I really enjoy books that makes me want to branch out and learn about other cultures and lore. I was impressed with how the author portrayed all of the Gods and made the story flow at a good pace. I also love a good story with Best Friends who would do anything for each other .. even if its very dangerous.

North is the Night is book one in a Finnish folklore-inspired fantasy duology. There are two female main characters, Siiri and Aina, and their paths deviate from the start. A good chunk of this book is spent alternating between two completely different storylines. It took a while for me to become invested in either story. If you aren't already familiar with Finnish folklore, there's a big learning curve and a lot of names to remember. I liked both of the audiobook narrators, but I wish their voices would have been more different: sometimes it was easy to forget whose chapter was being narrated, especially near the end, because I couldn't tell which narrator I was listening to. The tale is fairly dark and set in cold weather, making it an excellent winter reading choice for readers interested in fantasy and folklore.

I enjoy folklore and myth retellings, but must admit that I am not well versed in Finish fables so teasing the mythic underworld, Tuonela, piqued my curiosity. There are several threads of plots running through this book, from negative sentiment about the Swedes invading their land and replacing their native culture and pagan religions with their own customs and Christian faith, to the sisterly, and maybe more than that, love between Siiri and Aina, to the mythic battle for the underworld between the gods and their kin. Sometimes these threads align to cohesion, but at times they work against each other and lead to a disjointed story. I found some of the mythic elements to be reminiscent of mythology from other culture, for example the subplot between Aina and the death god was evocative of the Persephone myth. There was a fair balance of fantasy and romance with a very nominal spice level and a good amount of world building and explanation of the various magics. Since this is the first half in a duology, I suspect that the next book will reap the benefits of this character and setting development and concentrate more on the romantic aspects and weaving any disparate plot threads to coherence.
I enjoyed this book in the audio format and the quality of the narrators markedly increased my enjoyment of the story. The dual pov telling was enhanced by both actors who gave voice to these roles. (3.5/5)
I received access to this audiobook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, RBmedia) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This book is gorgeous, so I definitely judged it by the cover. This book had an ambitious mix of storylines—Siiri's quest to save Aina from the Finnish Underworld, a broader conflict involving Swedes and their Christian god, and a crumbling Underworld that needed saving—all tied to gods, shamans, and a supposed sapphic romance. Unfortunately, the combination didn’t quite work for me. While the world-building and mythology were intriguing at times, the alternating perspectives between Siiri and Aina undercut the tension, especially as Aina became capable of saving herself. The sapphic element felt underdeveloped, with Siiri’s love for Aina coming across as one-sided, while Aina’s relationship with Tuoni, the god of death, felt far more compelling. By the end, I struggled to connect with the characters or feel invested in their triumph. A creative premise that ultimately fell short for me. Three stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

North is the Night
(The Tuonela Duet, book 1)
By Emily Rath
Narrated by Khaya Fraites, Emily Lawrence
4 ⭐️

I wanted to read this for 3 main reasons:
1. The book is beautiful. (This reader loves a pretty book 🙋‍♀️)
2. Nordic folklore
3. It looks like it’s set in winter - or at least in part

I was not disappointed! All 3 things proved to be true and done well. My favorite aspect was the folklore. I’m not familiar with the deities features in this tale; I thought this was a fantastic introduction. The story essentially follows two story lines (the separate POVs) that start together and veer apart. Almost forgotten tales and songs guide their journey. The audiobook has 2 narrators for the 2 POVs which I always appreciate. I like the narrations throughout and would recommend the audiobook to anyone who enjoys audiobooks. I also say to buy the physical book because it’s beautiful! I enjoyed this read a lot and am looking forward to book 2. Bonus, book 1 does not end in a cliffhanger.

Hoopla currently has the ebook available - 12/24/24.

Thank you NetGalley, Emily Rath, and RB Media for an audiobook ARC copy of this book. I’ve also purchased it with my own 💵.

DNF at 15%

I usually try to give a book 20-25% before I DNF, but. this book is pretty long and I genuinely tried to get through it, but I couldn't do it. This is unrelated to the mismarketing of the book and is entirely based on my experience listening to the audio.

I felt that the narrators were doing a good enough job of performing the book, but the story and characters themselves were just not hooking me. I was bored and didn't find myself invested in the characters, world building or antagonists.

I respected Siiri's desire to find and protect her friend, but I feel like I needed more reason to be invested. It felt both too slow and too rushed in the beginning. There was too much time discussing preping fish and not enough time establishing the friendship, setting the scene and giving me reason to be invested in their story.

Thank you to RB Media, NetGalley and Emily Rath for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook.

Net Galley provided me with an audio arc but my thoughts are my own.

This is a big departure from other works that I have read by this author. This is a folklore retelling that was set in Finland, and is the perfect book to read during winter. I've read a couple retellings and am a wider fantasy reader and I really enjoyed this story, particularly the adventure aspects, without too many of the standard worn out tropes.

The one thing I did not like was the relationship between one of the main characters and the death god. Maybe I would see it differently if I re read it, but it left me scratching my head a bit.

Overall I enjoyed the book and would be happy to pick up the next installment.

Rooted in history and lore from Finland and Sweden, this book was wonderful to consume!
"Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive."
This story was captivating, fast paced, and a wonderful story about realizing your true self when faced with the potential death of a soul mate. Emily Rath absolutely had me enraptured with the amazing tale! I need the sequel now!

Emily Rath’s fantasy storytelling is so good! The multi POV with the stories kept me so entertained and on the edge of my seat with every chapter.

NITN is remarkable as a book but this audio changed my brain. It is LITERALLY PERFECTION. The voices were perfect

A very interesting book. Two best friends trying to return to each other after one is stolen away by the gods. There are two stories being told leading up to the ending. I found each one interesting in their own way. I recommend the audiobook to help with the names in this book. I’m not familiar with Finnish folktales but loved this one.

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and to be honest, I think I enjoyed it more for the fact that it completely surprised me. I love that it invokes feelings of European folklore, which is something I particularly enjoy reading about. I also found the story to be richly written and beautifully atmospheric. I loved the setting and world building that Rath created. I thought the characters were really well developed. I liked that they each had their own journey leading to distinct character growth. Truthfully, I think this was a story that I just vibed with really well. Since I read this via audiobook, I really appreciated that different narrators were chosen to voice the different POVs. Without this decision, I think I would have struggled to keep track of who was who. However, since each POV was distinctly different, I could easily keep the characters straight in my mind and tell when a POV switch happened. Overall, I really enjoyed this and plan to continue the series.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story. This was an ok book in my opinion. Definitely not what I expected. I was expecting a really cool epic fantasy with queer characters who fall in love. That's definitely not what this book is. It is definitely beautifully written. Emily has a way with words that makes you almost feel like you are part of the story. I just didn't connect with the characters. The narration by Emily Lawrence and Khaya Fraites was very well done. They brought the characters to life really well.

The narrators did a fabulous job bringing the story to life. This book is awesome! It's definitely one of my best reads of the year. It scratched an itch that I didn't even know that I had. The world building is fantastic and the characters are amazing. I'm so glad this is part of a duet because I'm not ready to let this world go quite yet. The plot is wonderful and made the story very enjoyable. This is a great fantasy book. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia foe allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and alc — i will share a note that the formatting of the arc was not great and took away from my reading experience.

this was not the best but also not the worst book i’ve read in 2024. i did read that it was mistakenly marketed as sapphic when it truly was not, and that did disappoint me as reading siiri’s pov you can tell that aina is more than a friend to her.

i did enjoy the different insight to finnish folklore and mythology, and the dual narration though!

✨✨✨ NetGalley ALC Review✨✨✨

Tropes:
Romantasy
Based on Finnish folklore

This book wasn’t for me. I love the author and I looked forward to this book but it just drug for me. I had to take breaks in between and read different books because I was almost bored to tears.

3⭐️
1🌶️

🎧 Narrators:
Khaya Fraites and Emily Lawrence

North is the Night
by Emily Rath
Narrated by Khaya Fraites, Emily Lawrence
Book 1 of Tuonela Duet

Absolutely Recommend!

If you're a fan of dark, atmospheric tales steeped in folklore, North is the Night by Emily Rath is a must-listen. Drawing inspiration from Finnish mythology, the story masterfully weaves a narrative of mortals clashing with gods in a tumultuous world. Siri and Aina’s bond, tested by an evil god, is at the heart of this haunting tale, and Siri’s quest to save her friend unfolds against a backdrop of mythical creatures, breathtaking vistas, and sinister characters. I will let you discover the true beauty of this book--but expect a well-written fantasy that is easy to devour.

The audiobook narration is stellar, bringing the story to life with captivating depth. The richly descriptive prose, reminiscent of Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale, is a highlight, and fans of deeply immersive, folklore-driven storytelling will feel right at home. While the narration overall was excellent, one character—the almighty witch—felt slightly off. Her voice came across as petulant, which didn’t quite match the gravitas I expected for such a powerful figure. However, this minor issue didn’t detract from the overall experience; it was just a matter of personal preference.

Listening to this book in the winter months felt like the perfect choice. Its dark and cozy atmosphere, combined with its richly layered worldbuilding, created a story ideal for curling up with on a chilly night. The combination of lyrical prose, mythological depth, and compelling characters makes North is the Night a standout audiobook. Highly recommended for those who love darkly magical tales and long to be transported to a world of gods and mortals in unrest.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and RB Media|Recorded Books

#NorthistheNight #NetGalley

I was so eager for this book since I first heard of it coming out. This was a lengthy audiobook told in dual POV. The two narrators did a great job! It was a bit slow in the beginning until the story got going, but once it was going it never stopped. I was surprised how quickly the 18 hours went by. I was emotionally invested in more than just our two main characters. I even found myself crying! There is so much left for our characters to do and I will be anxiously waiting for the next chapter.

I feel like this book took a piece of my soul with it when I closed the back cover. The folklore in this book is so beautiful. I know absolutely nothing about Finnish Folklore, and now I need to do my own research and learn more about it. I am so interested in learning more about it because this book was so gripping. The ending had me sobbing. It was so heartbreaking and selfless and so wholly beautiful. Siiri and Aina's unbending, unwavering love for one another was such a beautiful sight to see. It is such a beautiful and haunting love story. But this book is SO MUCH MORE than a romance.

I loved the narrators and the Finnish mythology/folklore elements of this book. However, the rest of this story did not work for me. The death God was a huge red flag, but the author wants you to believe he is the good side of death compared to the death witches. They were all horrible. The rest of the story moved slow and dragged in places. I think it could have been a more powerful story if it were shorter.