I will automatically buy anything she writes, she never disappoints. This was just what I needed and I didn’t even know it! I loved it.