This was mis-marketed as a Sapphic fantasy rooted in Finnish mythology. It's why I went for it on Netgalley. This has apparently since been addressed by the author and has been changed.

I was also excited by the Finnish mythology. I think the Sapphic element probably tipped the scale for me because without it I probably wouldn't have gone for it especially since it's a chonky book.

I am aware that, as it was mis-marketed, I am not the target audience. However, this was incredibly boring to read.

The choice to write in the first person present did not help. The writing did not evoke any feelings, it was very matter of fact and dull.

The characters were bland. Their personalities were whatever the plot needed. The main villain had no nuance, they were a caricature of evil.

There was no sense of time. I have no idea how long the main characters were separated for. How long one suffered in the underworld. That might have helped with character motivation if I knew she'd been there for months rather than days.

It didn't need to be that long either. Portions of the book really dragged. I ended up skimming bits because it was becoming a chore to read.

The whole thing felt like a chore in the end. I can see why people enjoyed this, for me it was a miss.

This was a fascinating and engaging read, but I don't think this was for me. The lore and the writing was beautiful, however, I just didn't really resonate with the characters and I found their voice to be quite young in nature. It was an enjoyable read, but not one that stands out for me unfortunately!

North is The Night

What first captured my attention about this novel was that it supposedly is based on Finnish mythology. The second thing that captured me was the strong bonding friendship between Siiri and Aina.

Perhaps my expectations were too high. I found this book to be more of a slow YA fantasy than anything resembling a story based on mythology. Also, the illusions to a “sapphic” relationship between the two main characters just wasn’t there.

This book did not float my boat and I struggled to finish it. Would have given it 2.5 stars but I appreciate the author's efforts.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A book inspired by Finnish mythology, North is the Ninth details the kidnapping of Aina to the realm of death and her best friend Siiri’s quest to rescue her. I enjoyed the take on Finnish mythology, something that I was not familiar with and it was a new take on what is becoming an extremely popular subgenre.
The first half of the book really gripped me and had me dying to see what happens next, the build up between Siiri’s quest to find the shaman and Aina’s trials in Tunoela and her manipulation of the situation to come out on top were really compelling and held my interest (although not every POV chapter has to end on a cliffhanger!). The impact of the gods (both Finnish and Christian) were well done and seamlessly blend into the plot.
However, once the underworld plot line had been resolved, I felt the book lost steam - the underworld plot line felt wrapped up too quickly and left me wanting more, and when the girls finally reunite it felt rushed and not thought out that well. The ending was quite abrupt and left the book without much fundamental change for the characters from where they started (besides the pregnancy). I also wanted way more background and development of Tuoni, especially for how big a role he had in the book.
I didn’t mind the almost myth like fairytale aspects to the book and it didn’t bother me how abrupt they felt as I’m used to reading books based on myth and folklore, but felt that it could have been expanded on as that was the main hook for me. I didn’t need the romance aspects (and I was under the impression that this was a sapphic romance), which didn’t really feel successful to me and the ending is unsatisfying if that was the draw. The romance & relationships are shallow and lightly sketched, which as a hinge point of the plot didn’t really work.
There were plot points that I wanted a lot more from, which I assume will be dealt with in the sequel, but I wished we had gotten some movement or hint at what was to come - especially the conflict between the Christians and the Finns, and I would’ve loved more detail on the Sami (which maybe should have had a more sensitive portrayal that in the book).Overall a fine fantasy novel, dealing with a girl who does not want to fit into the box society has for her and her best friend who discovers she is more than she thought, but it is not something I would be rushing out to get the sequel for.

This was my first opportunity to read a book inspired from Finnish mythology. I loved learning all this, sometimes along with the characters. I could not believe how many gods there are for one specific thing, for instance hunting, or death. And it was reassuring to see that while I was trying to keep up, the characters were also asking "which goddess are you?". I enjoyed it.

The characters were interesting and I couldn't always predict where the story would lead. Aina's and Siiri's development fulfilled promises and expecations set in the beginning, and I am curious to find out where the second book takes us.

I was entertained reading about the first shaman with his history and knowledge. The gods were also fascinating... fickle like the Greek gods about whom I read a lot more.

3.5 stars.

My first book from Emily Rath and while it was a captivating dive into Finnish mythology, blending folklore with a promise of sapphic romantasy, it didn’t fully work for me.

I adored the first half of the book and Siiri’s chapters. Her story was gripping, her strength inspiring, and her devotion to Aina both heart-wrenching and tragic. However, Aina’s narrative felt less compelling, particularly after her marriage to Tuoni, which slowed the pace for me. While Aina’s romance with Tuoni was undeniably steamy and complex, her treatment of Siiri left me frustrated, especially for a book marketed as sapphic.

The lack of meaningful wlw moments was disappointing, with Siiri’s feelings largely unreciprocated. A surprise pregnancy late in the book, likely inspired by folklore, wasn’t for me either.

Despite its flaws, the vivid mythology and emotional depth kept me engaged. I’d still recommend it for fans of folklore-driven fantasy—but with tempered expectations for the romance.

So I have spent the whole year reading, waiting to find a book I enjoyed as much as this.
I could hardly bear to put it down, and it kept me up well into the early hours finishing it, but it was so worth it.
I loved the two main characters and how completely different their personalities were, but both were loving, caring and unbelievably strong in different ways. Getting the story from both of their points of view really made this book so much better than if it was just from the point of view of one.
The story of the old gods grabbed me right away, too, and I was thrown into their world.
Honestly, I just loved this book so much. Now I just have the torturous wait for book 2!

A Finnish folklore retelling perfect for wintery nights! 🇫🇮❄️

🐺 'North is the Night by Emily Rath follows the adventures of two young women, Siiri & Aina. When Aina is seized by a death goddess and kidnapped to the underworld, Siiri embarks on an epic quest to retrieve her lost love. However, Aina decides to take matters into her own hands.

💙 This was such a wonderful novel, I was so caught up in the magic of it all. I came away from it feeling like I had listened to a fairytale, and felt like I'd learned so much about Finnish culture & folklore. The knitted socks, the saunas, the hot soup - I immediately put Finland on my 'to visit' list!

🌙 If you're a greek myth fan, you're going to love this. Siiri was a bit like Orpheus with her quest to break into the underworld and save her beloved. Aina was a bit like Persephone, with her underworld romance and discovering her own power as a queen.

🌈 I was a bit worried it would be a standard 'rescue the damsel in distress' storyline, but it's so much more than that. The love triangle was an actual triangle (I stand by my theory that a love triangle can only be such if at least two of the points are queer), and it got very messy towards the end.

📚 I'm not sure if this was marketed as YA, but it definitely had that feel to the writing. There were some pretty dark themes in this, and there was potential for the story to have much sharper teeth in places (especially with the Fins Vs Christians storyline, but I think that's going to be picked up in the sequel).

✨ Overall, this was a gorgeous myth retelling which leans more towards fantasy romance readers rather than historical fiction fans. I'm already feeling impatient about the sequel!

🎁 Thank you @netgalley for my advance reader copy!

🗓️ Publishes on 9 Jan 2025

This book was good and I had a good time with it. I’ve not read a book about Finnish folklore before so I found it all very interesting.

This definitely like a slower read for me at the beginning but I had a great time with it.

I really liked Siiri in this, her character was amazing. I also like Aina, I definitely felt that Aina grew a lot throughout the book as a character.

I definitely would pick up book 2. Thanks Netgalley and Quercus for providing me this book.

Really interesting story and characters, I hope we see more of Aina and Sirri's relationship in the next installment

I sat and read this wrapped up beside the fire (radiator actually) with a hot chocolate watching the snow outside the window and it was absolutely magical. Such a great book, loved it.

A perfectly serviceable YA book if you like that sort of thing. The Finnish mythology provides a really interesting backdrop, but I found some of the implementation unsatisfying. For example, Tuoni wasn’t really developed enough for me, so his very intense declarations of love came off as weird and controlling rather than sexy, as I think was intended. Loviatar suffered similarly, which led to her coming across as kind of mercurial, which did t suit her depiction otherwise as a calculating goddess.

Overall I think it’s a decent enough book- I found the shaman elements especially interesting- but could have done with a bit more development for the characters.

North is the night is a dual POV fantasy with sapphic elements, and inspiration from Finnish mythology. I went into this novel really excited for fairytale elements and learning more about Finnish mythology, and whereas I did feel these aspects were delivered, the plot moved a bit too slow to engage me. I didn’t really connect with the characters, but I did feel that they had plenty of trials to overcome that helped develop them, so I wasn’t quite sure why I felt so apathetic towards them.
I think if you’re a fan of heavy fantasies such as Lord of the rings, then this might be a good fit for you. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with it, it just wasn’t to my taste. I’d still recommend to give it a go.

Thank you to Arcadia for providing me with an arc.

I ended up DNFing North is the night as I couldn't get into it. I may come back to it because I do love Emily Rath's writing but this one I struggled to get into.

❄️ North is the Night ❄️

Wow! I have always been a huge Emily Rath fan and I was so excited for this book.
I’ve always loved fantasy and I adored getting to learn more about Finnish mythology.

This is a beautiful story where bonds are tested to their limits.
I loved following both Aina and Siiri, their journeys were so different but each one was fascinating.
Aina is such a kind and sweet soul, seeing a story where this is kept throughout was special, she didn’t have to be anyone by herself in order to succeed
Siiri is a fighter, she is brave and strong in every circumstance. The journey between her and Vainamoinen was a highlight and I loved the concept of the souls.

I am very excited to continue with this series and see where it goes.

I don’t know much about Finnish mythology, which is the main reason why I picked up this book. There is a letter from the author at the start of the book, saying that the story was inspired by Kalevala, a great Finnish epic poem, (which I have now added to my tbr) and her Finnish grandmother. There is also a disclaimer at the start, which I appreciated, saying that while North is the Night is inspired by Finnish mythology and folklore as well as shamanism and paganism, creative license was taken – this is merely the author’s interpretation, and the book should be read as a fantasy. The Finnish mythological elements are woven well into the story, especially the Finnish underworld and the deities that inhabit it. The story is told from dual perspectives, with Aina navigating her way through the underworld, literally and physically, while Sirri goes off on a quest in search of the shaman, fighting threats both physical and supernatural. The women have opposing personalities, Aina being gentle and kind while Sirri is stubborn and determined, but it is clear that they care about each other greatly. I really enjoyed the slow pace of the story, how tension was slowly built up, and how it set up the sequel.

However, things that I didn’t like about this book were the lack of pronunciation guide for the names, although there is a list of deities and Finnish words that are used in the story; it was a little light on the sapphic romance side but I’m sure that’ll improve in the second book; Aina’s character seemed to fluctuate in the latter half of the book between demure and compassionate to fearless badass which felt a little forced – felt more ‘YA’ than adult in that regard; and the depiction of the Sámi, the traditional indigenous group located mostly in the northern Nordic Region, as antagonistic (although Christianity and Christians are also depicted as antagonistic as well). I would recommend this book for those who are interested in slow-burn adventures and exploring lesser-known mythologies through retellings.

Honestly, I am not sure how to even review this book. It took over my whole life for a couple of days and was all I could think about. It consumed me totally. Such a hypnotic, mesmerising, beautiful tale of Finnish Fantasy and I can’t wait for book 2 now!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

3.75

“I am perfectly content in being my own good man”

This was fascinating and intriguing. We follow the journey of Siiri and Aina and their battles between the mortal living world and the dead.

I really enjoyed the mythology aspect of this and I felt it was really well done and the stories were explained brilliantly so even readers like myself who are not familiar with gods/goddesses could follow along with ease.

I will say that I found myself really eager for Ainas POV during the first half of the book. I really enjoyed the love story between her and Tuoni and how they developed and I think I was cheering for them more than our intended couple.

Unfortunately I was let down by the ‘FF’ portion of this story. From the beginning I feel Siiris love for Aina was shown even without the words but unfortunately that didn’t translate the same in Ainas case. It felt more like a sisterly love than anything.

I’m interested to see how the story will progress in the next book and hopefully we get a little more development between our two FMCs.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read this book.

This isn’t my usual genre of choice but I was drawn to the description and I’m so glad I requested it as this was so magical! I was so drawn into the storyline and using Finnish folklore just added the perfect read for me! I think I may be a new convert.