A roller-coaster of a novel - love, magic, ancient gods, and a whole lot more!

                                                     A Review of The Land of Frost 

By Milica Kostić

I believe that most readers will agree with me when I say that the first impression upon reading The Scent of Legacy, the first part of the Arkona Purpure trilogy, is best described as absolute surprise. At first, the novel seems like a love story, but somewhere in the middle it changes its course and takes a completely different direction, taking the readers on an amazing journey into the heart of Slavic mythology, in an utterly natural and vivid manner. I consider this approach to be a unique phenomenon in contemporary literature.

Drina Steinberg’s novels can most certainly be classified as epic fantasy. However, the author has managed to put a playful twist on the original genre and give a special appeal to an exciting, yet little-known topic. Ever so subtly, by letting the readers in on the secrets of Slavic mythology,she brings its magic into their lives, making it a cherished and well-loved element of their reality.Within this mythological framework, Drina Steinberg deals with the destinies of her characters, their emotional relationships, carefully illustrating what it is like to be a woman in the contemporary society.

Another important feature of this trilogy is its attention-grabbing quality. Simply put, both novels keep the readers on their toes the whole time. You will surely read them in one sitting.

After the first part of the trilogy, The Land of Frost had big shoes to fill. However, not only has itlived up to the expectations,it has surpassed them.

With the foundations set in The Scent of Legacy, the second part of the trilogy, The Land of Frost, opens with scenes set in the mythological realm.Moving further away from the traditional “women’s voice” in literature, the author writes about battle, blood, and murder in an extraordinarily vivid manner, while remaining true to herself and the main character’s feminine perspective.

Another interesting motif is that of parenthood, most readily observable in the relationship between Purpure and her daughter. Despite being aware of her great task and the fact that her daughter is of divine origin, Purpure is, above all, a woman whose main role is that of a mother and her child’s protector.

Less prominent, but still immensely powerful and deeply emotional is the parent-child relationship between gods. The humanness of this relationship, the pain, the regret, the sacrifice, and, finally, love, speak of the universality and supreme quality of emotions, making gods appear mortal and familiar in the readers’ eyes. 

The Land of Frost is a novel characterized by strong emotions, building up and leading to a truly intense and emotional ending. Apart from leaving a strong impression on the readers, the ending leaves plenty of room for a great sequel and leaves the readers craving for more.