Article contributed by Yakira Goldsberry
Following Janneke and Soren in their quest to stop Ragnarök, Goblin King is a brutal and wild twist of Norse mythology. As the second instalment in the Permafrost series, it picks up several months after the end of White Stag.
Kara Barbieri does an excellent job reflecting the tale of Ragnarök as well as the nuances of Norse Mythology, bringing into play certain aspects such as Yggdrasil, the world tree, which is one of the reasons why I liked this book so much. The first book, White Stag, had more subtle hints at Norse culture, as Barbieri included a few key mythological creatures. But Goblin King dives right in while still remaining unique to its own world.
Even though Janneke has absorbed the power of the Stag, she still struggles with this power, and in many cases, it causes huge problems for the group. Barbieri did an excellent job incorporating this element into the story and using it to dramatically change plot points and add an extra level of tension to the overall story. Her character arc remains subtle, unlike the stark world around her, but it is still there enough to be noticeable.
I really didn’t think that Soren would go through a character arc in this book. After all, he had everything he wanted and seemed confident enough to rule the Permafrost. But Barbieri wasn’t satisfied with Soren’s first character arc and put him through a second, testing his strength of will and his strength of character. I would say more on this subject but I’m afraid I’d give away spoilers!
The overall plot of Goblin King was very good and held a good amount of tension and suspense. After all, Janneke and Soren, as well as some old and new characters, are trying to stop the end of the world! The beginning felt a tad slow, but things really picked up later on and I couldn’t really tell where exactly Barbieri would take the plot next, which was great. The only thing that I would like to say about it is trigger warnings. While White Stag dealt heavily with the subject of sexual assault, Goblin King illustrates more the grisly violence of Norse Mythology in general. There is a large amount of violence involved within the plot, and some very gruesome descriptions. If this is considered a trigger for you, I would suggest not picking up the book. Everyone has their own tastes and triggers, so it’s totally okay to not read a book if you think it could potentially be triggering.
With that being said, I’ll move on to some things that I liked. Deaval, for one. She is an amazing character with a great deal of unique magic and a spitfire attitude. More than once Seppo and Rose tell her that she is absolutely terrifying and for good reason. Deaval seems to not be tied down by rules of the Permafrost and is, frankly, my favourite character. Another thing I loved was the climax. Barbieri did an amazing job at writing a climax that ended on a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting to know more!
I can’t really think of anything I didn’t like, besides the excessive and vivid descriptions of violence. Also, the return of a certain character I was glad had died in White Stag.
Goblin King earns an 8/10 for me, for its explosive plot and amazing cliffhanger ending, as well as interesting characters and the inclusion of Norse Mythology without sacrificing the plot or trying to squeeze the world into a set frame of mind. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology, unique worlds, diverse characters, and, of course, anyone who has read the first book!
Goblin King is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this stunning sequel to White Stag, Janneke must find how far she’s willing to go to save her world from destruction–even if it means sacrificing everything she’s fought for.
The Hunt is over but the War has just begun.
Against all odds, Janneke has survived the Hunt for the Stag–but all good things come with a cost. Lydian might be dead, but he took the Stag with him. Janneke now holds the mantle, while Soren, now her equal in every way, has become the new Erlking. Janneke’s powers as the new Stag has brought along haunting visions of a world thrown into chaos and the ghost of Lydian taunts her with the riddles he spoke of when he was alive.
When Janneke discovers the truth of Lydian and his madness, she’s forced to see her tormentor in a different light for the first time. The world they know is dying and Lydian may have been the only person with the key to saving it.
