From the New York Times bestselling author comes a breathtaking fantasy of a cursed kingdom, warring clans, and unexpected salvation.
Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok.
… no daughters in Saylok.
Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he’s also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.
Now the fate of Saylok lies with Alba and Bayr, whose bond grows deeper with every whisper of coming chaos. Charged with battling the enemies of their people, both within and without, Bayr is fueled further by the love of a girl who has defied the scourge of Saylok.
What Bayr and Alba don’t know is that they each threaten the king, a greedy man who built his throne on lies, murder, and betrayal. There is only one way to defend their land from the corruption that has overtaken it. By breaking the curse, they could defeat the king…but they could also destroy themselves.
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“We do not live to endure. We endure so someday we can . . . live. I have endured a great deal, but there have only been a few moments when I have truly lived.”
A female warrior, pregnant with her lover’s child, is turned away and forsaken, giving birth to her son in the Temple Wood. Her brother finds her as she bleeds out. Hurt and bitter, she carves out runes in the Earth, cursing the man who turned her away – her son will be his only child; her son will be incredible; her son will be Saylok’s salvation; and Saylok will have no more daughters. She tasks her brother with taking care of her son with her dying breath, naming him Bayr. And with her life’s blood powering the runes, it shall be done… The First Girl Child was a story about excruciating pain, tremendous loss, overwhelming triumphs, endless hope, and soaring love. There was so many things and so many people to love that I had no choice but to give this book all the stars!!
What I loved:
The world building was insane! It was easy to picture the temple, the rolling and craggy hills, the clans, and even the island of Saylok shaped like a star.
The mythological history, both real and imagined, served to further the imagery. From the runes to the blood to the sight and protections, it was easy to be captivated by the mystique of this tale.
All of the characters!!
Bayr – he was a child that reminded me of a young Herakles… if he had a speech impediment. He was strong, honorable, and incredibly caring. His heart was too huge for his world. He was the embodiment of compassion, understanding, loyalty, and tolerance. Bayr was everything that I loved about this story and I couldn’t get enough of his valor, his skills, his honesty, his dreams, and his love. He belongs to Alba and she to him and it’s beautiful!!
Dagmar – This man!! A Keeper of the Runes, son of a warrior, brother to a warrior, body of a warrior, he chose the life of a scholar, defying and denying the path that was planned out for him. He raises his orphaned nephew, Bayr, in the temple, marvelling at the boy and loving him more than words. Dagmar taught his nephew everything he knew and I’m not sure Bayr would be as awesome as he was without him. With all he was willing to do for Bayr, it was easy to fall in huge like with Dagmar.
Ghost – she didn’t feature overly much, but she was a fierce character to contend with. She was white as snow with white hair and pale eyes and often overlooked. Mistake! After having her daughter stolen from her, being raised as a princess, rather than stealing her back, she stays in Saylok to watch and wait. Her patience and compassion were what drove her and her connection to Dagmar was captured so beautifully that this non-crier was tempted to tears.
Alba – stolen daughter and false princess, her every whim is dictated by her passion for Bayr (and his for her)
Banruud – the antagonist of this story, his schemes and manipulations would be his ultimate downfall. But dang it, he made this story such an entertaining read! He’s the sole reason why Saylok is a land with no daughters and he has no interest in accepting responsibility or atoning for his misdeeds. He was the perfect villain!!
Then there were the clan chieftains, other keepers, the sisters of Freya, and the highest keeper of them all… Ivo. Each played a part in pushing this story to its climax and none more so than Ivo. He knew far more than he revealed and although I had to sometimes question his true intentions, he saw the bigger picture. He was neither good or bad, but was motivated by what should be.
My only real complaint for this story would be how achingly slow it was. I kept skipping ahead to see when something would happen and then going back to my place, anxiously waiting to get there. However, the snail pace wasn’t enough of a deterrent to my enjoyment of this story in the end. It gave me more time to savor both Bayr and Dagmar. It also gave me a chance to fall in love with Dred of Dolphys (Bayr’s grandfather/Dagmar’s father) and to be happy that he was able to feature in some way in the story. I ended up really liking the man. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the way the story concluded. It was action, horror, action, sadness, action, lots of death, and then a quick summary of how everything is moving forward and then The End. I think I was expecting something more after everything I had to go through to get to the other side of all of this. And yet, this story still gets all the stars!! Obviously the author did a ton of ish right!
First of all, I want to say that I love that Amy Harmon decided to write a Fantasy novel. She is one of the most well-rounded authors and can write, in my opinion, in any genre she wants. I don’t read a lot of Fantasy novels because I find the story-building sometimes a bit complicated. You get a lot of information in a small time of frame, and it is difficult to absorb all of it. However, I never got that feeling from The First Girl Child. Amy’s writing is always very easy to read, and has a great flow. I was teleported to Saylok and I felt like I was really living in that Kingdom. I loved all the characters and their relationships. The secondary characters felt as important as the main characters. They all played a very important role in the book, so I was happy that the author included their POVs.
The romance aspect is a bit in the background, which I surprisingly didn’t mind too much. However, I would’ve wanted this to be part of a series instead of a stand-alone. I think there is still so much to explore in this world, and I am very intrigued by it. The last quarter just flew by and the book was finished before I knew it. So that felt a bit rushed because a lot of things happened towards the end, and I think the author could’ve taken more time to spread it out a bit more. It even made me wonder if there would be a cliffhanger at the end, which I wouldn’t have minded. But unfortunately no, it has an ending. I am happy that Amy included an epilogue, but I wish it was longer. I really liked this book and I hope that Amy will decide to revisit this world/genre in the near future, because I love the characters and I really hope that some of them get their own book.
I have absolutely no clue how she does it every time. I don’t understand how she can get something so incredible and fascinating together, but she always does!!! I’m talking about a genres, that before Amy Harmon, was a absolute no go for me. Please? Fantasy/Paranormal/Historical? Ha! Never ever. But Amys books had opened me up to try and get to know a new world and to never condemn a genre before trying it. After every book by Amy, I’m a complete emotional wreck. I didn’t want it to end and now I can’t stop thinking about it
Oh my goodness, this book was so beautiful and perfect and so fantastic written. I’m really bewitched I don’t even know how to describe this incredible experience.
The story takes place in a time when the fear of the gods and the rugged power of the warriors ruled the world.
Where magic powers existed and the fight for the kingdom was fought with bare hands
This book takes us in the hard times of the forefathers. In a time where women and men had to fight for their rights to be safe and protected.
A world, in which woman and man fight side by side to survive.
And in this whole mess of chaos, a love story emerges, a story that begins with a curse and death at childbirth.
There main characters are not just two people in love, there are several that have also the lead role in this story.
This book is extremely emotional and heartbreaking, but also packed with action, excitement, fear and romantic.
I don’t want to spoil too much and give you the chance to experience this story for yourself, therefore only one more thing: THIS IS A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE! I loved every millisecond of this book and I’ll definitely reread this like all Amy Harmon books
I recommend this book to everyone!
This is the kind of read that will give you a book hangover once it’s finished–your thoughts lingering in Saylok, mourning the severed connection to characters you’ve come to know and love.
Amy Harmon’s writing is masterful. She paints vivid scenes while still economizing her words to keep the plot moving. That in and of itself is a special talent.
Truly, the only thing that gave me pause was the description’s focus on romance. Because the story takes place over the course of twenty-four(ish) years, the romance doesn’t really take center stage until Part Three. For this, I don’t blame Harmon, because I work in the book industry and know what kind of wringer the marketing copy goes through. I just wanted to point it out to prospective readers, so they can set their expectations accordingly.
(Don’t worry. It’s well worth the wait.)
Stunning visuals- this should be a blockbuster movie!
We are gently introduced to a larger-than-life world created by the God, Odin. A land called Saylok. Warring clans, an evil king, a curse upon the land, benevolent, powerful keepers whose runes protect those in need; this story is a saga of treachery and deceit and a love that transcends time.
Bayr, the temple boy as he is called, has been raised in the cradle of the keepers, loved and protected by his uncle Dagmar. He has the strength of Thor, and when a fearless rescue brings him to the attention of the queen, young Bayr is commissioned to guard her baby daughter- the first girl child the clans have seen in twelve, long years.
Betrayed by Banruud before he was king, Dagmar’s sister cursed all of Saylok with no girl children on her deathbed, so the seemingly miraculous birth of Alba guaranteed Banruud his place as king.
Bayr and Alba become inseparable, and as the years pass their bond grows. But King Banruud has a plan for his daughter and it doesn’t include the temple boy.
There are so many memorable moments in this book, I know I’m going to be reading it again, and again!
Favorite Lines
“Be careful what you fear,” Ivo replied, grave. “We draw the attention of the fates when our fear grows too loud. The fates are cruel, and they will reward you with what you fear most.”
The First Girl Child- Amy Harmon
“We do not live to endure. We endure so someday we can . . . live. I have endured a great deal, but there have only been a few moments when I have truly lived.”
The First Girl Child- Amy Harmon
Her happiness seeped from her chest, ran down her weak legs, and pooled beneath her feet, leaving her as empty as she’d been yesterday and the day before.
The First Girl Child- Amy Harmon
Read this Book!
A wonderful epic fantasy! I’ve loved every Amy Harmon book I’ve read and this is one of my most favorite!
I just finished The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon and I am in awe of the complexity, the details, and the phenomenal writing this author has achieved. I absolutely loved this book and I wish I could give it ten stars.
Each character is well developed, and you can’t help but fall in love with them. Especially Dagmar, Ghost, and Bayer. All three were multi-dimensional characters that pulled at your heartstrings. I adored Bayr. Even though his flaw, he’s absolutely terrific…relatable even. The love between him and Alba was the sweetest and I couldn’t help but root for them.
The setting is exceptionally good, with detailed hierarchy, world-building, culture and even religious content that was well researched and alike the show Vikings.
I cried, I laughed, I mourned, and I rejoiced. This author gave me all the feels, therefore she has hit a home run.
This lyrical, decades-spanning book by Harmon was another wonderful hit.
Fantastic read! 🙂
The First Girl Child will have readers entranced and enraptured with a tale of enduring love, sacrifice, duty and of promises kept. It takes Norse Mythology and totally re-imagines it to give way into a fantastic story of epic proportions. With Amy Harmon’s lyrical prose, I was swept away into a faraway land and became invested in the story of Dagmar, Bayr, Ghost and Alba. But it is Bayr and Dagmar’s relationship with each other, as well as Dagmar and Ghost’s and of Bayr and Alba that makes The First Girl Child a memorable book. It is a must-read!
The First Girl Child is an epic fantasy story. A lot of world building, interesting characters, and decades of time passing.
But the story started very slow. I found it very hard to continue for the first 50% or so of the story. I just felt like I was on the edge of a precipice – waiting for the action and the story to start unfolding.
Once everything was set into motion, I was 100% invested. Bayr and Alba, Dagmar and Ghost…their stories burrowed into my heart.
Fantasy may not be my normal genre of choice, but if Amy Harmon writes it, I will follow. If you find yourself struggling at the beginning (like I did), know that it is worth it and keep going!
Absolute fantastical perfection. The First Girl Child hails as a mesmerizing tale juxtaposing good versus evil. So layered and complex in its telling of a beautifully, haunting tale full of lies and deceptions set against unwavering faith and belief in something greater then thine own one self. Amy Harmon brilliantly showcases her prowess for her craft, her intimacy with her characters and her honesty as a storyteller with her acutely detailed words woven together as a concise and tightly executed novel that’s as restorative and healing in its heart break and hope as it is blinding with light and shadowed in dark. Her third person point of view writing keeps the mind and soul engaged from beginning to end. I felt this story in my readers heart as I was transported to Saylok and willingly held captive. There is so much to say yet I possess neither the grace nor my own words bold enough to express all this book means. Full of everlasting love and devotion; deep, thought provoking, and remarkable. A true piece of fantasy gold for fans and embracers of this genre.
The First Girl Child was masterfully crafted. I loved it. I was fully engaged, immersed and invested in the world, characters and their story from the very beginning. It was an emotional rollercoaster but I hope that there will be more stories set in this world and about these characters. I highly recommend this book.
Copy provided by publisher through Net Galley
I loved this book. The world building, full of Norse mythology, kept me captivated. The characters are wonderful and the storyline is entertaining. I couldn’t put it down. This book will go in my re-read pile.
I enjoyed the book but it was not a favorite. The story had multiple points of view and I felt like I was dropped into a world without much guidance (sometimes felt like I was missing a prequel). The ending felt rushed and too much of tied up bow given the massive detail spent on the beginning of the book. I had to fight to stick with it but it was very creative to me.
Loved this book!
I have waited to read The First Girl Child. I knew there was another book in the series coming and I am not good at waiting. I like being totally immersed in a world and stying there as long as possible. That being said, this is not a cliffhanger. It can completely stand alone as the fabulous read that it is.
Amy Harmon has created a world based on Norse Folklore and completely slayed the telling of this story. I went completely off grid as a I traveled to and lived in Saylock for a complete day and a half. I loved this world created by Ms. Harmon. It was complexly layered, yet simple enough to understand its makeup. The clans and their members were easily identified and uniquely interesting.
I completely lost my heart to the beautiful and noble characters who were the protectors of Saylok and its inhabitants. Ghost, Dagmar, Ivo, Alba, and Bayr are brave, and true. They are an unforgettable family of warriors who will live in my heart and mind forever. Their love and loyalty are legendary.
I know that I can never go wrong when I pick up an Amy Harmon novel. This is the first fantasy novel written by her that I have read, but it will definitely not be my last. Her honest and masterfully descriptive writing transcend any genre. Amy Harmon is an author I consisently automatically buy and readily recommend to other readers.
Good fantasy book. i will read her next one in this series.
I know I keep telling myself that I’m not a fantasy fan, but once again Amy Harmon has won me over with a fantasy book. By the way, if you haven’t read The Bird and the Sword you should exercise that one-click finger right now!
The First Girl Child is an intricate, mesmerizing, and unique tale that completely sucked me in. I loved getting wrapped up in the land of Saylok, filled with clans, runes, temples, spells, secrets, and vendettas. It’s true that I found some parts of the story to be predictable but that didn’t deter my enjoyment at all. Despite the mythical setting, Bayr, Dagmar, Ghost, and Alba are identifiable characters that grew close to my heart. The story may be on the longish side, yet I found it to be well-paced. There is a small slow burn romance aspect that is a nice cherry on top, if not 100% fulfilling. I’m also a greedy reader who enjoys meatier, more detailed epilogues. I fully intend to read more of Amy Harmon’s fantasies.
This story is fast moving, promoted by excellent grammar so the reader doesn’t have to re-read anything to understand the meaning. The characters are realistic types and interesting. Hard to put down and lovely use of language that’s almost poetic.