Death is not their master.

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North Is the Night (Tuonela Duet, #1)

by Emily Rath 

Expected publication date 16 January 2025, 592 pages, Hardcover

In a small Finnish village two young women Aina and Siiri know their place, they are to help with the foraging and harvesting of food and to find suitable partners. They pay their respects to the old Finnish gods, are wary of the new God being introduced from Sweden which abhors current customs and practices. Life if not ideal but there is a rhythm and familiarity that is comforting. Rumours are rife of young women being snatched from their families and it is suspected that that the gods maybe involved. When Aina and Siiri find themselves pursued by a god and Aina is taken, Siiri is determined to bring her friend back, no matter the cost.

The story centres around two young women Aina and Siiri who each tell their story through alternating chapters. Initially it is Siiri who shines through, as she is loyal to her roots, fiercely protective of those she cares for and is more than willing to challenge and rail against injustice and straying from the true gods. Siiri’s approach is that she is like a bulldozer, who is relentless in pushing everything aside to get to her goal and sometimes forgets the personal cost. Siiri travels North to find a legendary shaman, who she hopes can teach her the skills to enter the underworld and return with Aina.

Aina as the story develops, becomes more of the central character, it is her personal journey where you see a woman emerge into her own power and confidence. Aina finds in the underworld that she is a pawn in a bigger chess game. The Queen of the underworld has seized power and has turned the place into a cesspit of betrayal and intrigue. Kept as a prisoner, denied the basics, used a plaything, Aina befriends a raven who shows her kindness and hope. As Aina comes to understand the world that she inhabits and realises that to bring back balance, she will have to marry the god of the death. Aina’s decision sparks further intrigue and chaos, but her ability to remain human allows her to create alliances and friendships.

What holds the story together is the bond of Aina and Siiri, who remain fiercely loyal to each other, despite the odds they face. The secondary characters that circle around the two women are well crafted. The joy as a reader is the reveal as to what the intentions and agendas of the characters are. Rath weaves layers of honesty and deception through each of the characters Aina crosses paths with. For Siiri there is more certainty in her world but that slowly changes.

Those who know Emily Rath will know her ‘Puck’ and Regency romance series of novels, which I will confess I have not read. I come to North is the Night as a fan of fantasy fiction and Rath has delivered. She has created a world based on the Finnish myths and traditions then made it her own.

Thanks to Net Galley and Hachette Australia for the ARC.

For more on Emily's work head over to her website

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